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Blackwater Park Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Opeth
Opeth · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
PRS Custom 24 (early 2000s, likely 2000 or 2001 model, used by both Mikael Åkerfeldt and Peter Lindgren for rhythm tracking on Blackwater Park)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB (bridge) and SH-2 Jazz (neck) humbuckers (Peter), Seymour Duncan SH-10 Full Shred (bridge) and SH-1 '59 (neck) (Mikael)
Amp
Laney GH100L (Mikael) and Laney VH100R (Peter), both British tube heads
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2000/2001. Rhythm guitars quad-tracked: Mikael and Peter each tracked through their own Laney amp. No evidence of other amps or guitars for the main riff rhythm section. PRS guitars with Seymour Duncan pickups confirmed for this era. No evidence of effects loop or rack effects for rhythm. Pedals minimal or none on rhythm tracks.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain7.5
Reverb1
Treble6.5
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- clear note separation under heavy distortion
- articulate palm muting
- slightly scooped but present mids
- controlled low end for clarity
- British-voiced high-gain saturation
- quad-tracked thickness
- minimal ambience
- aggressive attack
- modern metal rhythm
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for Blackwater Park studio rhythm found; settings estimated based on Laney GH100L/VH100R typical usage for this genre/era and forum consensus.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used for rhythm section in studio; all sources and interviews indicate dry, amp-only tone for main riff.
- PRS Custom 24 with Seymour Duncan pickups confirmed for this era, but exact pickup models per guitarist inferred from interviews and forum posts.
- Presence and reverb settings are estimated; Laney amps typically have bright, present voicing and minimal reverb for clarity.
- If more specific studio notes or isolated track breakdowns emerge, settings may need revision.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Opeth's 'Blackwater Park' rhythm tone is a saturated, tight, modern metal sound with moderate mids (not scooped), controlled bass, and clear but not harsh highs, typical of their Mesa/Marshall dual-amp setup. The recording is very dry with little to no reverb, and presence is set to add clarity without harshness.