Vox AC15 settings
Mr. Brightside settings for Vox AC15
The Killers · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Killers "Mr. Brightside" riff tone on a Vox AC15, set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Treble 8, Presence 6, Reverb 5, Tone cut 3. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
updated 2026-10-18
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8 · Volume 8-9
Vox AC15 knobs
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 4
- Treble
- 8
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 5
- Tone cut
- 3
- Tremolo depth
- 0
- Tremolo speed
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on · 5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to 5 for spaciousness.
- Consider adding a slow chorus effect to simulate the doubling effect.
- Play with a light touch to maintain the dynamic response of the clean channel.
The original rig
What The Killers used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Vox AC15 actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely American Standard, early 2000s, as used by Dave Keuning on the studio recording)
- Amp
- Fender Hot Rod DeVille (studio recording, 2003 era; Fender-style amp confirmed by multiple sources)
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 8
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Mr. Brightside adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts The Killers's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Vox AC15 settings for Mr. Brightside?
Set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Treble 8, Presence 6, Reverb 5, Tone cut 3.
Which pickup should I use for Mr. Brightside?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did The Killers use on Mr. Brightside?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely American Standard, early 2000s, as used by Dave Keuning on the studio recording). Amp: Fender Hot Rod DeVille (studio recording, 2003 era; Fender-style amp confirmed by multiple sources).
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.
Mr. Brightside on other amps
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Mustang LT25 · 202
- Mr. Brightside on Boss Katana · 94
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Frontman 10G · 88
- Mr. Brightside on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 52
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Champion 20 · 42
- Mr. Brightside on Neural DSP Quad Cortex · 29
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Frontman 15G · 26
- Mr. Brightside on Line 6 POD Go / POD Go Wireless · 24
Popular songs on the Vox AC15
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Take Me Out · Franz Ferdinand
- Creep · Radiohead
- Smoke on the Water · Deep Purple
- Pride and Joy · Stevie Ray Vaughan
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.