About Fader & Knob
Tone recipes from the songs you love.
Fader & Knob is a guitar tone recipe database for guitarists who own modelers like the Line 6 Helix, Boss Katana, Quad Cortex, and TONEX. We document the exact signal chain — guitar, pedals, amp, cab, mic placement, and effects — behind specific guitar tones from specific songs, and we translate those recipes into downloadable preset files you can load into your rig tonight.
The idea started because we were tired of watching five YouTube videos to get one guitar tone dialed in, and getting five different answers. The internet is full of people guessing at tones. Nobody had built a structured database of recipes — with the why, the settings, and the preset file — all in one place. So we built it.
What you get
Tone Recipes, Not Just Presets
Every entry explains the why behind the tone — not just the knob settings. You learn how the signal chain works, not just what to load.
Exact Settings for Your Rig
Each recipe includes platform-specific translations for Line 6 Helix, Boss Katana, and physical rigs, with every amp, pedal, and parameter documented.
Downloadable Presets
One-click downloads of .hlx (Helix) and .tsl (Boss Katana) preset files. Load them into HX Edit or Boss Tone Studio and play.
Set Packs for Gigging
Single presets with 8 snapshots designed to cover an entire setlist. Each pack includes a Setlist Mapper showing which snapshot to use for each song.
Hardware-Tested
Presets go through review on real hardware before publication. If something doesn't load or sound right, it gets flagged and fixed.
Built for the Volunteer Guitarist
We built this for the guitarist who gets the setlist on Tuesday and has to play Sunday. Stop tweaking. Start playing.
How we're different
We teach the recipe, not just the file
Every other preset shop sells you a finished file. We walk you through the signal chain block by block and explain why each setting works. You leave knowing more about tone, not just with a file on a USB stick.
Cross-platform by design
When you see a recipe, you can view it as a physical signal chain, a Helix patch, or a Boss Katana setup. The same recipe, translated for your specific gear.
Hardware testing is part of the process
Presets are reviewed in HX Edit on real hardware before they go live. Blocks are confirmed to load, parameter ranges are checked, and if something is wrong we fix it before it ships.
Human-verified, AI-powered
We use AI to research tones, write content, and generate preset files faster than a traditional team could. Every output is verified by a human on real gear before it reaches you. We're transparent about how we work — read more on our How We Work page.
Who it's for
The classic rock tone chaser
You own a modeler, you know what SRV's Strat sounds like, and you want to know exactly how to get that tone on your rig. We document the signal chains behind the recordings you care about.
The worship guitarist
You play Sunday morning and need your tones dialed in by Saturday night. Our worship Set Packs give you one preset with 8 snapshots that covers 30+ songs — no per-song tweaking.
The gigging cover band guitarist
You need to sound like seven different artists across a three-hour set. Genre Set Packs (classic rock, 90s alternative, blues, more coming) give you one preset that handles the whole night.
The product
- Tone recipes
- 50+ and growing weekly
- Platforms
- Line 6 Helix, Boss Katana (more coming)
- Preset format
- .hlx and .tsl, load in HX Edit or Boss Tone Studio
- Free tier
- Browse all recipes, 10 free downloads
- Tone Pass
- $7/mo — unlimited downloads, unlimited saves
- Pro
- $12/mo — everything above plus Set Packs and priority access
- Built by
- Axiom Digital, LLC
Get in touch
Partnership, press, support, feedback — we're a small team and we read every email.