How to Dial In "Rats" by Ghost - Guitar Tone Settings
What Ghost Actually Used on "Rats"
Original Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
These numbers are for a Marshall 1959SLP Plexi Super Lead Reissue. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Standard tuning. Ghost's guitar sound is deliberately anachronistic — a cranked non-master-volume Marshall with moderate gain rather than modern high-gain metal, so the chords stay open and the harmonised leads read as separate lines. Keep the gain around 6 and the mids up; this is closer to Blue Öyster Cult and Mercyful Fate than to anything contemporary, which is exactly Tobias Forge's intent. The twin lead over the chorus is tracked as two separate passes a third apart, not as chords. Recorded 2017-18 with Tom Dalgety. Prequelle pushed Ghost onto mainstream rock radio and this is its most-streamed track.
Common Questions About the "Rats" Tone
What guitar did Ghost use on "Rats"?
Ghost tracked "Rats" on a Hagstrom Fantomen (released 2018). Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Rats" need?
On Marshall 1959SLP Plexi Super Lead Reissue: Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6.5, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, Volume 7. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale; match them on your amp first, then nudge to taste. ToneMirror can translate these positions for whatever amp you actually own.
Can I play "Rats" without a Marshall 1959SLP Plexi Super Lead Reissue?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Rats" tone on a Katana, a Helix, a tube combo, or anything else. The translation accounts for EQ curve, gain structure, and pickup type so the result actually sounds like the record, not just the same knob numbers on different gear.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Rats" by Ghost are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.