Squier Champ 15 settings
1979 settings for Squier Champ 15
The Smashing Pumpkins · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Smashing Pumpkins "1979" riff tone on a Squier Champ 15, set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Overdrive switch 0. Use the neck + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-10-09
- Pickup
- Neck + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Squier Champ 15 knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Overdrive switch
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Use light fingerpicking for a delicate touch.
- Focus on clean articulation of each note in the riff.
- Experiment with subtle palm muting for dynamic control.
The original rig
What The Smashing Pumpkins used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Squier Champ 15 actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 80s, as used by Billy Corgan in studio)
- Amp
- Marshall JCM800 (modded with KT88 tubes, as used on Mellon Collie sessions)
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5.5
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get 1979 adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts The Smashing Pumpkins's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Squier Champ 15 settings for 1979?
Set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Overdrive switch 0.
Which pickup should I use for 1979?
Neck + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did The Smashing Pumpkins use on 1979?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 80s, as used by Billy Corgan in studio). Amp: Marshall JCM800 (modded with KT88 tubes, as used on Mellon Collie sessions).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Fender Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
1979 on other amps
Popular songs on the Squier Champ 15
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Creep · Radiohead
- Even Flow · Pearl Jam
- Take Me Out · Franz Ferdinand
- Walk · Pantera
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Wicked Game · Chris Isaak
- Wonderwall · Oasis
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.