TonesMatch
Machinehead (Remastered) — Bush1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence

Machinehead (Remastered) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Bush

Bush · 1990s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Jaguar (likely 1990s Japanese or US model, as seen in era photos and videos)
Pickups
Fender Jaguar single-coil pickups
Amp
Marshall JCM900 (most commonly cited for Sixteen Stone era studio recordings)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1994-1995 (Sixteen Stone sessions). Gear based on era interviews, photos, and multiple forum discussions. No direct studio documentation, but consensus points to Jaguar into Marshall JCM900 with Maxon OD808 or similar overdrive. No evidence of additional effects for riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
4
Bass
5.5
Gain
7
Reverb
1.5
Treble
6
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Maxon OD808 Overdrive · overdrive

Fender Jaguar → Maxon OD808 Overdrive → Marshall JCM900 (with light spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • thick and crunchy
  • tight palm-muted attack
  • scooped mids for punch
  • layered distortion
  • focused and heavy
  • articulate powerchord clarity
  • minimal ambience
  • percussive and driving
  • not fizzy or brittle
  • aggressive, saturated rhythm

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct studio documentation for exact amp or pedal settings; settings estimated from forum consensus and typical 1990s grunge tones.
  • ⚠️No evidence of modulation, delay, or reverb effects used on the riff section; only overdrive/distortion is clearly audible.
  • ⚠️Guitar model inferred from era photos, videos, and forum discussions; not confirmed by official studio notes.
  • ⚠️Amp model (Marshall JCM900) is consensus for Sixteen Stone era but not explicitly confirmed for 'Machinehead' riff in studio.
  • ⚠️Pedal (Maxon OD808) cited in forums but not confirmed by official sources; included due to strong consensus and typical genre usage.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Bush's 'Machinehead' riff tone is a thick, saturated 90s British alt-rock sound, likely using a Marshall with high gain but not modern metal levels, tight low end, balanced mids, and enough treble/presence to cut through. The production is dry with little reverb, matching the era's punchy, up-front guitar style.

Sources