Tone library / Megadeth / Holy Wars... The Punishment Due

Holy Wars... The Punishment Due amp settings — Boss GT-10

The Megadeth guitar tone for “Holy Wars... The Punishment Due”, dialed in for a Boss GT-10 with a Ibanez RG470MB. Studio version, Rust in Peace (1990) — main thrash riff and rhythm parts

Original rig

Jackson King V with active Seymour Duncan/EMG humbuckers, Marshall JCM800 2203 / modified Super Lead, Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

Tight, aggressive, articulate thrash — high presence for cutting attack, controlled low end for fast alternate picking clarity, minimal reverb

Amp settings — Boss GT-10

CHANNELMS HIGAIN (Marshall High Gain model) + 4x12 Original CabBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	5
Mid	7
Treble	7
Presence	8
Reverb	1
Master	6

Don’t have a Boss GT-10? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01OD/DS Block (T-SCREAM as clean boost)

Placed before the preamp block to tighten low-end attack for fast 16th-note alternate picking

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 8

02Noise Suppressor Block (NS)

Essential for dead-silent stops between staccato thrash riffs

Threshold 7 · Release 2

Why these settings

The Ibanez RG470MB passive Quantum bridge pickup has slightly less output and compression than Mustaine's active humbuckers, so the internal T-SCREAM block is engaged with Drive at 0 and Level at 8 to boost front-end saturation and tighten the bass. Dave's signature tone relies on prominent upper-mids rather than a modern scoop, so Mid and Treble are both pushed to 7 on the MS HIGAIN model to slice through without sounding thin. Bass is kept strictly at 5 to prevent the fast chromatic riffs from flubbing out.

PRO TIPAnchor your picking hand firmly near the bridge saddles to execute very tight, aggressive palm muting on the open low E string, using sharp downward pick slanting for maximum percussive pick attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Boss GT-10. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

Find your amp

Browse

Holy Wars... The Punishment Due on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Megadeth tonesALL SONGS Tone libraryEVERYTHING

Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.