GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
The Sky Is Fallin' Guitar Tone Settings — Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Yamaha AES1500B
Pickups
Yamaha humbuckers (stock, likely Alnico V, semi-hollowbody)
Amp
Echopark Vibramatic 23
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2002. Guitar and amp confirmed for QOTSA era and used by Troy Van Leeuwen. No direct evidence of pedals or effects used specifically on the studio recording for the riff, but fuzz is likely based on genre and band sound. Settings estimated based on typical QOTSA studio approach and amp type.
Amp Settings
Mids7.5
Bass7
Gain7
Reverb1.5
Treble6
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Dunlop JHF1 Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face · fuzz
Yamaha AES1500B → Dunlop JHF1 Fuzz Face → Echopark Vibramatic 23
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Tone Character
- mid-heavy and saturated
- fuzzy and thick
- tight, percussive attack
- slightly compressed
- warm semi-hollow resonance
- aggressive, punchy mids
- not scooped, forward midrange
- controlled low end
- distinct fuzz texture
- studio-produced, layered guitars
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio documentation of pedal or amp settings for this song's riff section; settings estimated based on genre, amp type, and era.
- Pedals listed are from general QOTSA/Troy Van Leeuwen gear for the era, not confirmed for this specific studio recording.
- No explicit evidence of effects loop or amp-based effects for the studio recording.
- Pickup choice inferred from typical QOTSA riff tone and bridge pickup sound.
- Effects chain is minimal; fuzz is likely but not confirmed for this exact track.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Josh Homme's tone on 'The Sky Is Fallin'' is thick, mid-forward, and fuzzy with a stoner/doom influence, likely using a cranked amp (like a Matamp or Orange) with high mids, big bass, moderate treble, and minimal reverb for a dry, punchy sound. The gain is set for a saturated, crunchy distortion but not modern metal levels.