GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Back to School (Mini Maggit) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Deftones
Deftones · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP Stef B-7 (Stephen Carpenter signature 7-string, likely custom shop or early production)
Pickups
DiMarzio Blaze (humbucker, bridge position)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (Rackmount, late 90s/early 2000s version)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2000 White Pony sessions. No evidence of live rig or alternate gear for this specific song. No pedalboard evidence for this riff section. Gear inferred from White Pony album era and Stephen Carpenter's studio interviews.
Amp Settings
Mids4.5
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1
Treble6.5
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- scooped mids
- aggressive palm muting
- high-gain saturation
- articulate pick attack
- modern nu-metal clarity
- dry, minimal ambience
- heavy low-end punch
- bridge pickup bite
- slightly compressed
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source lists exact amp or pedal settings for 'Back to School (Mini Maggit)' riff; settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier usage in nu-metal/Deftones context.
- No evidence of pedals or modulation/time-based effects used on the riff section; dry, high-gain tone is audible.
- Guitar and amp model inferred from White Pony era studio gear and Stephen Carpenter's known setup; no photo/video evidence for this specific session.
- Pickup model inferred from ESP Stef B-7 specs and DiMarzio Blaze usage in this era.
- If more specific studio notes or interviews are found, update settings accordingly.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Stephen Carpenter used high-gain, tight, percussive tones with a slightly scooped midrange and controlled bass for Deftones' nu-metal era; the riff is saturated but clear, with minimal ambience, matching the band's typical Mesa/Rectifier settings of the time.