GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Monkey Wrench Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gretsch G6136DS White Falcon
Pickups
Gretsch Dynasonic single-coil pickups
Amp
1950s Fender Twin
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1996-1997. Dave Grohl played all guitar parts on the album. Gear confirmed for studio session and visible in the 'Monkey Wrench' music video. Pro Co Turbo RAT distortion pedal used for heavy riff tone.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain7.5
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Pro Co Turbo RAT · distortion
Gretsch White Falcon → Pro Co Turbo RAT → Fender Twin (spring reverb low)
Tone Matcher
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Tone Character
- aggressive and saturated
- tight and percussive
- crisp, biting top end
- thick midrange punch
- articulate pick attack
- loud and driving
- slight amp breakup under heavy picking
- minimal ambience
- focused and compressed
- no modulation or time-based effects
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found in sources; settings estimated based on typical 1950s Fender Twin + RAT pedal for 1990s alt-rock.
- Gretsch White Falcon confirmed for music video and likely studio, but some live performances used Gibson Explorer; this is for studio recording.
- No evidence of time-based or modulation effects in the riff section; only distortion pedal (Turbo RAT) confirmed.
- Pickup type (Dynasonic single-coil) inferred from Gretsch G6136DS White Falcon specs.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Dave Grohl's 'Monkey Wrench' tone is a classic, punchy 90s alt-rock crunch with tight, articulate gain, forward mids, and a present but not harsh top end, likely using a Mesa/Boogie or Marshall-style amp with minimal reverb for a dry, aggressive sound that cuts through the mix.