GuitarDistortedRiff
Cowboys from Hell Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Pantera
Pantera · 1990s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Dean ML (likely 1981 Dean ML Standard, as used by Dimebag Darrell on Cowboys from Hell recording)
Pickups
Bill Lawrence L-500XL (bridge position, humbucker)
Amp
Randall RG-100ES solid-state head
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1990. Dimebag used his Dean ML with Bill Lawrence L-500XL bridge pickup into a Randall RG-100ES head and Randall 4x12 cabinet. Furman PQ-4 parametric EQ and MXR Flanger/Doubler were in the rack. No evidence of overdrive/distortion pedals for the riff section; all gain from amp/EQ. This is the studio tone for the main riff, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids3.5
Bass6
Gain8.5
Reverb0
Treble8
Presence7
Effects Chain
- Furman PQ-4 Parametric Equalizer · eq
- MXR Flanger/Doubler · flanger
Dean ML (bridge pickup) → Furman PQ-4 Parametric EQ → MXR Flanger/Doubler (always on, subtle) → Randall RG-100ES head → Randall 4x12 cabinet
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- scooped mids
- razor-sharp attack
- crushing rhythm tone
- high-gain saturation
- articulate pick attack
- solid-state clarity
- minimal reverb
- focused low end
- slightly widened stereo image (from flanger/doubler)