GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Breaking All Illusions Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Dream Theater
Dream Theater · 2010s+ · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Ernie Ball Music Man JPXI 6
Pickups
DiMarzio Crunch Lab (bridge), DiMarzio LiquiFire (neck) humbuckers
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark V
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2011 (A Dramatic Turn of Events). Gear inferred from Petrucci's documented studio rig for this album; no direct source for this specific solo, but all available evidence and era-appropriate interviews point to this setup.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass6
Gain7.5
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- Delay pedal (model unknown) · delay
- Noise gate (model unknown) · noise_gate
Guitar → Noise gate → Delay pedal → Mesa/Boogie Mark V (with digital reverb)
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- liquid lead tone
- tight low end
- articulate pick attack
- smooth legato
- clear note separation
- high-gain saturation
- rich harmonics
- controlled feedback
- modern progressive metal lead
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source provides exact amp knob settings for this solo; settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Mark V usage in progressive metal and Petrucci's known preferences.
- Pedal/effect models are inferred from era and genre; no explicit studio documentation for this specific solo.
- No official rig rundown for 'Breaking All Illusions' studio session; all gear and effects are based on best-available evidence from the album era and Petrucci's public statements.
- Delay is clearly audible in the solo; model not confirmed but likely a digital delay (e.g., TC Electronic or Eventide) as per Petrucci's known studio gear.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. John Petrucci's solo tone on 'Breaking All Illusions' is tight, articulate, and saturated but not overly scooped, reflecting his use of high-gain Mesa/Boogie Mark series amps with moderate mids, controlled bass, and a cutting but smooth top end. Reverb is minimal, as is typical for Dream Theater's modern metal production, focusing on clarity and note separation.