Fender Frontman 20G settings
1979 settings for Fender Frontman 20G
The Smashing Pumpkins · adapted 17 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Smashing Pumpkins "1979" riff tone on a Fender Frontman 20G, set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Drive select 0, Drive volume 0. Use the neck pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul · updated 2026-10-29
- Pickup
- Neck pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Frontman 20G knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Drive select
- 0
- Drive volume
- 0
- Normal volume
- 6
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Focus on a light touch to maintain clarity and brightness.
- Use fingerstyle or soft pick attack for a more dynamic response.
- Experiment with subtle palm muting for added texture.
The original rig
What The Smashing Pumpkins used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Frontman 20G 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 Frontman 20G settings for 1979?
Set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Drive select 0, Drive volume 0.
Which pickup should I use for 1979?
Neck pickup, 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 Epiphone Les Paul. 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 Frontman 20G
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Creep · Radiohead
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
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.