Tone library / Micheal Jackson / Beat it

Beat it amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

The Micheal Jackson guitar tone for “Beat it”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 40 with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Thriller (1982) — iconic main rhythm riff

Original rig

1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard into a Paul Rivera-modded Fender Deluxe Reverb

Tight, punchy low-medium crunch with focused upper mids and controlled low end

Amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

CHANNELPlexi (Crunch) amp model blockBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	5
Mid	7
Treble	6
Reverb	2
Master	7

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Compressor Block (LA Comp / Spark onboard)

Spark onboard compressor block for percussive attack tightener

Sustain 5 · Level 7

02Overdrive Block (Tube Drive / Spark onboard)

Spark onboard drive block used as a clean mid-boost to tighten the single coils

Drive 2 · Tone 6 · Level 8

Why these settings

Steve Lukather recorded the core rhythm tracks using a PAF-loaded Les Paul into Rivera-modded Fender gain stages. To compensate for the lower-output single coils on your Player Strat, push the Spark's mids to 7 and use the onboard Tube Drive block as a clean boost to add body. Roll the Strat bridge tone knob down slightly to 8 to tame excessive single-coil top-end bite.

PRO TIPPick firmly right next to the bridge saddles and keep palm mutes ultra-tight on the low string to replicate the signature percussive snap of Lukather's double-tracked rhythm.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Positive Grid Spark 40. 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.