VOX VT20X settings
Smoke on the Water settings for VOX VT20X
Deep Purple · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Deep Purple "Smoke on the Water" riff tone on a VOX VT20X, select the BRIT 64 RHYTHM preset, then set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7. Use the bridge + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Squier Telecaster · updated 2026-10-25
- Preset / mode
- BRIT 64 RHYTHM
- Pickup
- Bridge + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
VOX VT20X knobs
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
Playing tips
- Focus on a tight picking attack for clarity.
- Use palm muting on the lower strings for a punchy sound.
- Experiment with dynamics; play softer for cleaner notes and harder for more grit.
The original rig
What Deep Purple used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your VOX VT20X actually has.
- Guitar
- 1968 Fender Stratocaster (rosewood fretboard, stock single-coil pickups)
- Amp
- Marshall Major 200W head (model 1967, 4x12 cabinet, late 1960s/early 1970s version)
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 0.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Smoke on the Water adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Deep Purple's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What preset should I use on the VOX VT20X for Smoke on the Water?
Start from the BRIT 64 RHYTHM preset, then set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7.
Which pickup should I use for Smoke on the Water?
Bridge + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Deep Purple use on Smoke on the Water?
Guitar: 1968 Fender Stratocaster (rosewood fretboard, stock single-coil pickups). Amp: Marshall Major 200W head (model 1967, 4x12 cabinet, late 1960s/early 1970s version).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Squier Telecaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Smoke on the Water on other amps
- Smoke on the Water on Fender Mustang LT25 · 125
- Smoke on the Water on Boss Katana · 87
- Smoke on the Water on Fender Frontman 10G · 68
- Smoke on the Water on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 41
- Smoke on the Water on Fender Champion 20 · 40
- Smoke on the Water on Fender Frontman 15G · 27
- Smoke on the Water on Fender Mustang LT50 · 25
- Smoke on the Water on Fender Tone Master Pro · 23
Popular songs on the VOX VT20X
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Walk · Pantera
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Highway to Hell · 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.