GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Pull Me Under Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Dream Theater
Dream Theater · 1990s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Ibanez JPM100
Pickups
DiMarzio Air Norton (neck), DiMarzio Steve's Special (bridge), both humbuckers
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (DiMarzio Steve's Special)
Studio recording, 1992. Gear confirmed for 'Images and Words' era. Petrucci used the Ibanez JPM100 with DiMarzio pickups into a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ for the heavy riff sections. No evidence of live/touring substitutions or alternate amps for the original recording.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass5.5
Gain7.5
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Delay pedal (model unknown) · delay
- Noise gate (model unknown) · noise_gate
Ibanez JPM100 → Noise gate → Delay pedal → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (with digital reverb)
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- tight and articulate
- high-gain saturation
- aggressive palm muting
- clear note separation
- percussive attack
- defined low end
- cutting upper mids
- modern metal clarity
- compressed, focused rhythm
- muscular sound
Notes & Caveats
- Exact pedal models for delay and noise gate not confirmed for studio recording; delay is clearly audible in the mix and is a known part of Petrucci's tone.
- Settings are based on Guitar World source and typical Mark IIC+ usage for this genre/era; no direct photo of amp face from session.
- Presence setting estimated based on typical Mark IIC+ usage and genre.
- No evidence of additional modulation effects (chorus, flanger, phaser) on the riff section; delay is present but subtle.
- Pickup choice inferred from genre, tone, and Petrucci's known usage for heavy rhythm sections.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. John Petrucci used a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ for 'Pull Me Under' with high gain, tight bass, slightly scooped mids, and clear but not harsh highs; the tone is tight, articulate, and modern for early 90s prog metal, with minimal reverb for a dry, punchy sound.