Everlong amp settings — Blackstar HT20R MkII

The Foo Fighters guitar tone for “Everlong”, dialed in for a Blackstar HT20R MkII with a Epiphone Les Paul Classic. Studio version, The Colour and the Shape (1997)

Original rig

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head + Fender ToneMaster, Gibson Trini Lopez/RD Standard with humbuckers, no drive pedals — amp gain only

Thick, compressed high-gain crunch with mid-forward punch and controlled low-end in Drop D

Amp settings — Blackstar HT20R MkII

CHANNELOD2 (high-gain channel), ISF at 2 o'clock (British/Mesa voicing)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss Blues Driver (BD-2)

Use as a clean boost to tighten low-end for Drop D — not required for the main tone but helps definition on palm mutes

Level 7 · Tone 5 · Gain 2

Why these settings

The Blackstar HT20R's OD2 channel with ISF pushed toward British voicing approximates the Rectifier's mid-forward saturation. Your Les Paul's hotter humbuckers vs the original PAF-style pickups mean gain drops 1 point from the Recto's 7-8 range. Treble cut 1 point because the Les Paul is already darker than the semi-hollow Trini Lopez. Presence down 1 to avoid fizz — the HT20's EL34 power section is brighter than 6L6 Rectifier tubes.

PRO TIPThe iconic 'Everlong' pick attack comes from Grohl digging in hard with downstrokes on the verse riff — let the Drop D low string breathe between hits rather than chugging continuously; the space is part of the tone.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Blackstar HT20R MkII. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Blackstar HT20R MkII settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Everlong on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Foo Fighters tonesALL SONGS Foo Fighters on the Blackstar HT20R MkIISAME ARTIST, SAME AMP Epiphone Les Paul Classic tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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