GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Show Me How to Live Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Audioslave
Audioslave · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender American Telecaster (black, stock, made in USA, drop D tuning)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (stock Telecaster pickups)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2205 head with Peavey 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 2001/2002)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for Audioslave's debut album (2002). Tom Morello is known for using his black American Telecaster with stock single-coil pickups for all drop D songs, including 'Show Me How to Live.' The amp is a Marshall JCM800 2205 head through a Peavey 4x12 cabinet, as confirmed by multiple interviews and rig rundowns. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb1.5
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive and saturated
- articulate attack
- strong midrange presence
- punchy low end
- clear, biting highs
- minimal ambience
- single-coil clarity in heavy context
- dynamic pick response
- classic Marshall crunch with modern edge
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found for 'Show Me How to Live' studio recording; settings estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 usage for modern rock and Tom Morello's known preferences.
- Pedalboard sources confirm EQ and Whammy pedals in general rig, but no evidence of their use in the riff section of this song.
- No evidence of delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, or tremolo in the riff section; only amp distortion is clearly audible.
- Amp reverb is likely set low or off; minimal ambience in studio recording.
- All gear and settings are for the studio recording, not live performances.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tom Morello's tone on 'Show Me How to Live' is thick, saturated, and mid-forward, typical of his Marshall JCM800 settings with high gain, moderate bass, strong mids, and a cutting but not harsh treble. The track is dry with little reverb, and the presence is set to add clarity without harshness.