Tone library / LINKIN PARK / One Step Closer

One Step Closer amp settings — Boss katana Gen 3

The LINKIN PARK guitar tone for “One Step Closer”, dialed in for a Boss katana Gen 3 with a les paul reed McCarty-Modellen. Studio version, Hybrid Theory (2000) — NRG Recording Studios, Los Angeles

Original rig

Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, PRS CE 24 with DiMarzio D-Sonic humbuckers, Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

Scooped, tight, aggressive nu-metal chunk with saturated high gain and controlled low-end thump

Amp settings — Boss katana Gen 3

CHANNELBrown — this is the Katana's Marshall-derived high-gain voice, closest to the saturated Rectifier compressionBRIGHToffBOOSTon

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	6
Mid	3
Treble	6
Presence	7
Reverb	0
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Katana Onboard Booster (TS/Mid Boost mode)

Use the Katana's built-in Booster set to 'Mid Boost' or 'Treble Boost' to emulate the TS9's tightening effect — this is critical for nu-metal chunk

Drive 3 · Tone 5 · Level 6

02Katana Onboard Noise Suppressor

Essential — high gain with palm mutes needs a gate to prevent mud between stabs

Threshold 5

Why these settings

The Rectifier is scooped with massive low-end sag; the Katana Brown channel is tighter and more mid-present, so I dropped mids to 3 to approximate the scoop while keeping presence at 7 for attack clarity. Your Les Paul's humbuckers are hotter and warmer than the D-Sonics, so gain stays at 8 rather than 10 to avoid mush. Use the onboard booster as your TS substitute — it tightens the low end and adds pick definition.

PRO TIPTune to Drop C# (C#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#) — the song is unplayable in standard tuning. Attack palm mutes directly over the bridge pickup for maximum chunk, and let your pick dig in hard on downstrokes; Delson's tone lives in the aggressive pick attack, not just the gain.

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These settings are for a Boss katana Gen 3. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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