GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Follow the Sign Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Helloween
Helloween · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1980s ESP Flying V (custom, 'Pink V')
Pickups
Seymour Duncan SH-6N Distortion (neck, mounted upside down), Seymour Duncan JB Model (bridge)
Amp
Marshall 1987X 50 Watt Head (modded for extra gain, into 4x12 Marshall cab with Celestion Vintage 30s)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1987. Gear confirmed for 'Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. 1' sessions. No evidence of live rig or alternate gear for this solo. Effects inferred from era, genre, and audible cues in the recording.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass5.5
Gain8
Reverb1.5
Treble7.5
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- Delay pedal (model unknown) · delay
ESP Flying V (bridge pickup) → Delay pedal (model unknown) → Marshall 1987X (modded) → 4x12 Marshall cab (Celestion V30s) (amp spring reverb on low)
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- tight and percussive
- smooth legato
- articulate high notes
- crisp attack
- focused midrange
- cutting lead presence
- slight room ambience
- harmonic overtones
- fast alternate picking clarity
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for this song; values estimated based on Marshall 1987X typical 1980s metal studio use.
- Pedal/effect usage not explicitly documented for this solo; delay is clearly audible, but model is not confirmed.
- Pickup selection inferred from tone and genre; bridge humbucker is standard for Helloween solos of this era.
- No evidence of chorus, flanger, or wah in this solo; only delay and mild amp reverb are present.
- All gear and settings are for studio recording, not live.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Helloween's 'Follow the Sign' solo section features a classic late-80s/early-90s German power metal tone: high gain but not modern extreme, tight low end, slightly scooped mids, bright and articulate highs, and minimal reverb for clarity. These settings reflect the typical Marshall or ENGL amp approach used by Weikath/Grapow in this era.