Marshall JCM800 settings
Mr. Brightside settings for Marshall JCM800
The Killers · adapted 13 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Killers "Mr. Brightside" riff tone on a Marshall JCM800, set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 5, Master volume 7. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Ibanez RG · updated 2026-10-24
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall JCM800 knobs
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 5
- Master volume
- 7
- Input sensitivity
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Use palm muting for a tighter sound on the riff.
- Strum with a consistent attack to maintain clarity.
- Incorporate slight finger vibrato on sustained notes for expression.
The original rig
What The Killers used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall JCM800 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 are the best Marshall JCM800 settings for Mr. Brightside?
Set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 5, Master volume 7.
Which pickup should I use for Mr. Brightside?
Bridge pickup, 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 Ibanez RG. 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 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
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Walk · Pantera
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
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.