GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Knife Prty Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Deftones
Deftones · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP Viper VP-200
Pickups
ESP LH-300 humbuckers
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2203
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2000, White Pony album. Gear confirmed for album era and likely used for riff sections by Stephen Carpenter. No direct evidence of alternate guitars/amps for this song's riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive palm muting
- saturated high-gain
- articulate low-end
- slightly scooped mids
- crisp attack
- chunky and modern
- clear note definition
- heavy, thick riffing
- controlled feedback
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source gives exact amp knob settings for 'Knife Prty' riff; settings estimated based on Marshall JCM800 typical metal usage and Deftones' genre/era.
- No direct photo or interview confirms pedal use for this specific riff; chorus pedal is likely not used on riff section (more common on Chino's clean parts).
- No evidence of delay, flanger, or other modulation on the main riff; distortion is amp-based.
- Guitar and amp models are confirmed for White Pony era, but not explicitly for this song's riff—confidence based on era consistency.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Deftones' 'Knife Prty' riff features a saturated, modern metal tone with tight low end, slightly scooped but not hollow mids, and clear but not harsh highs. Stef Carpenter used high-gain amps (often Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifiers) with minimal reverb and a balanced EQ for punch and clarity, matching the conventions of late '90s/early 2000s nu-metal production.