Marshall SV20H settings
Light Up the Sky settings for Marshall SV20H
Van Halen · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Van Halen "Light Up the Sky" riff tone on a Marshall SV20H, set Gain 8, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, Loudness 1 7. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a HSS Stratocaster · updated 2026-05-27
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 8-9
Marshall SV20H knobs
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6.5
- Loudness 1
- 7
- Loudness 2
- 5
- Power scaling
- 10
Playing tips
- Use aggressive palm muting for tight chugs.
- Focus on articulate pick attack for clarity.
- Experiment with slight finger vibrato for added expression.
The original rig
What Van Halen used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall SV20H actually has.
- Guitar
- 1979 Charvel 'Bumblebee' Strat-style (black with yellow stripes, maple neck, Floyd Rose prototype)
- Amp
- Marshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (plexi, late 1960s, variac at 90V, EL34 tubes)
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 0.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Light Up the Sky adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Van Halen's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Marshall SV20H settings for Light Up the Sky?
Set Gain 8, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, Loudness 1 7.
Which pickup should I use for Light Up the Sky?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Van Halen use on Light Up the Sky?
Guitar: 1979 Charvel 'Bumblebee' Strat-style (black with yellow stripes, maple neck, Floyd Rose prototype). Amp: Marshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (plexi, late 1960s, variac at 90V, EL34 tubes).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a HSS Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
More Van Halen on the Marshall SV20H
All Van Halen tones →Popular songs on the Marshall SV20H
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- 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.