Starting-point EQ for punk tone, averaged from 69 famous punk recordings. Dial these in, then fine-tune by ear — or let the tool below adapt them to the exact amp and guitar you own.
Dammit — blink-182 · Thank You for the Venom — My Chemical Romance · Stay Together for the Kids — blink-182 · The Artist in the Ambulance — Thrice · My Heroine — Silverstein · The Taste of Ink — The Used · Sailin On — Bad Brains · Basket Case — Green Day
Averaged across 69 famous punk recordings: gain 6, bass 5.5, mid 6, treble 7, presence 6 (out of 10). Punk is bright, fast and trebly with a tight low end. Treble and presence up, bass moderate so power chords stay punchy.
Start with gain 6, bass 5.5, mid 6, treble 7, presence 6 (all out of 10), then fine-tune by ear. Lower the gain for cleaner passages, and push the mids up if the guitar disappears in a band mix.
The amps most used across these punk tones are Mesa Dual Rectifier, Marshall JCM800, Roland JC-120. You don’t need the exact amp, though — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials any punk tone for the amp and guitar you already own, free in the browser.
Set the starting EQ above, then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for your specific amp, guitar and pedals so it sits like the record — no new gear needed.