Mesa Boogie Mark V settings
Hotel California settings for Mesa Boogie Mark V
Eagles · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Eagles "Hotel California" solo tone on a Mesa Boogie Mark V, set Gain 5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 6.5, Presence 5, Reverb 1.5. Use the neck pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Gibson Les Paul · updated 2026-10-29
- Pickup
- Neck pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Mesa Boogie Mark V knobs
- Gain
- 5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Graphic eq
- 0
- Multi watt
- 1
- Solo level
- 6
- Bias select
- 0
- Output level
- 5
- Contour depth
- 0
- Ch1 normal bold
- 0
- Ch2 normal thick
- 1
- Ch3 normal bright
- 0
- Ch3 pentode triode
- 0
- Rectifier tracking
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on · 1.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Engage the solo boost to ensure your leads cut through the mix.
- Experiment with the gain settings to find the sweet spot for singing sustain.
The original rig
What Eagles used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Mesa Boogie Mark V actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Telecaster (circa 1953-59, maple neck, bridge pickup, as used by Joe Walsh for the solo)
- Amp
- Fender 'Black Panel' Deluxe Amp (1963-1966, studio recording, as confirmed by multiple sources)
- Gain
- 5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 4.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Hotel California adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Eagles's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Mesa Boogie Mark V settings for Hotel California?
Set Gain 5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 6.5, Presence 5, Reverb 1.5.
Which pickup should I use for Hotel California?
Neck pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Eagles use on Hotel California?
Guitar: Fender Telecaster (circa 1953-59, maple neck, bridge pickup, as used by Joe Walsh for the solo). Amp: Fender 'Black Panel' Deluxe Amp (1963-1966, studio recording, as confirmed by multiple sources).
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.
Hotel California on other amps
- Hotel California on Fender Mustang LT25 · 827
- Hotel California on Boss Katana · 515
- Hotel California on Fender Frontman 10G · 348
- Hotel California on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 212
- Hotel California on Fender Champion 20 · 163
- Hotel California on Boss GT-1000 · 142
- Hotel California on Fender Frontman 15G · 124
- Hotel California on Fender Tone Master Pro · 105
Popular songs on the Mesa Boogie Mark V
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Stranglehold · Ted Nugent
- 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.