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I'm Not Okay (I Promise) — My Chemical Romance1 / 2
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I'm Not Okay (I Promise) Guitar Tone Settings

My Chemical Romance · 2000s · punk

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Pickups
Humbuckers (likely Gibson Burstbucker or 490R/498T, stock for Les Paul Standard of era)
Amp
Crate BV300HB Blue Voodoo Guitar Amp Head
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 2004. Guitarist: Ray Toro. Gear confirmed via Equipboard and music video footage. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for clean section in studio. No explicit pedal use for clean tone in sources.

Amp Settings

Mids
6
Bass
5.5
Gain
0
Reverb
1.5
Treble
7
Presence
5.5

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Tone Character

  • clear and articulate
  • tight and percussive
  • slightly bright top end
  • full-bodied midrange
  • dynamic response to picking
  • slight amp breakup at peaks
  • modestly scooped lows
  • no audible compression
  • subtle spring reverb ambience

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
  • ⚠️No explicit clean amp settings for the riff section found in sources; settings estimated based on genre, amp, and typical studio practices.
  • ⚠️No evidence of pedals or modulation/time-based effects used for the clean riff; no chorus, delay, or compression audible.
  • ⚠️All gear and amp model confirmed for recording era, but pickup selector and knob settings inferred from typical usage and tone.
  • ⚠️Presence setting estimated as Crate BV300HB has a presence control, but no direct source for its value.
  • ⚠️If alternate clean guitar/amp was used in studio, no evidence found in available sources.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The riff tone is saturated but not modern-metal extreme, with tight, punchy mids and a slightly aggressive top end typical of early 2000s pop-punk/emo. MCR used Marshall and Mesa amps with moderate bass, forward mids, and minimal reverb for a dry, in-your-face sound.

Sources