Fender Mustang LTX50 settings
Mr. Brightside settings for Fender Mustang LTX50
The Killers · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Killers "Mr. Brightside" riff tone on a Fender Mustang LTX50, select the BLUES LEAD preset, then set Gain 4.5, Bass 3, Mid 6, Treble 8, Reverb 5. Use the bridge pickup (single-coil) pickup with your guitar's tone on 8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Squier Stratocaster · updated 2026-09-27
- Preset / mode
- BLUES LEAD
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup (single-coil)
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8 · Volume 8-9
Fender Mustang LTX50 knobs
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 3
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 8
- Reverb
- 5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 7.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in chorus set to a moderate level to add depth and simulate the effect of the phrase being doubled.
- Keep the reverb at a moderate level to maintain the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Play with a light touch to achieve the chimey, bright character of the riff.
The original rig
What The Killers used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Mustang LTX50 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 preset should I use on the Fender Mustang LTX50 for Mr. Brightside?
Start from the BLUES LEAD preset, then set Gain 4.5, Bass 3, Mid 6, Treble 8, 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?
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.
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 Mustang LTX50
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
- Pride and Joy · Stevie Ray Vaughan
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- 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.