GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Mascara Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Deftones
Deftones · 1990s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP Custom 6-string (Stephen Carpenter signature, Seymour Duncan JB pickup)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan JB (bridge humbucker)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 (likely studio amp for 'Around the Fur' era)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1997. Guitar and pickup confirmed by Equipboard interview; amp inferred from era and typical Deftones studio setup. Settings from user sources are for studio context.
Amp Settings
Mids4.5
Bass6
Gain9
Reverb1
Treble6.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- saturated and thick
- tight low end
- slightly scooped mids
- articulate attack
- chunky and percussive
- aggressive pick response
- clear note separation
- minimal ambience
- focused and modern
- dynamic with palm muting
Notes & Caveats
- Amp model is inferred based on era and typical Deftones studio setup; no direct studio photo or interview for Mascara session.
- Pedal use for the riff section is not explicitly confirmed for the studio recording; fuzz pedal is confirmed for the album but not specifically for Mascara riff.
- Settings are taken from a user who references 'Mascara' and 'Drive' as examples; not official but consistent with genre/era.
- Presence and reverb are estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 settings for this genre/era.
- No explicit mention of effects loop or pedal order for this song/section.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Mascara's riff tone is saturated but not ultra-modern, with a thick, mid-present sound typical of Deftones' Around the Fur era. Stef Carpenter likely used a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier with moderate bass, balanced mids, and restrained treble/presence for warmth, and the production is very dry with little to no reverb.