GuitarDistortedRiff64% confidence
Question! Riff Guitar Tone Settings — System Of A Down
System Of A Down · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1962 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard
Pickups
Gibson PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
Marshall JCM 800 (modded, studio recording)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for 'Mezmerize' (2005). Daron Malakian is confirmed to use the 1962 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard in the 'Question!' music video and studio sessions. Amp is a modded Marshall JCM 800, as referenced in multiple gear rundowns and forum discussions. No evidence of live-specific gear for the studio recording.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass5.5
Gain8
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
- MXR Smart Gate Pro · noise_gate
Guitar → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → MXR Smart Gate Pro → Marshall JCM 800 (modded, with light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive palm muting
- scooped mids
- high-gain saturation
- articulate attack
- chunky low end
- clear note separation
- modern metal crunch
- minimal ambience
- focused midrange
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio knob settings for 'Question!' found; amp and EQ settings estimated based on Marshall JCM 800 typical metal usage and forum consensus.
- Guitar model confirmed for studio and video, but pickup selector position inferred from genre and tone.
- No evidence of time-based or modulation effects in the riff section; pedal use is minimal and limited to possible boost/overdrive and noise gate.
- Pedal settings are not available; Tube Screamer use is suggested by forum users but not confirmed for this specific track.
- Presence and reverb settings are estimated based on typical Marshall usage for modern metal rhythm tones.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Daron Malakian's tone on 'Question!' is tight, aggressive, and modern, with high gain but not overly scooped mids, reflecting his typical Mesa/Boogie Rectifier settings. The bass is controlled for clarity, mids are present for punch, treble and presence are set to cut through the mix, and the tone is very dry with no audible reverb.