GuitarDistortedRiff
Testify Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1982 Fender American Telecaster (Tom Morello's main Drop D Telecaster, with stickers)
Pickups
Stock Fender single-coil (neck position only, as per Morello's statements)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2205 head into Peavey 4x12 cabinet
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1999 (The Battle of Los Angeles). Guitar always in neck pickup position for all Drop D Rage tracks including 'Testify'. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this riff section. Effects chain unchanged from early RATM era.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass5.5
Gain7
Reverb0
Treble6.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- DigiTech WH-1 Whammy · modulation
- Dunlop Cry Baby Wah (early 80s model) · wah
- Boss DD-2 Digital Delay · delay
- MXR Phase 90 · phaser
Fender Telecaster (neck pickup) → DigiTech WH-1 Whammy → Dunlop Cry Baby Wah → Boss DD-2 Digital Delay → Marshall JCM800 2205 → Peavey 4x12 cab
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Tone Character
- warm and thick neck pickup sound
- aggressive, saturated distortion
- tight, percussive attack
- mid-forward punch
- distinctive filter sweep (wah pedal)
- dry, unprocessed amp tone (no reverb)
- dynamic, expressive riffing
- compressed, focused sound
- heavy, drop D riffing
- clear articulation despite high gain