Marshall JCM800 settings
Holy Wars settings for Marshall JCM800
Megadeth · adapted 38 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Megadeth "Holy Wars" riff tone on a Marshall JCM800, set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 7, Presence 5, Master volume 7. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Gibson Les Paul · updated 2026-11-11
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Marshall JCM800 knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 5
- Master volume
- 7
- Input sensitivity
- 0
Playing tips
- Use tight palm muting to achieve a percussive attack.
- Focus on crisp pick attack for clarity in fast staccato riffs.
- Maintain a steady rhythm to keep the riff tight and aggressive.
The original rig
What Megadeth used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall JCM800 actually has.
- Guitar
- Jackson KV Pro Dave Mustaine Signature (likely with Bill Lawrence L-500XL bridge pickup)
- Amp
- Marshall JCM800 2203 head into DeCuir 4x12 cabinet with Celestion speakers
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get Holy Wars adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Megadeth's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Marshall JCM800 settings for Holy Wars?
Set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 7, Presence 5, Master volume 7.
Which pickup should I use for Holy Wars?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Megadeth use on Holy Wars?
Guitar: Jackson KV Pro Dave Mustaine Signature (likely with Bill Lawrence L-500XL bridge pickup). Amp: Marshall JCM800 2203 head into DeCuir 4x12 cabinet with Celestion speakers.
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Gibson Les Paul. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Holy Wars on other amps
Popular songs on the Marshall JCM800
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Walk · Pantera
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Raining Blood · Slayer
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.