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Rooster Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Alice In Chains
Alice In Chains · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
G&L Rampage (Jerry Cantrell's main guitar on Dirt album)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan JB humbucker (bridge position, stock on Cantrell's Rampage at the time)
Amp
Bogner Fish preamp into VHT 2150 power amp (studio recording, Dirt era)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1992 (Dirt album). Jerry Cantrell used his G&L Rampage with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge, into a Bogner Fish preamp and VHT 2150 power amp for the main riff. No evidence of live/touring gear or alternate guitars for the studio riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- super tight and crunchy
- mid-heavy with strong presence
- articulate and defined attack
- percussive palm-muted chugs
- aggressive but not overly saturated
- slightly compressed
- warm low end with controlled bass
- clear note separation
- minimal ambience/reverb
- focused and punchy
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio knob settings found for the Dirt album; amp and guitar model confirmed by multiple sources, settings estimated based on genre, era, and typical Bogner Fish/VHT usage.
- Pedal/effects chain for the riff section is not confirmed by primary sources; no evidence of modulation or time-based effects on the main riff.
- Settings from Source 1 are from a modeling amp and not the original studio rig, but tone descriptors and EQ balance are consistent with the album sound.
- No evidence of chorus, flanger, or delay on the main riff; reverb is minimal and likely from the amp or studio room.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Jerry Cantrell's 'Rooster' tone is a thick, mid-forward crunch with moderate gain, using a G&L Rampage into a Bogner-modified amp (often a Marshall JCM800 or similar), with bass and mids pushed for warmth and body, treble and presence kept moderate for smoothness, and only subtle studio reverb for ambience.