GuitarDistortedRiff72% confidence
Passenger Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Deftones
Deftones · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP Stef B-7 (Stephen Carpenter signature 7-string, ca. 2000, likely with JB pickup)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan JB (bridge humbucker, stock on ESP Stef B-7 ca. 2000)
Amp
Marshall JMP-1 Preamp into Marshall power amp (studio, White Pony era)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2000. Stephen Carpenter used his ESP Stef B-7 7-string with Seymour Duncan JB in bridge, into a Marshall JMP-1 preamp and Marshall power amp. No evidence of other guitars or amps for this riff section. Settings are for the studio recording, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids4.5
Bass6
Gain8.5
Reverb0
Treble6.5
Presence4.5
Effects Chain
- Overdrive/Boost pedal (model unknown, likely used for tightening riff) · boost
ESP Stef B-7 (bridge pickup) → Overdrive/Boost pedal (likely) → Marshall JMP-1 preamp → Marshall power amp
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Tone Character
- tight, percussive rhythm chugs
- saturated, modern metal distortion
- articulate low end for 7-string riffing
- slightly scooped mids for clarity
- aggressive, cutting attack
- minimal reverb for dry, in-your-face sound
- clear note separation under heavy gain
- chunky, palm-muted power chords
- dense, layered guitar tracks
- studio-recorded, high-fidelity metal tone
Notes & Caveats
- No official studio knob settings for 'Passenger' riff found; amp and pedal settings are averaged from forum users referencing Deftones/White Pony era tones.
- Guitar and amp models confirmed for White Pony era, but exact pedal chain for 'Passenger' riff is not documented in official sources.
- Presence and reverb settings are estimated based on typical Marshall JMP-1 usage and forum posts.
- Pedal use is inferred from era and genre; no direct evidence of specific pedals on this song's riff section.
- All effects settings are estimated; no official pedalboard or studio notes for this track.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Deftones' 'Passenger' features a saturated, modern metal tone with tight lows, slightly scooped but not hollow mids, and clear but not harsh highs, typical of Stephen Carpenter's Mesa/Rectifier setup from the White Pony era. The tone is dry and direct, with little to no reverb, matching the dense, layered production style of late 90s/early 2000s alternative metal.