GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Killing In the Name (Live In Mexico City, MX, 10/28/99) Guitar Tone Settings
Rage Against the Machine · 1990s · rock
live
Original Recording
Guitar
Custom 'Arm The Homeless' Electric Guitar
Pickups
EMG 81 (bridge), EMG H (neck) active humbuckers
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2205 50-Watt Head with Peavey 4x12 Cabinet
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Live performance, Mexico City, 10/28/99. Tom Morello's main rig for all RATM live shows in this era. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this song/section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5.5
Gain7.5
Reverb0
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive and raw
- cutting midrange
- chunky low end
- minimal ambience (dry)
- articulate attack
- saturated high-gain
- focused and punchy
- clear note separation
- powerful, driving rhythm
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for this specific live performance; settings estimated based on typical JCM800 usage for Morello and genre/era.
- No evidence of additional gain/distortion pedals in the riff section—distortion comes from amp and active pickups.
- No modulation or time-based effects (delay, chorus, flanger, phaser) are audible or cited for the riff section; effects like Whammy, wah, and delay are used in solos or special sections, not the main riff.
- Settings and signal chain confirmed for live RATM performances in the late 1990s, but not from a direct rig rundown for this exact show.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tom Morello used a Marshall JCM800 with high gain but not extreme, tight bass, forward mids, and cutting treble/presence for aggression and clarity. The tone is dry and direct, with no reverb, matching the band's live sound and the song's raw, percussive riffing.