Fender Bassman settings
Hysteria settings for Fender Bassman
Muse · adapted 9 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Muse "Hysteria" distorted tone on a Fender Bassman, set Gain 9, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 5, Presence 6, Bright switch 0. Use the p pickup (split-coil, only pickup position) pickup.
Distorted settings
Adapted for a Squier Precision Bass · updated 2026-11-07
- Pickup
- P pickup (split-coil, only pickup position)
Fender Bassman knobs
- Gain
- 9
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 5
- Presence
- 6
- Bright switch
- 0
Playing tips
- Use your fingers to pluck the strings for a warmer tone.
- Experiment with your plucking position closer to the neck for a rounder sound.
- Adjust your gain to find the sweet spot where distortion enhances without overpowering.
The original rig
What Muse used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Bassman actually has.
- Bass
- Gibson SG Standard (red, used by Matt Bellamy on Absolution recording)
- Amp
- Unknown exact model (no direct source for amp used on 'Hysteria' studio recording; likely Marshall or similar British high-gain amp typical for Muse in this era, but not confirmed in sources)
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 1.5
Different bass or pedals? Get Hysteria adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Muse's tone to your own bass, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Fender Bassman settings for Hysteria?
Set Gain 9, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 5, Presence 6, Bright switch 0.
Which pickup should I use for Hysteria?
P pickup (split-coil, only pickup position).
What gear did Muse use on Hysteria?
Bass: Gibson SG Standard (red, used by Matt Bellamy on Absolution recording). Amp: Unknown exact model (no direct source for amp used on 'Hysteria' studio recording; likely Marshall or similar British high-gain amp typical for Muse in this era, but not confirmed in sources).
Will these settings work with my bass?
These settings were adapted for a Squier Precision Bass. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact bass, pickups, amp and pedals.
Hysteria on other amps
Popular songs on the Fender Bassman
- For Whom the Bell Tolls · Metallica
- Message In a Bottle · The Police
- Feel Good Inc. (feat. David Jolicoeur, Kelvin Mercer & Vincent Mason) · Gorillaz & De La Soul
- Orion · Metallica
- Another One Bites the Dust · Queen
- Paranoid · Black Sabbath
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- My Name Is Mud · Primus
- Money · Pink Floyd
- Come Together · The Beatles
- Chop Suey! · System Of A Down
Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.