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Diamond Eyes Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Deftones
Deftones · 2010s+ · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP STEF-B8 (Stephen Carpenter Signature 8-string, likely used for Diamond Eyes riff)
Pickups
EMG 808 active humbuckers
Amp
Fractal Axe-Fx II (tone-matched to Marshall JMP-1/Marshall 9200/Orange 4x12, Engl E850/100 tube power amp)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2010 era. Tone was matched in the studio using Fractal Axe-Fx II with IRs from Stephen Carpenter's cabs and amps. Multiple amps were tone-matched, but the core sound is based on Marshall JMP-1 preamp, Marshall 9200 power amp, and Orange 4x12 cabs. Engl E850/100 power amps also used. No evidence of pedals in the riff section; all gain/distortion from amp/modeler. 8-string guitar in F# standard tuning.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1
Treble6.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- massive, saturated distortion
- clear note separation
- articulate and punchy
- modern, aggressive
- low-tuned chug
- raw but smooth
- not overly scooped mids
- less gain and bass than expected
- tight palm-muted chugs
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found for the studio recording; settings estimated based on Marshall JMP-1/9200/Orange 4x12 typical use in modern metal, and forum advice to use 'less gain and bass than you’d think'.
- No evidence of pedals used for the riff section; distortion is from amp/modeler. Effects like delay, chorus, or reverb are not audible in the riff section.
- Fractal Axe-Fx II was used to tone-match the actual studio amps/cabs, so settings may differ from live rigs or plugin emulations.
- Pickup choice inferred from genre and tone (bridge pickup for tight, percussive riff).
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Deftones' 'Diamond Eyes' riff uses a modern, saturated high-gain tone with tight low end, slightly scooped but not hollow mids, and clear but not harsh highs. Stephen Carpenter typically uses high-output pickups, 7/8-string guitars, and Mesa/Peavey amps set for aggressive, articulate metal tones with minimal reverb for a dry, punchy mix.