Tone library / Malcom Todd / Roommates

Roommates amp settings — Marshall MS-2

The Malcom Todd guitar tone for “Roommates”, dialed in for a Marshall MS-2 with a Harley Benton ST-20HSS SBK. Studio version, 'Roommates' single (June 2023), Sweet Boy mixtape sessions

Original rig

Fender Jaguar Classic Player (neck pickup) → Fuzz pedal (unknown model) → Chorus pedal (unknown model) → Roland KC-80 Keyboard Amp with digital reverb

Dreamy, fuzzy, lo-fi indie with warm saturation, subtle modulation, and clear note definition
Amp settings — Marshall MS-2
GAIN 7 BASS 5 MID 6 TREBLE 4 PRESENCE 0 REVERB 0 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain7
Bass5
Mid6
Treble4
Presence0
Reverb0
Master6
Don’t have a Marshall MS-2? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →
Guitar
PICKUPneck TONE6 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Fuzz pedal (any basic fuzz — Big Muff style or Fuzz Face)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Essential for this tone. A Donner Fuzz Seeker, Behringer SF300, or any sub-$30 fuzz clone gets you 80% there. Without fuzz, crank amp gain to 10 and roll guitar volume to 7 for a poor approximation.

Volume/Level 6 · Tone 4 · Fuzz/Sustain 5

02Chorus pedal (any analog-style chorus — Boss CE-2, TC Electronic Corona, or clone)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Adds the warbly, dreamy texture. Without it, the tone will be drier and less 'lo-fi indie' but still usable.

Rate 3 · Depth 5
Why these settings

The MS-2 is a tiny practice amp with limited headroom and a naturally compressed, mid-focused Marshall voice — actually helpful here since the original KC-80 is also boxy and lo-fi. I dropped treble from the original's 7 to 4 because your HSS Harley Benton's single-coil neck is brighter than the Jaguar's warmer single-coils, and the MS-2 runs harsh on top. Gain pushed to 7 to compensate for the missing fuzz pedal, though this is a compromise — the original's fuzz character cannot be replicated by amp gain alone.

PRO TIPUse your guitar's tone knob actively — roll it to 4-5 during verses for that woolly, underwater quality Todd gets, then open it to 7-8 on the hook for clarity. The lo-fi magic lives in that knob.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall MS-2. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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