Tone library / Michael Jackson / Beat It

Beat It amp settings — Fender Frontman 10 g

The Michael Jackson guitar tone for “Beat It”, dialed in for a Fender Frontman 10 g with a Ibanez RG550. Studio version, Thriller (1982) — iconic main rhythm riff by Steve Lukather

Original rig

1959 Gibson Les Paul into modded Fender Deluxe Reverb pushed by an overdrive pedal

Punchy, tight mid-gain rock crunch with clear note definition and articulate percussive attack

Amp settings — Fender Frontman 10 g

CHANNELOD (Gain button ON)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	5
Bass	6
Treble	6
Master	4

Don’t have a Fender Frontman 10 g? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss SD-1 or Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; with this pedal, switch amp to clean channel, gain 3

Drive 4 · Tone 6 · Level 7

Why these settings

The Fender Frontman 10G lacks a dedicated mid control, presence, or onboard reverb, so mid is set to null. Engaging the OD button at gain 5 provides the punchy crunch without flubbing the 6-inch speaker. Keep the bass at 6 and treble at 6 to balance the high-output bridge humbucker on the Ibanez RG550 against the amp's naturally bright solid-state top end.

PRO TIPMute the lower strings tightly with the fleshy part of your picking hand's palm right against the bridge saddle to nail Lukather's percussive, syncopated rhythm attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Frontman 10 g. 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.