When I Come Around by Green Day — Amp Settings & Guitar Tone
Reference tone dialed on a Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster into a Fender Mustang LT25. Settings below are cited from real sources; open the page in a browser for the interactive version, or get this tone dialed for your exact gear.
To capture the tone of 'When I Come Around,' we'll use the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster '60s with its bright single-coil pickups and the Fender Mustang LT25 modeling amp. We'll start with the '04 CLASSIC ROCK' preset, which provides a suitable British crunch character. Adjustments to gain and EQ will help achieve the mid-forward, punchy sound typical of the era.
Signal chain settings
Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster '60s — Main rhythm tone
| Control | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup Selector | Bridge Pickup | Select the bridge pickup to emulate the humbucker tone heard on the record. |
| Master Volume | 8 | Set to 8 for a balanced output that complements the amp's crunch. |
| Tone 1 | Leave at default | Not used for the bridge pickup. |
| Tone 2 | 7 | Roll back slightly to tame brightness from the single-coil pickup. |
Fender Mustang LT25 — Main amplifier
| Control | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Preset | 04 CLASSIC ROCK | This preset provides a British crunch character similar to the Marshall Plexi. |
| Gain | 6 | Set to 6 to achieve the moderate overdrive and crunchy saturation. |
| Volume | 5 | Balanced volume to maintain clarity and dynamics. |
| Treble | 6 | Set to 6 for a bright and articulate tone without harshness. |
| Bass | 5 | Balanced bass to support the mid-forward character without overpowering. |
| Master | 5 | Set to 5 to maintain overall volume and dynamics. |
| Cabinet build | Not used | Not needed for this tone — leave it off. |
| Amp Models | Not used | Not needed for this tone — leave it off. |
| Effects | Not used | Not needed for this tone — leave it off. |
Section guide — how the tone changes through the song
Verse
The verse tone is cleaner and brighter with a touch of reverb.
- the pedal: Gain → 4
What Green Day actually used
For the recording of 'When I Come Around' from the album 'Dookie', Billie Joe Armstrong primarily used his Fernandes Stratocaster copy, known as 'Blue', fitted with a Seymour Duncan JB humbucker in the bridge position. This guitar was played through a Marshall JCM900 amplifier, with settings estimated to achieve the song's distinctive tone. Additionally, a modified Marshall 1959 Super Lead Plexi, identified by a 'Pete' logo, was part of his setup during this era. The recording took place in 1993, with Rob Cavallo producing.
- Fernandes Stratocaster copy — main rhythm. equipped with a Seymour Duncan JB humbucker in the bridge position
- Marshall JCM900 — main amplifier. settings estimated: Bass: 5, Middle: 6, Treble: 6, Presence: 4, Gain: 6, Master Volume: 5, Reverb: 0
- Marshall 1959 Super Lead Plexi (modified) — secondary amplifier. modified with a 'Pete' logo spray-painted on the front
Tuning: Standard
Sources
- https://www.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-guitars/stratocaster/classic-vibe-stratocaster-60s/0303010500.html
- https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1547905/Fender-Mustang-Lt25.html
- https://www.fender.com/en-US/guitar-amplifiers/contemporary-digital/mustang-lt25/2311100000.html
- https://www.manualslib.com/manual/3126493/Fender-Mustang-Lt25.html
- https://guitar.com/features/artist-rigs/the-gear-used-by-billie-joe-armstrong-on-green-days-dookie/
- https://www.bonedo.de/artikel/die-besten-gitarrenriffs-in-noten-und-tabs-green-day-when-i-come-around/
- https://www.guitarchalk.com/amp-settings-when-i-come-around-green-day/