La Grange amp settings — Mesa Boogie Mark IV
The ZZ Top guitar tone for “La Grange”, dialed in for a Mesa Boogie Mark IV with a Fender Eric Clapton Stratocaster. Studio version, Tres Hombres (1973) — iconic main rhythm and lead
1959 Gibson Les Paul 'Pearly Gates' (bridge humbucker) → Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster → Marshall 1959 Super Lead Plexi → 4x12 Greenback cab
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 7 |
| Bass | 4 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Presence | 4 |
| Reverb | 2 |
| Master | 4 |
01Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster (or Treble Boost clone)
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned
The Eric Clapton Strat's active mid-boost provides the fatness and output of Gibbons' Pearly Gates humbucker—set the guitar's onboard mid-boost to roughly 4-5 to thicken the bridge single-coil. Mesa's Rhythm 2 channel provides the vintage Marshall-style crunch; keep the amp bass modest at 4 to prevent low-end flub before the gain stages, and push the mids to 7 to replicate the cranked Plexi bark. A Rangemaster-style treble booster is recommended to nail the searing pick attack harmonics, but the amp's own Rhythm 2 drive delivers the necessary crunch standalone.
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These settings are for a Mesa Boogie Mark IV. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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