GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Lonely Day Solo Guitar Tone Settings — System Of A Down
System Of A Down · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson SG Standard (1962, likely reissue or original as per artist interview)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (stock 1962 SG Standard, likely PAF-style)
Amp
Marshall amplifier (exact model not specified, but likely JCM800 or JMP based on era and artist interview)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2005 (album: Hypnotize). Daron Malakian states he used his 1962 SG Standard for most Mezmerize/Hypnotize recordings, through a Marshall amp. No evidence of live/touring gear for this specific solo. No evidence of additional amp models or layering for this solo.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb1.5
Treble6
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Delay pedal (model unknown) · delay
Guitar → Delay pedal (model unknown) → Marshall amp (with spring reverb)
Tone Matcher
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- smooth and melodic
- clear note separation
- slightly compressed
- warm midrange
- articulate attack
- mild breakup
- not overly saturated
- harmonized lead lines
- subtle ambience
Notes & Caveats
- Exact amp model not confirmed for this solo, but Marshall is confirmed by artist interview for Mezmerize/Hypnotize era.
- No direct evidence of pedal use on the studio recording; Daron states he typically plugs straight into the amp.
- Delay effect is clearly audible in the solo, but specific pedal model is not confirmed for this recording; Strymon DIG and Boss DD-5 are both associated with Daron in later years, but not confirmed for this album.
- Settings are based on Ultimate Guitar user-contributed values and typical Marshall usage for this genre/era; not from official studio notes.
- Presence and reverb values estimated based on typical Marshall settings and the audible tone.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Daron Malakian's solo tone on 'Lonely Day' is high gain but not oversaturated, with a tight low end, balanced mids, and enough treble/presence for clarity and cut. The production is quite dry, matching typical System Of A Down lead tones from this era.