Mesa Boogie Mark V settings
Stranglehold settings for Mesa Boogie Mark V
Ted Nugent · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Ted Nugent "Stranglehold" riff tone on a Mesa Boogie Mark V, set Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 7, Treble 7, Presence 6, Reverb 2.5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Charvel Pro-Mod DK24 HH 2PT CM · updated 2026-10-06
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Mesa Boogie Mark V knobs
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 2.5
- Graphic eq
- 0
- Multi watt
- 1
- Solo level
- 0
- 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 (spring) · 3
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 touch-sensitive dynamics to achieve the singing sustain characteristic of the riff.
- Focus on achieving clear note separation by picking lightly and allowing the amp's natural overdrive to enhance the crunch.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Charvel Pro-Mod DK24 HH 2PT CM · updated 2026-10-06
- Pickup
- Neck pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 6-8 · Volume 8-10
Mesa Boogie Mark V knobs
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 3.5
- Graphic eq
- 5
- Multi watt
- 0
- Solo level
- 5
- Bias select
- 0
- Output level
- 7
- Contour depth
- 0
- Ch1 normal bold
- 0
- Ch2 normal thick
- 0
- Ch3 normal bright
- 0
- Ch3 pentode triode
- 0
- Rectifier tracking
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 4
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Engage the solo level boost for added volume and presence during the solo.
- Experiment with picking dynamics to achieve the touch-sensitive response characteristic of the original tone.
The original rig
What Ted Nugent used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Mesa Boogie Mark V actually has.
- Guitar
- 1964 Gibson Byrdland (blonde, all-stock)
- Amp
- Fender Twin Reverb (x4) into four Fender Dual Showman 2x15 cabinets
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 6.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Stranglehold adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Ted Nugent'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 Stranglehold?
Set Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 7, Treble 7, Presence 6, Reverb 2.5.
Which pickup should I use for Stranglehold?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Ted Nugent use on Stranglehold?
Guitar: 1964 Gibson Byrdland (blonde, all-stock). Amp: Fender Twin Reverb (x4) into four Fender Dual Showman 2x15 cabinets.
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Charvel Pro-Mod DK24 HH 2PT CM. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Stranglehold on other amps
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
- Hotel California · Eagles
- 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.