Tearful Confession amp settings — Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+
The Marty Friedman guitar tone for “Tearful Confession”, dialed in for a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ with a PRS Custom 24. Studio version, Drama (2024)
Jackson Marty Friedman signature (MF-1) with EMG-style active pickups, ENGL Powerball/Fireball or vintage Marshall, minimal pedals (noise gate, light delay)
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 7 |
| Bass | 3 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Presence | 5 |
| Reverb | 2 |
| Master | 5 |
01Noise Gate (RECOMMENDED — not currently owned)
RECOMMENDED — Friedman uses a gate to keep high-gain silent between phrases; ISP Decimator or Boss NS-2 works
02Digital Delay (RECOMMENDED — not currently owned)
RECOMMENDED — FX loop; subtle slapback (300-400ms) adds dimension to leads without washing out; Boss DD-3 or similar
Your Mark IIC+ is the gold standard for this tone — Friedman's ENGL voicing is close but the IIC+ actually has more liquid sustain in the Lead mode. Your PRS humbuckers are passive vs his actives, so gain goes +1 (to 7) to compensate for lower output. Mids stay high at 7 because the IIC+ mid control is powerful and Friedman's tone is very mid-present. Treble at 6 with tone knob rolled to 7 prevents the PRS's slightly brighter voicing from getting harsh.
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These settings are for a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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