Hysteria amp settings — Boss ME-90

The Def Leppard guitar tone for “Hysteria”, dialed in for a Boss ME-90 with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Hysteria (1987) — iconic clean intro/verse arpeggio tone

Original rig

Fender Stratocaster into Tom Scholz Rockman X100 (Clean 2) with Boss CE-2 chorus and TC 2290 digital delay

Compressed, shimmering '80s studio-clean with lush analog chorus and rhythmic digital delay

Amp settings — Boss ME-90

CHANNELAIRD Preamp: NATURALBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	5
Mid	4
Treble	7
Reverb	3
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge+middle TONE9 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01ME-90 COMP Block (CMP)

Essential for clamping dynamics and creating the polished, uniform Rockman studio response

Sustain 7 · Attack 5 · Level 6

02ME-90 MOD Block (CHORUS)

Recreates the lush analog Boss CE-2 stereo spread

Rate 4 · Depth 6 · E.Level 7

03ME-90 DELAY Block (STANDARD)

Set tempo/tap to dotted-eighth notes (~380ms) for the signature rhythmic bounce

Time 5 · Feedback 4 · E.Level 5

Why these settings

The ME-90's Natural preamp provides the sterile, pristine clean platform needed to emulate the solid-state Tom Scholz Rockman Clean 2 circuit. The mid control is pulled back slightly to eliminate modern midrange honk while treble is pushed to replicate the Rockman's signature high-frequency sheen. Using position 4 (bridge + middle) on your Strat captures the out-of-phase glassy chime Phil Collen tracked for these arpeggios. Distortion chorus section: switch to the Lead bank with high-gain drive engaged.

PRO TIPPick with consistent light-to-medium attack near the bridge saddles to let the compressor squash the transient and maintain maximum high-end glass.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Boss ME-90. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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