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21 Guns — Green Day1 / 2
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21 Guns Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Green Day

Green Day · 2000s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1956 Gibson Les Paul Junior
Pickups
Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB (bridge position, P-90 style single humbucker)
Amp
Marshall JTM45 (1974 reissue or clone, likely studio amp for 21st Century Breakdown)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 2008-2009. Billie Joe Armstrong used his 'Floyd' 1956 Les Paul Junior with a Seymour Duncan JB pickup for the main rhythm/riff sections of '21 Guns.' The amp was a Marshall JTM45, as confirmed for the album sessions. No evidence of live/tour gear or alternate guitars for the studio riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6
Gain
6.5
Reverb
2.5
Treble
6.5
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer · eq

Guitar → Boss GE-7 EQ → Marshall JTM45 (with light spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • crunchy and dynamic
  • pronounced midrange punch
  • warm and thick
  • articulate attack
  • tight, focused low end
  • slightly compressed
  • open, classic rock voicing
  • not high-gain, but saturated
  • clear note separation
  • edge-of-breakup

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for '21 Guns' studio recording; settings estimated based on typical Marshall JTM45 usage for modern rock and forum advice.
  • ⚠️No explicit pedal use confirmed for the riff section in the studio; only overdrive from amp and possible EQ pedal inferred from Billie Joe's general rig.
  • ⚠️Some sources mention other guitars (Gretsch, Black Beauty) in music videos or live, but the 1956 Les Paul Junior with Seymour Duncan JB is confirmed for the studio riff.
  • ⚠️No evidence of time-based or modulation effects (delay, chorus, flanger, etc.) on the riff section; only mild amp reverb is likely.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Billie Joe Armstrong used a crunchy, mid-forward tone for '21 Guns,' likely with a Marshall-style amp (e.g., JCM800) set for thick, articulate rock rhythm. The gain is set for classic hard rock crunch, with balanced bass and slightly boosted mids/treble for clarity, and subtle reverb for space as heard in the mix.

Sources