Tone library / Melvins / A History of Bad Men

A History of Bad Men amp settings — Fender Champion 40

The Melvins guitar tone for “A History of Bad Men”, dialed in for a Fender Champion 40 with a Tube screamer Tube screamer. Studio version, (A) Senile Animal (2006) — main crushing rhythm riff

Original rig

Electrical Guitar Company (EGC) Aluminum guitar, Sunn Beta Lead / Marshall JCM800, Boss ODB-3, MXR Dyna Comp

Crushing, low-end heavy sludge metal rhythm with gritty top-end sizzle

Amp settings — Fender Champion 40

CHANNELChannel 1 (Clean)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	7
Mid	6
Treble	5
Reverb	0
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01EHX Big Muff Pi

Primary sludge distortion engine into clean amp

Volume 7 · Tone 4 · Sustain 8

02Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

Placed after fuzz or stacked as mid-boost/tightener to mimic the Sunn/ODB-3 grit

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 8

Why these settings

To capture Buzz Osborne's massive Sunn Beta Lead sludge wall, the Fender Champion 40 is set to its clean channel with low preamp gain to avoid muddy double-clipping. The EHX Big Muff Pi provides the massive low-end fuzz foundation, while the TS9 with zero drive and high level acts as an EQ shaper to restore the aggressive upper-mid bite. Bass is pushed to 7 on the amp to simulate a 4x12 cab's low-end resonance.

PRO TIPTune down to Drop D and dig hard into the heavy gauge lower strings near the bridge using an extra-heavy pick to achieve the distinct percussive clank and grinding fundamental heard on the intro riff.

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

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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.