How to Dial In "Minor Threat" by Minor Threat - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Minor Threat"
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 Minor Threat (1981). Their first EP, produced by the band and Skip Groff at Inner Ear Studios in Arlington, Virginia in April 1981, it was released through Dischord in June 1981. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson Les Paul Custom through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the nearest rig to the one documented for Minor Threat, stands in. Set the amp to a driven crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "Minor Threat" Tone
What guitar did Minor Threat use on "Minor Threat"?
The guitar on "Minor Threat" (released 1981) isn't documented; the Gibson Les Paul Custom above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Minor Threat" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 7, 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 "Minor Threat" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Minor Threat" 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 "Minor Threat" by Minor Threat are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.