21 Guns amp settings — Marshall MG15 CDR

The Green Day guitar tone for “21 Guns”, dialed in for a Marshall MG15 CDR with a Epiphone Les paul junior. Studio version, 21st Century Breakdown (2009)

Original rig

1956 Gibson Les Paul Junior (P90 bridge) → Park head (rebuilt Marshall-style) / Divided by 13 FTR 37; Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer for mid-push

Warm mid-forward crunch with clarity and note separation, not heavily gained

Amp settings — Marshall MG15 CDR

CHANNELOverdrive (OD)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	5
Bass	4
Mid	8
Treble	6
Presence	0
Reverb	2
Master	6

Don’t have a Marshall MG15 CDR? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer (or similar mid-boost OD)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. This is critical for the Billie Joe mid-push. A Boss SD-1 or TC Electronic Cinders is a budget alternative. Without it, push amp mid to 9 and gain to 6.

Drive 3 · Tone 5 · Level 6

Why these settings

The MG15's OD channel is grainier and less touch-sensitive than a real Plexi/Park, so gain stays moderate at 5 to avoid fizz. Mid pushed to 8 compensates for the MG's scooped solid-state voicing vs the original's tube mid-bloom. Tone knob rolled to 7 on your Junior tames the P90's ice-pick highs that the MG will exaggerate.

PRO TIPPick closer to the neck (about 2 inches from the bridge) with the fleshy part of your thumb grazing the strings for that warm, rounded attack Billie Joe uses on ballad sections—this matters more than any knob on a song like this.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall MG15 CDR. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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