GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Exhausted Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard (white, early 90s, likely used on debut album sessions)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (stock Les Paul Standard, likely 490R/498T or similar)
Amp
Homemade 'Can' amp (aka 'Gas Can Amp', as described by Premier Guitar) possibly in combination with a Fender Bandmaster Reverb head into a 4x12 cab
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1994-1995. The signature riff tone is from the mysterious 'Can' amp, described as 'swarm of bees' and 'disgustingly raunchy fuzz'. Some sources mention a Fender Bandmaster Reverb head with a ProCo RAT for live and possibly some studio overdubs, but the main riff tone is attributed to the Can amp. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the main riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- lo-fi and fuzzy
- raw and aggressive
- midrange-heavy
- sustain-rich
- thick and compressed
- slightly nasal
- notably saturated
- vintage fuzz-like distortion
- wall-of-sound character
- not tight or modern
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for the 'Can' amp exist; settings estimated based on amp type, era, and tone descriptors from Premier Guitar and Equipboard.
- Some sources mention a Fender Bandmaster Reverb with ProCo RAT for live and possibly some studio overdubs, but the main riff tone is consistently attributed to the 'Can' amp.
- No evidence of additional pedals (delay, chorus, phaser, etc.) or amp effects used on the main riff; the tone is dry and raw.
- Pickup choice inferred from typical Les Paul usage for heavy riffing and the tonal characteristics described.
- No evidence of effects loop or additional pedals in the studio chain for this song section.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Exhausted' riff tone is thick, saturated, and mid-forward, typical of Dave Grohl's early Foo Fighters sound using Mesa/Boogie amps with moderate gain and strong mids. The low reverb and slightly tamed treble reflect the dry, raw 90s production and the amp's natural warmth.