Fender Mustang LT25 settings
Desesperado settings for Fender Mustang LT25
José José · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the José José "Desesperado" riff tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, select the CHICAGO BLUES preset, then set Gain 4, Bass 6, Treble 6, Reverb 1. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Squier Stratocaster · updated 2026-08-27
- Preset / mode
- CHICAGO BLUES
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Mustang LT25 knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 1
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 6
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Pick lightly for a clearer note separation and dynamic response.
- Experiment with your picking intensity to achieve the mild breakup characteristic.
The original rig
What José José used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Mustang LT25 actually has.
- Guitar
- Unknown hollowbody or semi-hollow electric guitar (likely Gibson ES-335 or similar, typical for Latin pop ballads of 1970s Mexico)
- Amp
- Unknown tube combo amp (likely Fender Twin Reverb or similar, common in 1970s Latin pop studio sessions)
- Gain
- 0
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Desesperado adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts José José's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What preset should I use on the Fender Mustang LT25 for Desesperado?
Start from the CHICAGO BLUES preset, then set Gain 4, Bass 6, Treble 6, Reverb 1.
Which pickup should I use for Desesperado?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did José José use on Desesperado?
Guitar: Unknown hollowbody or semi-hollow electric guitar (likely Gibson ES-335 or similar, typical for Latin pop ballads of 1970s Mexico). Amp: Unknown tube combo amp (likely Fender Twin Reverb or similar, common in 1970s Latin pop studio sessions).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Squier Stratocaster. 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 Mustang LT25
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
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.