GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
I Write Sins Not Tragedies Guitar Tone Settings
Panic! At the Disco · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Firebird V
Pickups
Mini-humbuckers (stock Firebird V pickups)
Amp
Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2005. Guitar and amp confirmed for the album era; no explicit pedalboard photos from the studio, but live pedalboard from the same era is referenced. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain5.5
Reverb2.5
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter · phaser
- T-Rex Engineering Replica · delay
Gibson Firebird V → Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter → T-Rex Replica Delay → Marshall JCM2000 Dual Super Lead (with light digital 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
- bright and articulate
- mid-forward attack
- slightly compressed
- clear note separation
- moderate gain crunch
- controlled low end
- dynamic response
- present top end
- not overly saturated
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio pedalboard or amp setting photos for the riff section; amp and guitar confirmed for album era, settings estimated based on typical Marshall JCM2000 use in 2000s pop-punk/rock.
- Pedals listed are from live pedalboard photos and may not all have been used in the studio recording.
- No explicit evidence of phaser or delay in the riff section; these are included due to live pedalboard evidence and genre conventions, but confidence is moderate.
- All amp settings are estimated based on genre, amp, and era; no numeric values found in sources.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The riff tone is a tight, crunchy, mid-forward pop-punk/emo sound typical of mid-2000s production, likely using a Marshall or Mesa amp with moderate gain, balanced EQ, and minimal reverb for clarity. The guitar sits forward in the mix with a slightly bright, present attack but avoids harshness or excessive low end.