🎸 Metal · 2000s

Hangar 18 (2004 Remix) by Megadeth (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Megadeth · riff

The Hangar 18 (2004 Remix) by Megadeth guitar tone is built on a Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead, dialed in at gain 7.5/10, bass 5.5, mid 4, treble 7, presence 6.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

7.5

GAIN

5.5

BASS

MID

TREBLE

6.5

PRESENCE

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 284 metal tones in our researched catalog: Gain 7.5 sits right around the metal average (7.3); mids at 4 are below average (5.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Jackson King V (likely USA Custom Shop, early 1990s spec) · Amp: Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead (modded for higher gain, typical for Megadeth in this era)

Studio recording, 2004 remix of 1990 Rust in Peace session. No evidence of different gear for the remix; likely the original tracks were remixed, not re-recorded. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for the riff section.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall Plexi songs & tones →🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Seymour Duncan pickups songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Jackson King V (likely USA Custom Shop, early 1990s spec) → Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead (modded for higher gain, typical for Megadeth in this era)

Effects

Jackson King V → Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead (modded, no pedals, no effects loop)

Tone character

tight and percussive, scooped mids, aggressive palm muting, high-gain saturation, slightly muddy in remix, articulate pick attack, compressed and focused, dry, no ambience, crisp high end, chunky low end

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, fast tempo, aggressive dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Hangar 18 (2004 Remix) sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Riff

The riff section of 'Hangar 18' requires fast, accurate alternate picking, tight palm muting, and precise rhythm, making it challenging for most guitarists.

Worth knowing

No direct source gives exact amp or pedal settings for the 2004 remix; settings estimated based on typical Megadeth studio rig and genre/era.
No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; Megadeth's classic rhythm tone is typically guitar straight into amp with no time-based or modulation effects.
No evidence of reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, or other effects in the riff section; amp reverb set to 0 as per genre and era.
Pickup and amp model inferred from known Rust in Peace sessions and Dave Mustaine's documented gear for this album.
If new evidence of effects or alternate gear for the 2004 remix emerges, update accordingly.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Hangar 18' 2004 remix features a tight, high-gain, scooped-mid thrash tone typical of Megadeth's early 90s sound, with punchy bass, biting treble, and boosted presence for clarity. The reverb is essentially dry, matching metal production norms of the era.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

🎧 Can you guess the tone?

Recognise famous songs from just the amp dials — a quick 10-round game. Beat your friends. Play free →

🎸 Which guitar legend is your tone twin? Take the quiz & share your result →

Hangar 18 (2004 Remix) guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Hangar 18 (2004 Remix) guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 7.5, bass 5.5, mid 4, treble 7, presence 6.5, reverb 0. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Hangar 18 (2004 Remix) tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Jackson King V (likely USA Custom Shop, early 1990s spec) · Amp: Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead (modded for higher gain, typical for Megadeth in this era); Jackson King V → Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead (modded, no pedals, no effects loop).

Can I get the Hangar 18 (2004 Remix) tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Megadeth on Hangar 18 (2004 Remix) — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 7.5, bass 5.5, mid 4, treble 7, presence 6.5, reverb 0), and Jackson King V → Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead (modded, no pedals, no effects loop). Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

Share this tone

Sources

Free practice tools

🎤 Online guitar tuner → · 🎶 Guitar chords → · 🎸 Guitar tunings → · 🎚️ Tuning chart → · 🎼 Guitar scales → · 🎚️ Chord transposer & capo → · 🥁 Metronome → · 🎶 Song chords → · 🎧 Guess the Tone game → · 🎸 Tone Legend quiz → · 📊 Tone data report →

🔥 The most famous guitar tones of all time → · 🎯 Easy guitar songs to play (with settings) → · 🗂️ Browse tone collections (by genre & language) →

More like this

🎸 How to get Megadeth’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Metal guitar tones → · 🎚️ Marshall Plexi settings → · 🎛️ best metal amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar riffs → · 🎯 more scooped mids tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com