Beat it amp settings — M-VAVE Cube Baby
The Michael jackson guitar tone for “Beat it”, dialed in for a M-VAVE Cube Baby with a Waldman GTU-1. Studio version, Thriller (1982) — iconic main rhythm riff
Steve Lukather's 1959 Gibson Les Paul into modded Fender Deluxe Reverb with light overdrive
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 6 |
| Bass | 5 |
| Mid | 6 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Reverb | 2 |
| Master | 6 |
01M-VAVE Cube Baby Drive Module
Select the OD/Boost mode to push the amp model into focused mid-range crunch
02M-VAVE Cube Baby Space Module (Reverb)
Short room ambience to match the tight 80s studio tracking
Steve Lukather tracked the rhythm on a '59 Les Paul into a modded Deluxe Reverb pushed hard, giving a tight, upper-mid bite that cuts cleanly without fuzz. On the M-VAVE Cube Baby, select Amp Model 4 (British Crunch) paired with the internal Overdrive module set as a mid-boost to provide the necessary gain and percussive attack. Keep the treble at 7 and bass flat at 5 so the lower notes of the riff remain tight and articulate on the Waldman GTU-1 bridge pickup.
Get this tone on your amp
These settings are for a M-VAVE Cube Baby. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
Get ToneAdapt on Google PlaySong, 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.