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Toxicity Riff Guitar Tone Settings — System Of A Down
System Of A Down · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard (black, as seen in Toxicity recording sessions)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (exact model unspecified, likely stock Les Paul Standard pickups for this era)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 (studio recording, 2001 era; some sources mention Mode Four or Peavey 5150 II for live, but JCM800 is most likely for clean studio tones)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 2001. Daron Malakian is seen with a black Gibson Les Paul Standard in the studio for Toxicity. Clean sections likely used the JCM800 set clean or just at breakup, with no pedals in the chain for clean parts. No evidence of pedals or effects for clean tone in the studio; live gear varied.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass5.5
Gain0
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- clear and bell-like
- articulate and percussive
- warm but not muddy
- slightly compressed
- tight low end
- present mids
- no audible breakup
- dynamic response
- studio clarity
- no modulation or delay
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct source provides exact amp or pedal settings for the clean section of 'Toxicity'; settings estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 clean tone for studio use in early 2000s metal.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used for the clean tone in the studio; all sources and audio indicate a dry, unprocessed clean sound.
- Guitar model confirmed from studio photos; pickup model not explicitly stated but likely stock Gibson humbuckers.
- Amp model inferred from era and studio practices; live gear (Peavey 5150 II, Marshall Mode Four) not used for studio clean tones.
- No evidence of chorus, delay, or modulation effects in the clean section; reverb is minimal and likely from the amp or studio room.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Daron Malakian's 'Toxicity' tone is tight, aggressive, and modern, using high gain but not overly scooped mids, with controlled bass for clarity and slightly boosted treble/presence for cut. The recording is very dry, matching the nu-metal/alt-metal production style of the early 2000s.