Tone library / Megadeth / Five Magics

Five Magics amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

The Megadeth guitar tone for “Five Magics”, dialed in for a Boss Katana 50 MkII with a Epiphone Les Paul Classic. Studio version, Rust in Peace (1990)

Original rig

Jackson King V (Dave Mustaine) / Jackson Kelly (Marty Friedman) with Seymour Duncan JB / Trembucker pickups into Marshall JCM800 2203 / Bogner Fish preamp into VHT 2150 power amp into Marshall 4x12 cabs

Aggressive, dry, razor-sharp thrash crunch with tight percussive low end and biting upper-mid snarl
Amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII
CHANNELBrown amp type (Variation ON)BOOSToff
GAIN 6 BASS 5 MID 6 TREBLE 7 REVERB 0 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain6
Bass5
Mid6
Treble7
Reverb0
Master5
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Why these settings

The Katana 50 MkII Brown amp type captures the hot-rodded Marshall/Bogner grind of Rust in Peace directly without external pedals. The Les Paul's humbuckers provide plenty of natural push, so gain is kept at 6 to maintain articulation during fast riffing, while treble and mids are bumped to replicate the signature upper-mid bite of the Seymour Duncan JB pickup. Note that presence is null because the Katana 50 faceplate physically lacks a presence knob.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm mute firmly against the bridge saddles and attack with heavy downward pick angling to get the percussive, mechanical chug essential to Mustaine's rhythm tracks.

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These settings are for a Boss Katana 50 MkII. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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