How to Dial In "Have Cool, Will Travel" by Megadeth - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Have Cool, Will Travel"
Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.
Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
From Cryptic Writings (1997). Produced by Dann Huff with Dave Mustaine co-producing, recorded in September 1996 at The Tracking Room in Nashville and The Castle in Franklin, Tennessee. The lyric is about school shootings and the song runs 3:28. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Jackson Pro Series Rhoads RRT-3 through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the nearest rig to the one Megadeth is documented with, stands in. Set the amp at a driven crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "Have Cool, Will Travel" Tone
What guitar did Megadeth use on "Have Cool, Will Travel"?
The guitar on "Have Cool, Will Travel" (released 1997) isn't documented; the Jackson Pro Series Rhoads RRT-3 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Have Cool, Will Travel" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, 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 "Have Cool, Will Travel" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Have Cool, Will Travel" 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 "Have Cool, Will Travel" by Megadeth are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.