Marshall DSL40CR settings
Thinking Out Loud settings for Marshall DSL40CR
Ed Sheeran · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud" riff tone on a Marshall DSL40CR, set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Presence 4, Resonance 4. Use the neck pickup with your guitar's tone on 6-7 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Gibson SG Standard Gold Series Limited Edition · updated 2026-07-01
- Pickup
- Neck pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 6-7 · Volume 8-9
Marshall DSL40CR knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 4
- Resonance
- 4
- Reverb
- 4
- Tone shift
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 4.5
Playing tips
- Use fingerstyle for a percussive attack.
- Maintain a light touch to keep the tone warm and articulate.
- Experiment with slight volume adjustments to enhance dynamics.
The original rig
What Ed Sheeran used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall DSL40CR actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Eric Clapton Crash 1 Stratocaster Electric Guitar (replica, used for studio and live in 2014)
- Amp
- Unknown (no confirmed amp model for studio recording; likely Fender or similar clean amp based on genre and era)
- Gain
- 0
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 4
Different guitar or pedals? Get Thinking Out Loud adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Ed Sheeran's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Marshall DSL40CR settings for Thinking Out Loud?
Set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Presence 4, Resonance 4.
Which pickup should I use for Thinking Out Loud?
Neck pickup, with the guitar's tone at 6-7 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Ed Sheeran use on Thinking Out Loud?
Guitar: Fender Eric Clapton Crash 1 Stratocaster Electric Guitar (replica, used for studio and live in 2014). Amp: Unknown (no confirmed amp model for studio recording; likely Fender or similar clean amp based on genre and era).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Gibson SG Standard Gold Series Limited Edition. 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 DSL40CR
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Walk · Pantera
- Welcome To The Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
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.