GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
the great southern Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Crowbar
Crowbar · 1990s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Ibanez Destroyer (likely 1980s/early 1990s model, used by Kirk Windstein on early Crowbar recordings)
Pickups
Humbuckers (likely stock Ibanez or aftermarket high-output, exact model unknown)
Amp
Peavey 5150 120-Watt Head
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, early/mid 1990s. Gear based on Kirk Windstein's known studio rig for Crowbar's classic era; no direct evidence for 'the great southern' session, but consistent with all available sources for the band's heavy riff tone.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass7.5
Gain8.5
Reverb0
Treble5.5
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Maxon OD808 Overdrive · overdrive
- Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor · noise_gate
Guitar → Maxon OD808 Overdrive → Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor → Peavey 5150 Head → 4x12 cab (Celestion Vintage 30 speakers)
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Tone Character
- crushingly heavy
- tight and percussive
- thick, saturated distortion
- sludgy low end
- focused midrange punch
- articulate attack
- minimal ambience
- raw and aggressive
- dense wall-of-sound
- clear note separation
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio documentation for 'the great southern' found; gear and settings inferred from Kirk Windstein's known studio/live rig for Crowbar's 1990s albums and genre conventions.
- No specific amp knob settings found; values estimated based on typical Peavey 5150 usage in 1990s sludge/doom metal and Crowbar's signature tone.
- No explicit pedal use confirmed for this song's riff section; effects list based on what is audible and what is documented as always-on in this era.
- Pickup model not specified in sources; assumed high-output humbuckers based on guitar and genre.
- If more precise studio notes or interviews surface, settings may need revision.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Crowbar's 'The Great Southern' riff tone is thick, saturated, and sludgy, typical of Kirk Windstein's style—high gain, huge bass, and dark, mid-forward but not scooped EQ. The treble is rolled off for warmth, presence is neutral, and the tone is bone dry with no reverb, matching 90s NOLA sludge/doom production.