Tone library / Megadeth / Holy Wars the Punishment Due

Holy Wars the Punishment Due amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

The Megadeth guitar tone for “Holy Wars the Punishment Due”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 40 with a Gibson Les Paul Modern. Studio version, Rust in Peace (1990)

Original rig

Jackson King V + Seymour Duncan JB bridge humbucker → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Marshall JCM800 2203 → Marshall cab

Aggressive mid-forward thrash with tight palm-mute definition and cutting upper-mid presence

Amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

CHANNELPlexi (or JCM800 if available in Spark's amp type selector)BOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Tube Screamer (TS9 model in Spark)

RECOMMENDED — enable TS9 drive block in Spark before the amp block; use as a tight mid-boost, not primary distortion

Drive 3 · Tone 6 · Level 7

Why these settings

Les Paul humbuckers are hotter than Mustaine's JB-equipped King V, so gain is reduced by 1 from the original JCM800 setting of 8 to prevent muddiness. Mids pushed +1 to compensate for Spark's slightly scooped voicing vs the JCM800's natural mid-forward bark. Enable the TS9 block in Spark with low drive to replicate the tight, articulate pick attack of the original.

PRO TIPDownpick everything with the pick edge angled slightly toward the bridge for maximum palm-mute tightness—Mustaine's thrash tone lives in the attack transient, not sustain.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Positive Grid Spark 40. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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More tones for the Positive Grid Spark 40

JealousEyesress Money for nothingDire straits Cowboys from hellPantera Ain't Talkin' 'Bout LoveVan Halen Unchain the nightDokken Smells like a teen spiritNirvana

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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.