GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Hole In the Earth Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Deftones
Deftones · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (likely Japanese or American Standard, as seen in 'Hole In The Earth' music video)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro HB (bridge position, as per Equipboard and Seymour Duncan official info)
Amp
Orange Thunderverb 50 or Orange Dual Terror (both seen in Chino Moreno's rig for this era, with Thunderverb 50 most likely for studio recording)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2006 (Saturday Night Wrist era). Guitar and amp confirmed via music video and Equipboard. Pickup confirmed via Equipboard and Seymour Duncan. No evidence of alternate guitars/amps for the riff section in the studio.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1.5
Treble6.5
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- MXR Micro Chorus M148 · chorus
Fender Stratocaster (bridge pickup) → MXR Micro Chorus → Orange Thunderverb 50 (with light spring reverb)
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- lush, swirling modulation
- articulate note separation
- full-bodied low end
- slightly scooped mids
- aggressive palm muting
- present, cutting high end
- ambient, spatial feel
- saturated rhythm crunch
- modern alternative metal
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for the studio recording; values estimated based on typical Orange Thunderverb/modern Deftones tones and genre/era.
- Guitar model confirmed via music video and Equipboard; pickup model confirmed via Equipboard and Seymour Duncan.
- Chorus effect is clearly audible in the riff; MXR Micro Chorus is seen on Chino's pedalboard for this era.
- Amp model inferred from multiple sources showing Chino's Orange Thunderverb 50 and Dual Terror in this period; Thunderverb 50 is most likely for studio.
- No evidence of additional pedals (delay, reverb, etc.) in the riff section; only chorus is clearly audible.
- Settings are not from direct studio documentation but are estimated from genre, amp, and era.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Stephen Carpenter's tone on 'Hole In the Earth' is modern, saturated, and tight, typical of his high-gain, low-tuned 7-string/8-string approach with Mesa/Peavey amps. The mids are slightly scooped for clarity, bass is controlled to avoid muddiness, and presence is boosted for articulation; reverb is minimal for a dry, punchy mix.