Tone library / Greenday / 21 Guns

21 Guns amp settings — Fender Superchamp X2

The Greenday guitar tone for “21 Guns”, dialed in for a Fender Superchamp X2 with a Jackson Pro Series Soloist. Studio version, 21st Century Breakdown (2009)

Original rig

Marshall 1959SLP Plexi 100W head, Fernandes Strat with Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB bridge humbucker, CAE 3+ SE preamp for cleans

Bright, mid-forward punk crunch on choruses; warm, compressed cleans on verses
Amp settings — Fender Superchamp X2
CHANNELVoice 1 (Tweed) for verses / Voice 8 (British) for choruses
GAIN 5 BASS 4 MID 8 TREBLE 6 PRESENCE 5 REVERB 2 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain5
Bass4
Mid8
Treble6
Presence5
Reverb2
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer (or clone)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Essential for pushing the amp into Billie Joe's mid-focused crunch on choruses. Use Voice 1 (Tweed clean) with this pedal as your dirt source.

Drive 3 · Tone 6 · Level 7
Why these settings

The Superchamp X2's Voice 8 (British) approximates a Plexi but runs darker and less touch-sensitive than a real 100W Marshall. I've pushed mids to 8 (vs Armstrong's 10 on the Plexi) because your Jackson's hot humbuckers already emphasize mids. Bass dropped to 4 to prevent mud—the Superchamp's 10" speaker can't handle the low-end push a 4x12 can. Without a TS9, Voice 8 at gain 5 gets you in the ballpark for the chorus crunch; for proper Dookie-era bite, the pedal is necessary.

PRO TIPFor the clean verses, switch to Voice 1 (Tweed), drop gain to 2, and roll your guitar volume to 7—this mimics Billie Joe's CAE preamp cleans. Pick closer to the neck for warmth, then slam the bridge pickup and volume knob back to 10 when the chorus hits for that dynamic punch.

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These settings are for a Fender Superchamp X2. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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