Tone library / Michael jackson / Beat it

Beat it amp settings — Marshall DSL40CR

The Michael jackson guitar tone for “Beat it”, dialed in for a Marshall DSL40CR with a Fender American Ultra Stratocaster. Studio version, Thriller (1982) — Eddie Van Halen solo section

Original rig

Charvel/Frankenstrat (humbucker bridge) → Echoplex Tape Delay → Hartley-Thompson HT45 combo (all gain from amp, Variac'd for touch sensitivity)

Searing, vocal midrange lead with aggressive pick attack, spongy compression, and slapback delay — 'brown sound' territory but slightly rawer

Amp settings — Marshall DSL40CR

CHANNELUltra Gain (Green/Crunch mode)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	4
Mid	7
Treble	6
Presence	5
Reverb	0
Master	5

Don’t have a Marshall DSL40CR? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Digital Delay (RECOMMENDED — not currently owned)

RECOMMENDED — Echoplex-style slapback (~120-150ms). Boss DD-3 or MXR Carbon Copy works. Single repeat, low mix. Run into amp input (DSL40CR loop is series, works but front is fine for this).

Level 3 · Feedback 2 · Time 4

Why these settings

Your Strat's single-coil bridge is brighter and lower output than EVH's humbucker Frankenstrat. Compensate: mid pushed to 7 (vs ~5.5 original) to fatten the voice, treble dropped to 6 (vs 7.5) to tame ice-pick, gain +1 to compensate for output difference. Tone knob at 7 rolls off harsh 4kHz spike single coils add. DSL's Ultra Gain channel has the Marshall midrange bark that gets close to the Hartley-Thompson's Class A compression.

PRO TIPEVH's secret on this solo was pick attack dynamics — he digs in hard on accents and backs off for the singing sustained notes. Your Strat will clean up MORE than a humbucker when you lighten your touch, so commit to aggressive picking on the fast runs and let the amp compress on the held bends.

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These settings are for a Marshall DSL40CR. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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