Tone library / Michael Jackson / Beat It

Beat It amp settings — M-Vave Tank G

The Michael Jackson guitar tone for “Beat It”, dialed in for a M-Vave Tank G with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Thriller (1982) — main riff/rhythm (Steve Lukather), not the Eddie Van Halen solo

Original rig

Steve Lukather: Valley Arts Custom Pro (HSS) through Paul Rivera-modded Fender Deluxe Reverb with modest overdrive. Eddie Van Halen solo: Charvel 'Frankenstrat' through Jose Arredondo-modded Marshall 1959 Super Lead with Variac, MXR Phase 90/Flanger.

Tight, punchy mid-forward crunch with controlled gain — not high-gain metal, more hot blues-rock overdrive with bite and clarity

Amp settings — M-Vave Tank G

CHANNELCrunch (JCM800-style amp model)BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	4
Mid	6
Treble	6
Reverb	0
Master	7

Don’t have a M-Vave Tank G? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The M-Vave Tank G is a multi-FX unit with amp modeling — select the Crunch/JCM800-style model to approximate Lukather's hot-rodded Fender tone which sat between Fender clean and Marshall crunch. Dropped bass from the original's 5-6 to 4 because the Strat's single-coil bridge pickup is thinner than Lukather's HSS humbucker — compensate by pushing mids to 6. Gain at 6 delivers the moderate overdrive Quincy Jones requested; the original wasn't saturated.

PRO TIPRoll your Strat's tone knob to 8 to tame the ice-pick highs from the single-coil bridge and get closer to the fatter humbucker attack Lukather had — dig in with your pick near the bridge for that tight, percussive riff articulation.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a M-Vave Tank G. 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 M-Vave Tank G

TahananEl Manu Into the VoidBlack Sabbath Foxy ladyJimi Hendrix Purple RainPrince & The Revolution Unholy ConfessionsAvenged Sevenfold That bandkessoku band

Find your amp

Browse

M-Vave Tank G settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Beat It on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Michael Jackson tonesALL SONGS Fender Player Stratocaster 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.