Thriller Crossover Rock — Deluxe Rhythm & EVH Solo
Steve Lukather played the released rhythm guitars through a small Fender Deluxe after Quincy Jones rejected the larger Marshall sound as too heavy. Eddie Van Halen then added the solo with his own high-gain Marshall-style setup; the exact guitar and control positions for both chains are incompletely documented, so the settings below are representative. Source: Guitar World’s oral history of “Beat It” and its isolated-guitar analysis.
Signal Chain
Notes
Keep the rhythm guitar lean and controlled so it fits the pop arrangement. The solo can be dramatically louder and more saturated, but the delay should remain short and unobtrusive.
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See the same signal chain mapped to another platform. Knob values carry over as starting points — gain ranges differ between platforms.