Tone library / Micheal jackson / Beat it

Beat it amp settings — Rockjam Rj10war2

The Micheal jackson guitar tone for “Beat it”, dialed in for a Rockjam Rj10war2 with a Rockburn St. Studio version, Thriller (1982) — rhythm riff, NOT the Eddie Van Halen solo

Original rig

Valley Arts Custom Pro (humbucker, bridge position) → Paul Rivera-modded Fender Deluxe Reverb, cranked for tube breakup, no pedals

Crunchy, mid-forward rhythm with tight low-end and aggressive pick attack — not high-gain metal, more 'pushed blackface' grit

Amp settings — Rockjam Rj10war2

CHANNELOverdrive (if available) or single channel cranked

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	4
Mid	7
Treble	6
Presence	5
Reverb	1
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Rockjam RJ10WAR2 is a small solid-state practice amp with limited headroom and a brighter, thinner voicing than the original modded Fender tube amp. I pushed mids to 7 (original was ~5.5) to compensate for the practice amp's tendency to sound scooped and thin. Gain at 7 approximates the pushed-tube crunch Lukather got from a cranked Rivera mod — your amp won't compress the same way, so pick hard and consistent. Bass dropped to 4 to prevent muddiness on small speakers.

PRO TIPPalm-mute the low E string riff slightly to tighten the attack — Lukather's tone sounds aggressive because of his right-hand technique, not just the amp. Dig in with the pick near the bridge for that percussive 'thwack' that cuts through the synths.

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These settings are for a Rockjam Rj10war2. 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.