Tone library / Radiohead / Creep

Creep amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

The Radiohead guitar tone for “Creep”, dialed in for a Marshall MG30CFX with a Yamaha Pacifica 112V. Studio version, Pablo Honey (1993) - Jonny Greenwood's iconic chorus distortion crunch

Original rig

Fender Telecaster Plus (Lace Sensor Dually Red-Red bridge pickup) -> Marshall Shredmaster -> Fender Eighty-Five solid-state amplifier

Abrasive, thick, high-gain 90s solid-state distortion with scooped upper mids and sharp attack
Amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX
CHANNELOD-2
GAIN 8 BASS 7 MID 4 TREBLE 7 REVERB 1 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain8
Bass7
Mid4
Treble7
Reverb1
Master6
Don’t have a Marshall MG30CFX? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →
Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Marshall Shredmaster (or clone)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; with this pedal, set amp to Clean channel, Gain to 2, and engage pedal for the chorus chugs

Gain 8 · Bass 7 · Contour 8 · Treble 6 · Volume 7
Why these settings

Because you don't own Jonny's Shredmaster pedal, use the MG30CFX's OD-2 channel with gain at 8 to generate the heavy saturation directly from the preamp. The Lace Sensor Dually pickups are ultra-hot and thick, so use your Pacifica's bridge humbucker with a slight mid cut (4) and elevated bass (7) to capture that aggressive, boxy 90s solid-state crunch. The Marshall MG30CFX lacks a physical presence knob, so presence is null.

PRO TIPMute all six strings strictly with your fretting hand right before striking the strings hard near the bridge to replicate Jonny's iconic dead-string 'chug-chug' 'dead notes' preceding each chorus.

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These settings are for a Marshall MG30CFX. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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