Marshall DSL40C settings
Cortez the Killer settings for Marshall DSL40C
Neil Young & Crazy Horse · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Neil Young & Crazy Horse "Cortez the Killer" solo tone on a Marshall DSL40C, set Gain 8, Bass 5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, Resonance 6. Use the neck + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 8-10 and volume on 10.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-06-07
- Pickup
- Neck + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8-10 · Volume 10
Marshall DSL40C knobs
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 6
- Resonance
- 6
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Tone shift
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Experiment with dynamics; play softly for a clean tone and dig in for more overdrive.
- Consider using fingerstyle for a more organic sound, as it can enhance the nuances of the tone.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul Custom · updated 2026-05-26
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 10
Marshall DSL40C knobs
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5
- Resonance
- 5
- Reverb
- 0
- Tone shift
- 0
Playing tips
- Use a dynamic touch to emphasize the natural overdrive from the amp.
- Experiment with palm muting for a tighter sound on the riff.
- Try varying your picking intensity to achieve different tonal nuances.
The original rig
What Neil Young & Crazy Horse used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall DSL40C actually has.
- Guitar
- 1953 Gibson Les Paul 'Old Black' (heavily modified, Bigsby vibrato, Firebird bridge pickup)
- Amp
- Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 (wide panel, early 1950s, cranked)
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 6.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 2.5
- Reverb
- 2
Different guitar or pedals? Get Cortez the Killer adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Neil Young & Crazy Horse's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Marshall DSL40C settings for Cortez the Killer?
Set Gain 8, Bass 5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, Resonance 6.
Which pickup should I use for Cortez the Killer?
Neck + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 8-10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Neil Young & Crazy Horse use on Cortez the Killer?
Guitar: 1953 Gibson Les Paul 'Old Black' (heavily modified, Bigsby vibrato, Firebird bridge pickup). Amp: Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 (wide panel, early 1950s, cranked).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Fender 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 Marshall DSL40C
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Alive · Pearl Jam
- Man in the Box · Alice in Chains
- Back in Black · AC/DC
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.