Fender Hot Rod Deluxe settings
Mr. Brightside settings for Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
The Killers · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Killers "Mr. Brightside" riff tone on a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Mid 7, Treble 8, Presence 5, Reverb 5. Use the bridge pickup (single-coil) pickup with your guitar's tone on 8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
updated 2026-07-29
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup (single-coil)
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe knobs
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 8
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 5
- Bright Switch
- 1
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 7.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Engage the Bright Switch to enhance the high-frequency response, which is crucial for the edgy tone of the riff.
- Maintain a steady picking hand to achieve the crisp articulation of the riff.
The original rig
What The Killers used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Hot Rod Deluxe actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely American Standard, early 2000s, as used by Dave Keuning on the studio recording)
- Amp
- Fender Hot Rod DeVille (studio recording, 2003 era; Fender-style amp confirmed by multiple sources)
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 8
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Mr. Brightside adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts The Killers's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Fender Hot Rod Deluxe settings for Mr. Brightside?
Set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Mid 7, Treble 8, Presence 5, Reverb 5.
Which pickup should I use for Mr. Brightside?
Bridge pickup (single-coil), with the guitar's tone at 8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did The Killers use on Mr. Brightside?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely American Standard, early 2000s, as used by Dave Keuning on the studio recording). Amp: Fender Hot Rod DeVille (studio recording, 2003 era; Fender-style amp confirmed by multiple sources).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Mr. Brightside on other amps
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Mustang LT25 · 202
- Mr. Brightside on Boss Katana · 94
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Frontman 10G · 88
- Mr. Brightside on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 52
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Champion 20 · 42
- Mr. Brightside on Neural DSP Quad Cortex · 29
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Frontman 15G · 26
- Mr. Brightside on Line 6 POD Go / POD Go Wireless · 24
Popular songs on the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Pride and Joy · Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
- Back In Black · AC/DC
- Man in the Box · Alice in Chains
- Walk · Pantera
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.