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3's & 7's — Queens of the Stone Age1 / 2
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GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence

3's & 7's Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Queens of the Stone Age

Queens of the Stone Age · 2000s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Epiphone Dot (semi-hollow, likely tuned to C standard)
Pickups
Epiphone stock humbuckers
Amp
Ampeg V4 (most likely, based on Era Vulgaris sessions and Homme's known studio rigs)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 2007 (Era Vulgaris). Guitar and amp inferred from Equipboard and Era Vulgaris-era interviews. No direct photo/video evidence for this exact session, but Epiphone Dot and Ampeg V4 are the most consistently cited for this period and song. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
7.5
Bass
6.5
Gain
7
Reverb
1.5
Treble
6
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Zvex Super Hard On · boost
  • Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer · eq
  • Fulltone FatBoost 3 FB-3 · boost
  • Fuzz pedal (model unknown, likely custom or boutique) · fuzz

Guitar → Zvex Super Hard On → Boss GE-7 EQ → Fulltone FatBoost → Fuzz pedal (model unknown) → Ampeg V4 (spring reverb low)

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Tone Character

  • fuzzy and saturated
  • mid-forward and thick
  • harmonically rich
  • tight low end
  • compressed and punchy
  • gnarly, aggressive riff sound
  • great note definition
  • insane sustain
  • touch-sensitive
  • slightly scooped highs

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct studio photo or interview confirms the exact pedal chain for the '3's & 7's' riff section; gear is inferred from Era Vulgaris-era sources and Homme's known studio rig.
  • ⚠️Amp settings are estimated based on typical Ampeg V4 usage for QOTSA and genre/era conventions.
  • ⚠️Pedal models are inferred from consistent forum and Equipboard listings for this album/tour cycle; settings are not directly sourced.
  • ⚠️No evidence of time-based or modulation effects in the riff section; only fuzz/distortion and EQ/boost are included.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Josh Homme's tone on '3's & 7's' is thick, mid-forward, and crunchy but not overly saturated, typical of his use of Matamp/Orange amps with moderate gain and strong mids. The bass is full but not boomy, treble is tamed to avoid harshness, presence adds clarity, and the track is quite dry with little to no reverb.

Sources