Breakthru amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40
The Queen guitar tone for “Breakthru”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 40 with a Brian May Guitars BMG Special. Studio cut, The Miracle (1989) — main driving rhythm & soaring lead tracks
Red Special (Burns Tri-Sonic pickups in series/out-of-phase) -> Pete Cornish / Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster -> cranked Vox AC30 (Normal channel)
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 8 |
| Bass | 4 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Reverb | 2 |
| Master | 7 |
01Positive Grid Spark Booster (Treble Boost Block)
Engage Spark's internal Drive block set to Booster in front of the AC Boost model
02Positive Grid Digital Delay (Delay Block)
Subtle slap/stereo thickening for rhythm and solo layers
The Spark 40 is a modeling amp, so we emulate Brian May's classic rig entirely using its internal 'AC Boost' model and onboard booster block instead of external pedals. The BMG Special with bridge and middle pickups in series is already the exact voicing Brian used; running the Spark's onboard treble booster block hot into a cranked AC model reproduces the vocal, singing compression of his cranked AC30s without harsh fizzy clipping. Presence is set to null because the Spark 40 amp control panel has no dedicated presence knob.
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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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