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Fender Squier SP-10 settings

Mr. Brightside settings for Fender Squier SP-10

The Killers · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt

To get the The Killers "Mr. Brightside" riff tone on a Fender Squier SP-10, set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Treble 8. 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 2026-10-19

Pickup
Bridge pickup (single-coil)
Guitar knobs
Tone 8 · Volume 8-9

Fender Squier SP-10 knobs

Gain
4.5
Bass
4
Treble
8

Built-in effects

  • Reverb off

Playing tips

  • Use a light palm muting technique for a tighter sound.
  • Play with a clean attack to maintain clarity in the riff.
  • Experiment with picking dynamics to emphasize certain notes.

The original rig

What The Killers used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Squier SP-10 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
Full Mr. Brightside tone breakdown, effects and sources →

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 Squier SP-10 settings for Mr. Brightside?

Set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Treble 8.

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.

Popular songs on the Fender Squier SP-10

All 20 songs for the Fender Squier SP-10 →

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.