Fender Champion 40 settings
I Want a New Drug settings for Fender Champion 40
Huey Lewis & The News · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Huey Lewis & The News "I Want a New Drug" riff tone on a Fender Champion 40, set Gain 5, Bass 5, Treble 6, Tap 0, Fx level 0, Volume 1 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul Standard '50s · updated 2026-08-19
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7 · Volume 8-9
Fender Champion 40 knobs
- Gain
- 5
- Bass
- 5
- Treble
- 6
- Tap
- 0
- Fx level
- 0
- Volume 1
- 0
- Volume 2
- 5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 3
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level to replicate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Keep your picking dynamics consistent for a tight, punchy rhythm.
- Experiment with the bridge pickup for a bright, articulate sound.
The original rig
What Huey Lewis & The News used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Champion 40 actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (early 1980s, likely stock single coils)
- Amp
- 1960s Fender black-panel Deluxe Reverb
- Gain
- 5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 5.5
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get I Want a New Drug adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Huey Lewis & The News's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Fender Champion 40 settings for I Want a New Drug?
Set Gain 5, Bass 5, Treble 6, Tap 0, Fx level 0, Volume 1 0.
Which pickup should I use for I Want a New Drug?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Huey Lewis & The News use on I Want a New Drug?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (early 1980s, likely stock single coils). Amp: 1960s Fender black-panel Deluxe Reverb.
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul Standard '50s. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
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.