Fender Champion 40 settings
1979 settings for Fender Champion 40
The Smashing Pumpkins · adapted 11 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Smashing Pumpkins "1979" riff tone on a Fender Champion 40, set Gain 1.5, Volume 6, Bass 5, Treble 6, Fx level 4, Volume 1 5. Use the neck + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Ibanez TOD10 Tim Henson Signature · updated 2026-10-17
- Pickup
- Neck + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Champion 40 knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Volume
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Treble
- 6
- Fx level
- 4
- Volume 1
- 5
- Volume 2
- 0
- Fx select
- 5
Built-in effects
- Chorus on
- Reverb on (Spring) · 4
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in chorus set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Engage the reverb to add depth and ambiance to your clean riff.
- Keep your picking light and articulate to maintain clarity in the clean tone.
The original rig
What The Smashing Pumpkins used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Champion 40 actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 80s, as used by Billy Corgan in studio)
- Amp
- Marshall JCM800 (modded with KT88 tubes, as used on Mellon Collie sessions)
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5.5
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get 1979 adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts The Smashing Pumpkins's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Fender Champion 40 settings for 1979?
Set Gain 1.5, Volume 6, Bass 5, Treble 6, Fx level 4, Volume 1 5.
Which pickup should I use for 1979?
Neck + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did The Smashing Pumpkins use on 1979?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 80s, as used by Billy Corgan in studio). Amp: Marshall JCM800 (modded with KT88 tubes, as used on Mellon Collie sessions).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Ibanez TOD10 Tim Henson Signature. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
1979 on other amps
Popular songs on the Fender Champion 40
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Walk · Pantera
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Pride and Joy · Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Back in Black · AC/DC
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.