Beat it amp settings — Marshall MG15CD
The Micheal Jackson guitar tone for “Beat it”, dialed in for a Marshall MG15CD with a Gibson Slash Les Paul Standard. Studio version, Thriller (1982) — iconic main riff
1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard into a Paul Rivera-modded Fender Blackface Deluxe Reverb (Steve Lukather rhythm tracks)
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 4 |
| Bass | 5 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Master | 6 |
The Marshall MG15CD features a 3-band layout of Bass, Contour, and Treble without discrete Mid, Presence, or Reverb controls. Lukather recorded the main riff on a Les Paul through a lightly overdriven Rivera-modded Fender Deluxe Reverb rather than a cranked high-gain stack, so the MG's Overdrive gain is kept low at 4 with the Contour knob dialed back around 4 to preserve rich mid-range punch. Your Slash Les Paul bridge humbucker matches the output and bite of the original '59 Burst perfectly.
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These settings are for a Marshall MG15CD. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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