Killer Queen amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

The Queen guitar tone for “Killer Queen”, dialed in for a Boss Katana 50 MkII with a Epiphone Les Paul Classic. Studio version, Sheer Heart Attack (1974) multi-tracked solo and harmony parts

Original rig

Red Special (Burns Tri-Sonic pickups in series out-of-phase) -> Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster -> cranked Vox AC30 (Normal channel)

Mid-focused, singing vintage British chime with rich harmonic upper-mid sustain

Amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

CHANNELCrunch Amp TypeBOOSTon

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	4
Mid	8
Treble	7
Reverb	2
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge+middle TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Katana Built-In Booster (Treble Booster / BST FX)

Enable the onboard BST effect set to Treble Booster

Drive 7 · Tone 8 · Effect Level 8

Why these settings

The Katana 50 MkII Crunch amp type emulates the Vox AC30 edge-of-breakup response, while the built-in BST block replicates Brian May's essential Dallas Rangemaster treble booster. Since the Katana 50 MkII lacks a physical presence knob, presence is left null and upper harmonics are pushed via treble at 7 and mids boosted to 8. Humbuckers are warmer than Tri-Sonics, so bass is trimmed to 4 to prevent low-end mud in the multi-track harmony frequencies.

PRO TIPBrian May famously played with a sixpence coin instead of a plastic pick; use a hard metal coin or a rigid stiff pick held at an angle against the strings to nail the metallic, chirpy attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Boss Katana 50 MkII. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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