GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Sunbather Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Deafheaven
Deafheaven · 2010s+ · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Pickups
Humbucker (likely stock Gibson Burstbuckers or 490R/498T, not explicitly specified for Sunbather recording)
Amp
Peavey 6505 head into Emperor Birch 4x12 Cabinet
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2013. Gear confirmed for Sunbather era by Equipboard and multiple forum discussions. No evidence of live rig or alternate amp/guitar for the riff section. Pedalboard evidence is from studio-era photos and interviews.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass6
Gain9
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- Way Huge Electronics Swollen Pickle MKII Jumbo Fuzz · fuzz
- Boss RE-20 Space Echo · delay
- TC Electronic Corona Chorus · chorus
- Source Audio Ventris Dual Reverb · reverb
Guitar → Swollen Pickle Fuzz → Boss RE-20 Space Echo → TC Electronic Corona Chorus → Source Audio Ventris Dual Reverb → Peavey 6505 head → Emperor Birch 4x12 cab
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Tone Character
- giant, smooth wall-of-sound
- lush, saturated chords
- massive stereo layering
- shoegaze-inspired sustain
- tight, percussive rhythm
- ethereal, reverb-heavy wash
- articulate yet dense textures
- rich harmonic overtones
- high-gain saturation
- slightly scooped mids
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for Sunbather studio session found; settings estimated based on Peavey 6505 typical usage in blackgaze/metal and genre/era conventions.
- Pedalboard listings are from era-confirmed sources but do not specify exact pedal settings or signal chain order for the riff section.
- Pickup model not explicitly confirmed for Sunbather session, but Les Paul Standard humbuckers are most likely.
- No explicit mention of effects loop usage in studio; assumed not used for main riff section.
- No explicit pickup selector position stated, but bridge pickup is standard for high-gain rhythm in this genre.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Deafheaven's 'Sunbather' riff tone is extremely high gain and saturated yet clear, with a tight low end, balanced mids (not scooped), and bright, airy top end typical of blackgaze. The amp is likely set for modern metal with clarity and cut, minimal reverb, and presence boosted for shimmer.