🎸 Rock · 2010s+

Highway Tune by Greta Van Fleet (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Greta Van Fleet · riff

The Highway Tune by Greta Van Fleet guitar tone is built on a Marshall JMP, dialed in at gain 6.5/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6 (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)

6.5

GAIN

BASS

MID

TREBLE

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 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 6.5 sits above the rock average (4.8) — a hotter, more saturated take than most rock tones; mids at 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson SG Standard · Amp: Marshall JMP (likely 1970s model, as used by Jake Kiszka in this era)

Studio recording, 2017. Gear confirmed for Highway Tune era by multiple sources. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the riff section. Pedalboard is minimal, used mainly for boost.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ Gibson SG songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Gibson SG Standard → Jext-Telez Range Lord → Marshall JMP (likely 1970s model, as used by Jake Kiszka in this era)

Effects

boost, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

classic British crunch, tight, punchy riff attack, aggressive bridge pickup bite, vintage-inspired overdrive, minimal reverb, dry sound, dynamic, touch-sensitive response, clear note separation, slight boost for riff clarity, mid-forward, classic rock presence, no audible modulation or delay

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, fast tempo, loud dynamics · crunch distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Highway Tune sound.

Difficulty

3/5 · Riff

The riff requires tight timing, fast picking, and control over quick bends and palm muting, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Worth knowing

No exact amp knob settings found in sources; values estimated based on Marshall JMP typical classic rock settings and genre/era.
Pedal use confirmed only for boost (Jext-Telez Range Lord); no evidence of time-based or modulation effects in the riff section.
Guitar and amp models confirmed for era, but not explicitly stated for the specific Highway Tune studio session.
No evidence of effects loop or amp-based delay/chorus/flanger/phaser.
All settings and effects refer specifically to the riff section, not the solo.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Greta Van Fleet's 'Highway Tune' riff features a classic hard rock crunch with prominent mids and a slightly boosted treble for clarity, reflecting British rock conventions and the band's Led Zeppelin influence. The tone is punchy and forward, with moderate gain, tight low end, and minimal reverb, matching the vintage-inspired production and the guitarist's typical amp settings.

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

🎧 Can you guess the tone?

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Highway Tune guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Highway Tune guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 6.5, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6, reverb 2. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Highway Tune tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Gibson SG Standard · Amp: Marshall JMP (likely 1970s model, as used by Jake Kiszka in this era); boost, reverb.

Can I get the Highway Tune 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 Greta Van Fleet on Highway Tune — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 6.5, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6, reverb 2), and boost, reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

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More like this

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