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Dead! Riff Guitar Tone Settings — My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard (1978, black, Ray Toro's main studio guitar for The Black Parade)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (stock late-70s Les Paul Standard humbuckers)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 (studio recording amp for The Black Parade era)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2006. Ray Toro used his 1978 Les Paul Standard into a Marshall JCM800 for the main riff sections of 'Dead!'. Frank Iero's rhythm parts likely used a Gibson SG or Les Paul Custom into a Marshall JCM800 as well, but this profile focuses on Ray Toro's main riff tone. No evidence of Orange or modern digital amps on the original studio recording.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5.5
Gain7.5
Reverb1.5
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive and saturated
- mid-forward British crunch
- articulate and punchy
- slightly bright top end
- controlled low end
- dynamic and responsive
- minimal ambience
- studio double-tracked
- clear note separation
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for 'Dead!' studio session found; settings estimated based on Marshall JCM800 typical usage for 2000s alternative rock and cited gear.
- Pedal/effects chain for the studio recording is not explicitly documented; pedalboard details in Premier Guitar Rig Rundown are for modern live rigs and may not reflect the original 2006 studio session.
- No evidence of modulation or time-based effects (delay, chorus, phaser, etc.) on the main riff in the studio recording; only light room reverb is audible.
- If using Frank Iero's rhythm tone, a Boss BD-2 Blues Driver may have been used, but this profile focuses on Ray Toro's main riff tone.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Dead!' riff tone is tight, aggressive, and articulate, typical of Ray Toro's high-gain, mid-forward Marshall/Boogie setup from the Black Parade era. Mids are present for cut, bass is tight to avoid muddiness, treble and presence are boosted for clarity, and reverb is minimal as per the dry, punchy production style.