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

Holy Wars... The Punishment Due amp settings — Marshall MG30FX

The Megadeth guitar tone for “Holy Wars... The Punishment Due”, dialed in for a Marshall MG30FX with a Jackson JS32 King V. Studio version, Rust In Peace (1990) — rhythm tone focus, Dave Mustaine main tracking

Original rig

Marshall JCM800 2203 head + Bogner/Hafler Triple Giant preamp, Jackson King V with Seymour Duncan JB (bridge), Marshall 4x12 cab

Tight, aggressive thrash rhythm — scooped mids, aggressive highs, controlled low end, razor-sharp attack

Amp settings — Marshall MG30FX

CHANNELOD1 (Overdrive 1)

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

Don’t have a Marshall MG30FX? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive

Used as a boost to tighten low end and add pick attack — not as primary gain source. Stacks with amp overdrive for thrash tightness.

Level 7 · Tone 6 · Drive 3

Why these settings

The MG30FX has a looser, less defined gain structure than a JCM800. Mids dropped to 3 (original was ~4) because the MG's mid voicing is higher and boxier than an 800. The SD-1 compensates for the MG's flabbier low end by acting as a tightening boost — Drive at 3 adds edge without mud. Treble raised to 7 to approximate the 800's aggressive 2-3kHz bite that the MG lacks.

PRO TIPPalm mute directly over the bridge saddles, not an inch back — Mustaine's machine-gun chug comes from extremely precise, tight muting combined with hard downstrokes. The tone is in the hands as much as the gear.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall MG30FX. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

More tones for the Marshall MG30FX

Before I ForgetSlipknot Welcome home sanitariumMetallica AntisocialTrust Runnin with the devilVan Halen Nothing else mattersMetallica Fade to blackMetallica

Find your amp

Browse

Marshall MG30FX settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Holy Wars... The Punishment Due on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Megadeth tonesALL SONGS Jackson JS32 King V tonesSAME GUITAR 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.