Tone library / R.A.T.M / Killing in the name of

Killing in the name of amp settings — Marshall DSL40CR

The R.A.T.M guitar tone for “Killing in the name of”, dialed in for a Marshall DSL40CR with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Rage Against the Machine (1992) — main riff

Original rig

1982 Fender Telecaster (neck pickup, Drop D) -> Marshall JCM800 2205 (50W) Boost Channel -> Peavey VTM 4x12 cab (effects in loop: Digitech Whammy WH-1, Ibanez DFL flanger, DOD FX40B boost)

Aggressive, mid-pushed, dry British amp crunch with heavy neck-single-coil attack
Amp settings — Marshall DSL40CR
CHANNELClassic Gain (Crunch mode)BOOSToff
GAIN 7 BASS 7 MID 8 TREBLE 6 PRESENCE 3 REVERB 0 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain7
Bass7
Mid8
Treble6
Presence3
Reverb0
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPneck TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Digitech Whammy (Pitch Shifter)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (used for the famous +2 octaves solo)

Harmonizer/Pitch Mode 10

02Flanger (Ibanez DFL style)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (FX loop, used for intro jet-plane sweep)

Speed 3 · Width 8 · Regen 7
Why these settings

Morello ran his JCM800 2205 Boost channel with Bass 10, Mid 10, and Treble 7 into a dark Peavey 4x12 cabinet. On the modern DSL40CR combo, the Classic Gain Crunch channel matches the vintage 2205 breakup perfectly; we pull bass down to 7 to prevent low-end flub from your Strat's neck single-coil in Drop D and keep presence low at 3 to tame modern Marshall high-end fizz. Intro intro sweep/solo switches rely on the recommended pedals, but the main riff relies 100% on the amp crunch dialed here.

PRO TIPTune your low E string down to Drop D and play the heavy main riff exclusively on the neck pickup, picking hard right near the neck joint for that hollow, percussive single-coil thump.

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These settings are for a Marshall DSL40CR. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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