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Lonely Day — System Of A Down1 / 2
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Lonely Day Riff Guitar Tone Settings — System Of A Down

System Of A Down · 2000s · metal

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Gibson SG Standard (1962 reissue, likely original or reissue as per artist interview)
Pickups
Gibson PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
Friedman 100-watt head (Marshall JMP-style modded amp, as per artist interview)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 2005 (Hypnotize album). Daron Malakian stated in Guitar World interview that he used a Friedman amp (Marshall JMP-style) mixed with a Marshall for the core tone, and plugged straight in with no pedals for rhythm/riff sections. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this section.

Amp Settings

Mids
6
Bass
6
Gain
7.5
Reverb
1.5
Treble
7
Presence
6.5

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Tone Character

  • tight and percussive
  • aggressive palm muting
  • saturated high-gain distortion
  • focused midrange punch
  • articulate pick attack
  • slightly scooped mids
  • modern metal clarity
  • minimal ambience
  • dense and compressed
  • dry, in-your-face rhythm sound

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No explicit amp knob settings for 'Lonely Day' riff found; settings estimated based on Marshall-style amps for modern metal and artist's stated approach.
  • ⚠️No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; artist states he plugs straight into the amp for rhythm/riff parts.
  • ⚠️Pedals such as TS9, Rat, and delay are documented in other eras or for solos, but not for this song's riff section.
  • ⚠️If more specific studio documentation emerges, settings may need revision.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Daron Malakian's 'Lonely Day' riff tone is saturated but not ultra-modern, with tight lows, balanced mids, and a slightly bright, present top end typical of his Mesa/Boogie Rectifier setup. The track is dry and direct, with minimal reverb, matching mid-2000s alt-metal production.

Sources