GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Chop Suey! Solo Guitar Tone Settings — System Of A Down
System Of A Down · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson SG (likely 1962 Les Paul SG Standard, possibly doubled with early '80s Gibson Korina Flying V)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (likely stock PAF-style humbuckers in SG and Flying V)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 (modded, likely 2203 or 2204 head, possibly layered with other Marshalls)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2001. Daron Malakian states he layered multiple guitars and Marshalls for the Toxicity album. No evidence of pedals used in the studio for this song; signal was guitar straight into amp. No evidence of live rig or other amp types for this specific solo section.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass5.5
Gain7.5
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and saturated
- singing sustain
- slightly scooped mids
- aggressive pick attack
- articulate and percussive
- minimal ambience
- focused upper mids
- controlled feedback
- clear note separation
- dry, in-your-face solo sound
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for 'Chop Suey!' solo; values estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 settings for early 2000s metal and Daron's stated approach.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used in the studio for this solo; Daron explicitly states he plugged straight into the amp for Toxicity-era recordings.
- No evidence of delay, reverb, or modulation effects in the solo section; solo is dry and direct.
- Guitar model inferred from Daron's interviews and era-specific photos; possible doubling with Flying V but SG is primary.
- Pickup position inferred from tone and genre; bridge pickup is standard for this type of solo.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Daron Malakian’s solo tone on 'Chop Suey!' is tight, saturated, and mid-forward but not scooped, reflecting his Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier setup with moderate bass, balanced mids, and slightly boosted treble/presence for clarity. The solo is dry with no audible reverb, consistent with early 2000s nu-metal production.