GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Little Sister Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Marauder
Pickups
Stock Gibson Marauder pickups (single-coil at neck, humbucker at bridge, both with unique wiring)
Amp
Peavey Series 260 Standard PA
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2004-2005, as used by Josh Homme for the riff section of 'Little Sister' on 'Lullabies to Paralyze'. No evidence of live substitutions or alternate guitars/amps for the studio riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids7.5
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb1
Treble6.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Stone Deaf FX PDF-1 Parametric Distortion Filter · distortion
- ZVEX Super Hard On Boost · boost
- Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer · eq
Gibson Marauder → Stone Deaf FX PDF-1 → ZVEX Super Hard On → Boss GE-7 → Peavey Series 260 Standard PA (with light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- mid-forward and punchy
- tight and percussive
- slightly fuzzy edge
- clear note definition
- aggressive midrange
- minimal ambience
- dry and focused
- articulate pick attack
- no audible modulation
- classic stoner/desert rock
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found for 'Little Sister' studio recording; settings estimated based on typical Peavey PA + QOTSA studio approach and genre/era.
- Pedalboard listings are general for Homme's QOTSA era, but no source ties specific pedals to 'Little Sister' studio riff section. Effects list is based on both source review and critical listening.
- No evidence of modulation, delay, or heavy reverb in the riff section; only EQ/boost/fuzz pedals are plausible, but not confirmed for this exact part.
- Pickup choice inferred from typical Homme usage and the riff's bright, aggressive tone.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Josh Homme's 'Little Sister' tone is a thick, mid-forward, crunchy sound with tight low end and minimal ambience, typical of his Matamp/Orange amp setup and production style from this era. The gain is set for a saturated but not fizzy crunch, with pronounced mids and controlled treble to avoid harshness, and the recording is notably dry.