Tone library / Boston / More than a feeling

More than a feeling amp settings — Hughes & Kettner Tube master 18

The Boston guitar tone for “More than a feeling”, dialed in for a Hughes & Kettner Tube master 18 with a Gibson Les Paul Modern. Studio version, Boston (1976 debut album)

Original rig

1968 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop Deluxe with P-90s → Marshall Super Lead 100W Plexi (cranked, power-soaked) → homemade compressor/sustainer → MXR graphic EQ (400Hz + 800Hz boosted) → multi-tracked

Ultra-sustained, glassy, mid-forward with harmonic shimmer and impossibly layered saturation

Amp settings — Hughes & Kettner Tube master 18

CHANNELLead channel (or switch to crunch/overdrive mode if selectable)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	5
Mid	8
Treble	6
Presence	7
Reverb	2
Master	5

Don’t have a Hughes & Kettner Tube master 18? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01EQ Pedal (e.g., Boss GE-7 or MXR 10-Band)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The 400Hz and 800Hz boost is critical to Scholz's signature thickness. Place before amp input.

100Hz 5 · 200Hz 5 · 400Hz 7 · 800Hz 8 · 1.6kHz 5 · 3.2kHz 5 · 6.4kHz 4 · Level 6

02Compressor (e.g., MXR Dyna Comp or Boss CS-3)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Scholz used a homemade compressor/sustainer for that endless sustain. Place after EQ, before amp.

Output/Level 7 · Sensitivity/Sustain 6 · Attack 5 · Tone 5

Why these settings

Your Les Paul Modern has hotter humbuckers than Scholz's P-90s, so gain is set at 7 instead of the Marshall's full crank—you'll hit saturation earlier. The H&K TubeMeister 18 has a tighter, more modern voicing than a vintage Plexi, so mid is pushed to 8 to recover that characteristic Boston thickness, while treble stays conservative at 6 to avoid harshness. Without an EQ pedal to boost 400-800Hz, lean into the amp's mid control hard.

PRO TIPScholz multi-tracked the rhythm parts with slight timing offsets and panned them wide—if recording, double-track your rhythm and pan 80% left/right with a 10-20ms delay on one side to approximate that wall-of-guitar effect.

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These settings are for a Hughes & Kettner Tube master 18. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.