Cathedral amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

The Van Halen guitar tone for “Cathedral”, dialed in for a Boss Katana 50 MkII with a Squire Bullet. Studio version, Diver Down (1982)

Original rig

1961 Fender Stratocaster → MXR Flanger → Eventide H910 Harmonizer (chorus/detune) → Marshall Super Lead (modded, 'brown sound') → Delay (~395ms, 1 repeat, 100% wet mix)

Clean, ethereal, organ-like swells with chorus shimmer and rhythmic delay — no distortion, entirely volume-knob technique

Amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

CHANNELCleanBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	5
Mid	6
Treble	6
Presence	5
Reverb	0

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE6 VOLUME0

Signal chain

01Katana Internal: Chorus (CE-1 type)

Use Tone Studio to set Chorus block; mimics Eventide H910 detune shimmer

Rate 3 · Depth 5

02Katana Internal: Digital Delay

Set delay time to 395ms via Tone Studio; feedback at ZERO for exactly 1 repeat; level at 100% (equal volume to dry signal) — this creates the 'call and response' organ effect

Time 6 · Feedback 0 · Level 10

Why these settings

The Katana Clean channel approximates the Strat-into-clean-amp foundation Eddie used. Unlike his typical 'brown sound,' Cathedral is 100% clean — gain stays low. The Katana's onboard delay and chorus replicate the Eventide/MXR combo. Set delay feedback to zero for the critical single-repeat effect.

PRO TIPThe entire song is played with your volume knob starting at 0, then quickly rolling to 10 as you hammer notes with your fretting hand — the delay captures the swell and plays it back while you've already rolled off for the next note. Practice the timing: at 395ms delay, you have less than half a second between swell-in and swell-out. Eddie noted the volume pot overheated and froze from constant use — a linear taper pot makes this easier than the standard audio taper.

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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