GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Gaia Riff Guitar Tone Settings — King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard · 2010s+ · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Yamaha SX-60
Pickups
Two single coil pickups
Amp
Unknown (likely British-style high-gain amp, possibly Marshall JCM800 or similar, but not confirmed for studio recording)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2022 (Omnium Gatherum). Guitar confirmed via Equipboard photo evidence for Stu Mackenzie. No direct amp confirmation for studio, but genre and era suggest high-gain British-style amp. No explicit pedalboard or amp photo from studio session.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1.5
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Fuzz pedal (model unknown) · fuzz
Yamaha SX-60 → Fuzz pedal (model unknown) → High-gain British-style amp (likely Marshall-type) with light spring reverb
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Tone Character
- heavy and saturated
- tight and percussive
- aggressive pick attack
- articulate single note clarity
- slightly scooped mids
- crunchy and biting top end
- punchy low end
- dynamic and responsive
- minimal ambience
- raw, in-your-face presence
Notes & Caveats
- No direct confirmation of amp model or exact pedalboard for the studio recording of 'Gaia' riff section. Amp and settings estimated based on genre, era, and typical King Gizzard studio tones.
- No explicit pedal or effect model confirmed for this specific recording; wah pedal is suggested as a frequent tool by Stu Mackenzie but not audibly used in the riff section of 'Gaia'.
- Settings are estimated based on typical high-gain British amp use in modern heavy psych/metal context.
- Pickup choice inferred from genre and riff tone; bridge pickup is standard for aggressive, articulate riffing.
- No evidence of time-based or modulation effects in the riff section; only distortion/fuzz is clearly audible.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Gaia' riff section features aggressive, saturated fuzz/distortion with a thick low end, forward mids, and a present but not harsh top end—typical of King Gizzard's modern psych/stoner rock tones. The amp is likely set for high gain with balanced EQ (slightly mid-forward), minimal reverb, and enough presence to cut through the dense mix.