Marshall MG15DFX settings
Alive settings for Marshall MG15DFX
Pearl Jam · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Pearl Jam "Alive" solo tone on a Marshall MG15DFX, set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Treble 6, Reverb 1.5, Contour 6, Fdd switch 1. Use the neck + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Solo settings
updated 2026-11-07
- Pickup
- Neck + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall MG15DFX knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 5
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Contour
- 6
- Fdd switch
- 1
Built-in effects
- Reverb on · 1.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Play with a light touch to maintain clarity and articulation in your notes.
- Experiment with dynamic picking to achieve the glassy highs characteristic of the original tone.
The original rig
What Pearl Jam used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG15DFX actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely 1960s or '57 Reissue, Aged White, as seen in 1991-92 live footage)
- Amp
- Marshall 1960A 4x12 Cabinet with 65 Amps Empire 22-watt Tube Head and/or Satellite Atom 36-Watt Head (studio era, early 1990s)
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Alive adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Pearl Jam's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Marshall MG15DFX settings for Alive?
Set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Treble 6, Reverb 1.5, Contour 6, Fdd switch 1.
Which pickup should I use for Alive?
Neck + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Pearl Jam use on Alive?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely 1960s or '57 Reissue, Aged White, as seen in 1991-92 live footage). Amp: Marshall 1960A 4x12 Cabinet with 65 Amps Empire 22-watt Tube Head and/or Satellite Atom 36-Watt Head (studio era, early 1990s).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Alive on other amps
Popular songs on the Marshall MG15DFX
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- 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.