Tone Chaser

Pick a sound and dial it in — knob positions, pickup choice and amp EQ for the tones players are known for, every recipe backed by a source.

Born Under a Bad Sign

Huge bends with the guitar upside down, amp clean and very loud so the bends stay clear.

Tuning: Standard
Guitar: Flying V, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Blues Power

Brighter and snappier, played with a heavy pick and a hard attack.

Guitar: Flying V, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 9
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Treble: 8
Amp — Bass: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Thunderstruck

The same rig, played with a lighter touch so the repeated bends ring cleanly.

Guitar: SG, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 9
Amp — Volume: 9
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 8
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Back in Black

Bridge pickup, everything wide open, no pedals at all.

Guitar: SG, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 10
Amp — Volume: 10
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6
Pedals: None

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Everyday I Have the Blues

Brighter and more percussive, played behind the beat with the bridge pickup mixed in.

Guitar: ES-355, both pickups
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 5
Amp — Treble: 7
Amp — Bass: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

The Thrill Is Gone

Neck pickup, tone back, amp clean with a touch of breakup — the vibrato does the singing.

Guitar: ES-355, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 6
Varitone: Position 1
Amp — Volume: 5
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Cherub Rock

Big Muff wide open into a mid-forward Marshall for the huge rhythm sound.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Big Muff — Sustain: 8
Big Muff — Tone: 6
Big Muff — Volume: 7
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

1979

Clean and chorused, with the fuzz off and the guitar volume backed down.

Guitar: Strat, neck + middle
Guitar volume: 7
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Volume: 5
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Chorus: Light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Bohemian Rhapsody — solo

Smoother and more vocal: neck pickup, booster backed off, amp sweet rather than cutting.

Guitar: Red Special, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 8
Treble booster: On, low
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Treble: 6
Amp — Bass: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Brighton Rock — solo

Treble booster into AC30s, every pickup on, long delay answering each phrase.

Guitar: Red Special, all three pickups
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 10
Treble booster: On
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Treble: 8
Delay: Long, single repeat

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Damn Right, I've Got the Blues

Amp wide open, guitar volume for dynamics, wah for the screams.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Volume: 10
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Wah: For accents

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Stone Crazy

Everything up, feedback used as a note, tone control rolled back for the darker bends.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 5
Amp — Volume: 10
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Europa

Smoother and rounder: volume backed off, amp cooking, long sustaining bends.

Guitar: PRS, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 6
Reverb: Light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Black Magic Woman

Neck pickup, sustain on the edge of feedback, wah used as a slow filter sweep.

Guitar: Les Paul, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 6
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 5
Wah: Swept slowly

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

662

Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram

Neck pickup, light overdrive and a wide, slow vibrato.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 7
Tube Screamer — Drive: 3
Tube Screamer — Level: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Fresh Out

Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram

Bridge pickup and more drive for the funkier, harder-hitting side.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
Tube Screamer — Drive: 5
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Roll Over Beethoven

Brighter and more percussive for the double-stop riffing.

Guitar: ES-355, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 10
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Johnny B. Goode

Neck pickup, clean amp, the classic two-note bend intro with the tone wide open.

Guitar: ES-355, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 9
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Lonely Boy

A small amp pushed hard with the guitar volume for dynamics.

Guitar: Telecaster Deluxe, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 9
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Gold on the Ceiling

Fuzz in front of a clean-ish amp for the sludgy riff.

Guitar: Telecaster Deluxe, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 6
Big Muff — Sustain: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Holy Wars

Tight, mid-forward thrash tone with a boost and a hard pick attack.

Guitar: V, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Tube Screamer — Drive: 2
Tube Screamer — Level: 7
Amp — Gain: 8
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Symphony of Destruction

Slightly rounder and slower-feeling, with the wah for the solo.

Guitar: V, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 6
Wah: To taste
Amp — Gain: 7
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Comfortably Numb — solo

Long, singing sustain with a mid-hump and repeats that bloom rather than clutter.

Big Muff — Sustain: 2 o'clock
Big Muff — Tone: 11 o'clock
Big Muff — Volume: 1 o'clock
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 7
Pickup: Neck, volume 10
Delay: ~440 ms, 3 repeats

Solo tone search — YouTube

Desdemona

Darker and more vocal, with the amp pushed harder for sustain.

Tuning: Standard
Guitar: SG, neck pickup
Guitar tone: 6
Guitar volume: 10
Amp — Volume: 9
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Treble: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Midnight in Harlem

Open-E slide, amp right at the point of breakup, dynamics from the fingers alone.

Tuning: Open E
Guitar: SG, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Floods — solo

Dimebag Darrell

Whammy and long delay for the soaring, harmonised outro.

Guitar: Dean ML, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Whammy: On, octave up
Delay: Long
Amp — Gain: 8
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Walk

Dimebag Darrell

Huge low end with a mid-boosted EQ in front of a solid-state head.

Guitar: Dean ML, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
EQ: Mids boosted
Amp — Gain: 9
Amp — Bass: 8
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Whipping Post

Minor-key slide with the tone rolled back for a darker, heavier moan.

Tuning: Standard
Guitar: SG, neck pickup
Guitar tone: 5
Guitar volume: 9
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Statesboro Blues

Open-E slide with the neck pickup and the amp right at the point of breakup.

Tuning: Open E
Guitar: Les Paul, neck pickup
Slide: Glass bottle
Guitar volume: 9
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Sunshine of Your Love

Woman tone: humbuckers into a cranked Marshall with the guitar tone rolled right back.

Guitar: Les Paul / SG
Guitar tone: 5
Guitar volume: 9
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 5
Wah: Cocked halfway

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Layla — solo

A small tweed amp pushed to the edge in the studio, sweet rather than snarling.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 10
Amp — Treble: 6
Amp — Bass: 4
Boost: Overdrive to taste

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Californication

Rounder and warmer, played closer to the neck.

Bass: StingRay, neck pickup
Volume: 9
Tone: 6
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Give It Away

Bright slap tone with the mids scooped and the bridge pickup favoured.

Bass: StingRay, bridge pickup
Volume: 10
Tone: 9
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 4
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Going Down

Slightly fatter with the neck pickup blended in for the slower grooves.

Guitar: ES-345, both pickups
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Hide Away

Bright, biting and clean, with the fingerpicks doing the picking.

Guitar: ES-345, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Bright Lights

Fuzz into a clean amp, guitar volume used to clean up the verses.

Guitar: Casino, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 7 (10 for the chorus)
Guitar tone: 8
Fuzz — Fuzz: 7
Fuzz — Level: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

When My Train Pulls In

Neck pickup and a wah swept slowly for the long, patient build.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 6
Wah: Swept slowly
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

YYZ

A fuller, rounder tone for the melodic intro line.

Bass: Rickenbacker, both pickups
Volume: 9
Tone: 7
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Tom Sawyer

Bright, growling bass with the bridge pickup favoured and a touch of chorus.

Bass: Jazz Bass, bridge pickup
Volume: 9
Tone: 8
Chorus: Light
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Feel the Pain

Slightly cleaner so the chords ring out under the melody.

Guitar: Jazzmaster, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 8
Big Muff — Sustain: 6
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Freak Scene

Jazzmaster into a Big Muff into a stack, with the amp's own overdrive on top.

Guitar: Jazzmaster, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 9
Big Muff — Sustain: 9
Big Muff — Volume: 8
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Master of Puppets

Scooped mids, tight low end and a Tube Screamer as a boost for the down-picked riff.

Guitar: Explorer, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Tube Screamer — Drive: 0
Tube Screamer — Level: 8
Amp — Gain: 9
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 3
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Sad but True

Down-tuned and even heavier, with the low end pushed further.

Tuning: D standard
Guitar: Explorer, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Gain: 9
Amp — Bass: 8
Amp — Mid: 3
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Freeway Jam

Bridge pickup and a touch of dirt for the funkier, more aggressive side.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
RAT — Distortion: 4
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Amp — Bass: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Cause We've Ended as Lovers

Neck pickup, tone rolled back, amp clean and loud — the tremolo arm does the singing.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar tone: 6
Guitar volume: 8
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 7
Klon: Level up, Gain low

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Scarlet Begonias

Bright, clean and chorused — the classic Garcia rhythm chime.

Guitar: Strat, bridge + middle
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 9
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Treble: 8
Amp — Bass: 5
Phase: Off / slow

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Fire on the Mountain

Envelope filter with the guitar volume rolled back so the filter opens only on the hard notes.

Guitar: Strat, middle pickup
Guitar volume: 6
Guitar tone: 8
Envelope filter: On, medium sweep
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Thick, vocal wah-fuzz lead — the Fuzz Face cleans up as you roll the guitar volume back.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 7 (10 for the fuzz sections)
Fuzz Face — Fuzz: 10
Fuzz Face — Level: 8
Wah: Half-cocked, rocked to taste
Amp — Presence: 6
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 4
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Whole Lotta Love — main riff

Tone Bender fuzz into a cranked plexi — loose, greasy and mid-forward.

Tone Bender — Attack: 3 o'clock
Tone Bender — Level: 2 o'clock
Amp — Presence: 5
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6
Pickup: Bridge, tone 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Sloe Gin

Neck pickup, Dumble on the edge, volume knob for the swells.

Guitar: Les Paul, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 7
Guitar tone: 7
Tube Screamer — Drive: 2
Tube Screamer — Level: 6
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

The Ballad of John Henry

Bridge pickup, more gain and a heavier right hand for the riff.

Guitar: Les Paul, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Tube Screamer — Drive: 5
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Always with Me, Always with You

Neck pickup, clean with long delay for the ballad lines.

Guitar: JS, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 6
Amp — Gain: 2
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Delay: Long, with feedback

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Surfing with the Alien

Clean amp plus a distortion pedal for a bright, singing lead.

Guitar: JS, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
DS-1 — Distortion: 5
DS-1 — Level: 7
Amp — Gain: 4
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Under the Bridge — intro

John Frusciante

Neck and middle pickups, amp clean and loud, chorus for the width.

Guitar: Strat, neck + middle
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 7
Chorus: Light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Dani California — solo

John Frusciante

DS-2 engaged for the squalling, saturated lead.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
DS-2 — Distortion: 8
DS-2 — Level: 8
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Gravity — solo

Bridge pickup and a Tube Screamer stacked for the singing lead.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Klon: On, low
Tube Screamer — Drive: 3
Tube Screamer — Level: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

Neck pickup into a clean boutique amp with the Klon barely on.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 7
Klon — Gain: 1
Klon — Level: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 7
Reverb: Light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

The Spirit Carries On — solo

Neck pickup, sustained and singing with a long delay.

Guitar: Majesty, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 6
Amp — Gain: 7
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6
Delay: Long, dotted

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Pull Me Under

Tight high-gain rhythm with the low end controlled and the mids present.

Guitar: Majesty, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Gain: 8
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Delay: Light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

How Soon Is Now?

Tremolo and heavy reverb with the guitar swelling in and out of the mix.

Guitar: Telecaster, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 8
Tremolo: On, slow and deep
Reverb: Heavy
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

This Charming Man

Rickenbacker into a clean amp with the treble up and a light chorus.

Guitar: Rickenbacker 330, both pickups
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 9
Chorus: On, light
Amp — Volume: 5
Amp — Bass: 4
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Creep

Jonny Greenwood

ShredMaster into a clean solid-state amp, then the guitar volume dropped for the quiet parts.

Guitar: Telecaster Plus, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 4 (10 for the chorus)
Guitar tone: 7
ShredMaster — Gain: 7
ShredMaster — Level: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Paranoid Android — solo

Jonny Greenwood

A wah and heavy distortion for the screaming, chaotic lead.

Guitar: Telecaster Plus, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
ShredMaster — Gain: 9
Wah: Rocked
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Song for the Dead

Darker and heavier, with the amp pushed and the fuzz backed off.

Tuning: C standard
Guitar: Maton, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 5
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Bass: 8
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

No One Knows

Down-tuned and dry, with the octave fuzz adding a rasp to the riff.

Tuning: C standard
Guitar: Maton, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 7; Octave fuzz — On
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Satisfaction

Fuzz-Tone into a clean Fender, guitar volume just below full for the nagging riff.

Guitar: Les Paul, neck pickup
Fuzz: On
Fuzz — Level: 7
Amp — Volume: 5
Amp — Treble: 6
Amp — Bass: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Jumpin' Jack Flash

Open-G Telecaster, bridge pickup, amp right on the edge of breaking up.

Tuning: Open G (low E removed)
Guitar: Telecaster, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

One — clean intro

Clean channel with the guitar volume rolled back and a touch of delay.

Guitar: Les Paul, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 6
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Gain: 2
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Delay: Light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Enter Sandman — solo

Wah forward into a high-gain lead channel, neck pickup for the rounder attack.

Guitar: ESP, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 7
Wah: Cocked forward
Amp — Gain: 8
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Jerry Was a Race Car Driver

Tapped and heavily effected, with the delay set short and tight.

Bass: Carl Thompson, bridge pickup
Volume: 9
Tone: 9
Delay: Short
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

My Name Is Mud

Fretless with the envelope filter and a whammy for the growling, sliding line.

Bass: Carl Thompson, both pickups
Volume: 9
Tone: 8
Envelope filter: On, medium
Whammy: Octave down, to taste
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Sultans of Swing

Middle and bridge pickups together, volume backed off, amp just breaking up.

Guitar: Strat, middle + bridge
Guitar volume: 7
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Compressor: On, light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Money for Nothing

A cocked wah and heavy compression for the growling riff.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Wah: Cocked back
Compressor: On, heavy
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

The Druid

Slightly cleaner so the drone rings instead of smearing.

Guitar: Les Paul, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 6
Amp — Gain: 6
Amp — Bass: 8
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Dopesmoker

Low, chiming and enormous — the low strings are the whole point.

Tuning: C standard (9-string)
Guitar: Les Paul, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 7
RAT — Distortion: 4
Amp — Gain: 8
Amp — Bass: 8
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Mannish Boy

Open-G slide on the Telecaster with the tone rolled back to a smoky growl.

Tuning: Open G
Guitar: Telecaster, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 6
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Hoochie Coochie Man

Darker still — slide played right over the neck pickup.

Tuning: Open G
Guitar: Telecaster, neck pickup
Guitar tone: 4
Guitar volume: 8
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Treble: 4

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Rise — solo

Nuno Bettencourt

Nuno's octave lift for the Rise solo, patched in over an always-on Rat that only tightens the tone.

MXR Phase 90 — Rate: 10 o'clock (slow Van Halen setting); Pro Co RAT — always on, low end tightened; Boss OC-5 Octave — patched in for the solo only; Boss GT-8 — delays, chorus and flange from the loop; Marshall DSL 2000 — stock, into 4x12s

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Pinball Wizard

A big strummed acoustic through a bright amp, with the electric doubling the changes.

Guitar: Acoustic, capo 3
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Treble: 8
Amp — Bass: 5
Reverb: Light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Won't Get Fooled Again

Clean, enormous and uncluttered — the power comes from the amp's headroom, not from gain.

Guitar: Les Paul Deluxe, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 9
Amp — Volume: 9
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 5
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Crazy Train — solo

Distortion + into a cranked Marshall, wah cocked for the nasal midrange.

Guitar: Les Paul Custom, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Distortion + — Output: 7
Distortion + — Distortion: 5
Wah: Cocked forward
Amp — Volume: 9
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Mr. Crowley

Neck pickup and the guitar volume backed off for the classical clean passages.

Guitar: Les Paul Custom, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 6
Guitar tone: 7
Distortion +: Off
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Sweet Child o' Mine — intro

Neck pickup, amp on the edge, a hint of wah for the circular riff.

Guitar: Les Paul, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 7
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 8
Amp — Treble: 6
Wah: Slightly open

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Welcome to the Jungle

Bridge pickup, gain up, volume knob used to clean up the verses.

Guitar: Les Paul, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10 (7 for verses)
Guitar tone: 9
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 8
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Digital Witness

Fuzz and a tight delay for the clipped, machine-like riff.

Guitar: Music Man, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Big Muff — Sustain: 8
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Delay: Short

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Cruel

Bright clean tone with a short slapback delay and the Bigsby for wobble.

Guitar: Music Man, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Treble: 8
Delay: Short slapback

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

The Trooper

Bright flatwound clank with the tone wide open for the galloping line.

Bass: Precision, both pickups
Volume: 10
Tone: 10
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Run to the Hills

A touch rounder and warmer for the melodic runs.

Bass: Precision
Volume: 9
Tone: 7
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

For the Love of God

Sustaining lead with the whammy used for vocal bends and long delay.

Guitar: JEM, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
DS-1 — Distortion: 5
DS-1 — Level: 7
Delay: Long
Amp — Gain: 7
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Tender Surrender

Cleaner, with the volume knob and the bar doing the phrasing.

Guitar: JEM, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 6
Guitar tone: 7
Amp — Gain: 3
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Delay: Medium

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Pride and Joy — rhythm

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Two Tube Screamers stacked into a loud, mostly clean Fender for that fat Texas bark.

Tube Screamer #1 — Drive: 8 o'clock (clean boost)
Tube Screamer #1 — Level: 3 o'clock
Tube Screamer #2 — Drive: 12 o'clock
Amp — Bass: 5
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6
Pickup: Neck for rhythm, bridge for leads
Strings: .013–.058, tuned Eb

Tube Screamer settings search — YouTube

It Hurt So Bad

Bridge pickup on the Telecaster for a sharper, more urgent edge.

Guitar: Telecaster, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Reverb: Light

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Just Won't Burn

Neck pickup with the amp just breaking up and reverb filling the gaps.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 8
Guitar tone: 6
Amp — Volume: 6
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Treble: 6
Reverb: Medium

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Where the Streets Have No Name

Dotted-eighth repeats doing the work — the drive is only there to push the amp.

Delay: Dotted 1/8, ~350 ms, 2–3 repeats
SD-1 — Drive: 9 o'clock
SD-1 — Level: 1 o'clock
Amp — Cut: 3 o'clock
Amp — Bass: 10 o'clock
Amp — Treble: 1 o'clock
Pickup: Bridge

Delay settings search — YouTube

Bulls on Parade

Whammy set an octave up with the wah for the scratch and squeal parts.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 9
Whammy: Octave up
Wah: Cocked
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Killing in the Name

Amp cranked, guitar volume for the drop, kill switch for the stutter.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Amp — Volume: 9
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 7
Kill switch: For the stutter

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Iron Man

Down-tuned, treble-boosted and thick — the riff carries the weight.

Tuning: C# standard
Guitar: SG, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 7
Treble booster: On
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Paranoid — solo

Same rig with the wah rocked for the solo's nasal midrange.

Guitar: SG, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Treble booster: On
Wah: Rocked forward
Amp — Volume: 8
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Far Beyond the Sun

Yngwie Malmsteen

Overdrive into a cranked plexi with the neck pickup for the harmonic-minor runs.

Guitar: Strat, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 8
Overdrive — Level: 8
Overdrive — Gain: 3
Amp — Volume: 9
Amp — Bass: 6
Amp — Mid: 8
Amp — Treble: 7

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Black Star

Yngwie Malmsteen

Bridge pickup, brighter and more aggressive for the opening theme.

Guitar: Strat, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 9
Overdrive — Level: 8
Amp — Volume: 9
Amp — Mid: 8
Amp — Treble: 8

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

Stillborn

Heavier and darker, with the neck pickup for the descending riff.

Guitar: Les Paul Custom, neck pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 5
Amp — Gain: 9
Amp — Bass: 8
Amp — Mid: 6
Amp — Treble: 5

Tone breakdown search — YouTube

No More Tears

Chorus-widened crunch with the wah for the pinched harmonics.

Guitar: Les Paul Custom, bridge pickup
Guitar volume: 10
Guitar tone: 7
Chorus: On, wide
Wah: For accents
Amp — Gain: 8
Amp — Bass: 7
Amp — Mid: 7
Amp — Treble: 6

Tone breakdown search — YouTube