Highway star amp settings — Marshall JCM900
The Deep purple guitar tone for “Highway star”, dialed in for a Marshall JCM900 with a PRS SE Custom 24. Studio version, Machine Head (1972)
Modified Marshall Major 200W (boosted to 400W, resistors removed for extra treble), Fender Stratocaster with single-coil pickups, treble booster circuit (Hornby-Skewes or similar) for solos
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 6 |
| Bass | 5 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Presence | 6 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 7 |
Blackmore's original rig was a modified bass amp (Marshall Major) which he ran with scooped bass to compensate—your JCM900 is naturally mid-forward and tighter, so bass drops from his 8 to 5 and mids stay strong at 7 to retain the snarl. Your PRS humbuckers are hotter and warmer than his Strat single-coils, so treble comes up slightly and gain backs off compared to what he needed from the Major. For solos, switch to neck pickup and roll tone knob to 5 to approximate his warmer lead sound—without a treble booster, lean into your pick attack near the bridge for extra bite.
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These settings are for a Marshall JCM900. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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