Tone library / Nickelback / Animals

Animals amp settings — Marshall MG100HDFX

The Nickelback guitar tone for “Animals”, dialed in for a Marshall MG100HDFX with a PRS Custom 24. Studio version, All the Right Reasons (2005)

Original rig

Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier (Modern channel) + Marshall 4x12 + Fender Twin blend, Gibson Les Paul with Seymour Duncan pickups, Ibanez Tubescreamer for boost

Thick, scooped modern hard rock—tight palm-muted chug with aggressive upper-mid cut and saturated sustain
Amp settings — Marshall MG100HDFX
CHANNELOD2 (highest gain channel)
GAIN 8 BASS 5 MID 4 TREBLE 7 PRESENCE 6 REVERB 0 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain8
Bass5
Mid4
Treble7
Presence6
Reverb0
Master5
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Boss DS-1

Use as a mid-boost/tightener in front of the amp's gain—low Dist, Level pushed. Adds the Tubescreamer-style focus the original used.

Tone 6 · Level 7 · Dist 3
Why these settings

The MG100HDFX's OD2 channel is voiced brighter and thinner than a Rectifier's Modern channel, which has massive low-mid saturation. I've pulled treble down 0.5 from the original Recto setting and kept bass moderate at 5 to prevent the MG's solid-state low end from getting flubby. The DS-1 at low gain/high level replicates the Tubescreamer tightening trick Kroeger used—it focuses the midrange and adds pick attack definition the MG lacks natively. Mids scooped to 4 matches the Rectifier's characteristic V-curve.

PRO TIPPalm mute directly over the bridge pickup for maximum chunk—anchor your hand right where the strings meet the saddles. The original track's tightness comes from extremely consistent muting pressure combined with the Rectifier's silicon-diode tracking; on the MG, picking closer to the bridge and keeping mutes uniform will fake that fast transient response.

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These settings are for a Marshall MG100HDFX. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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