GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Under a Glass Moon Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Dream Theater
Dream Theater · 1990s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1991 Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci Prototype (likely Basswood body, Floyd Rose, DiMarzio Custom humbuckers)
Pickups
DiMarzio Custom-wound humbuckers (exact model not specified, likely high-output passive)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (studio recording, 1992)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for 'Images and Words' (1992). Petrucci used a Music Man prototype with DiMarzio pickups and a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head. No evidence of live/touring gear or later signature models for this recording.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- Noise Gate (model unknown) · noise_gate
- Overdrive pedal (model unknown, likely used as boost) · overdrive
Guitar → Noise Gate → Overdrive (boost) → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- high-gain saturation
- articulate note separation
- aggressive pick attack
- fast alternate picking clarity
- precise rhythm definition
- scooped midrange
- crisp treble bite
- controlled low-end punch
- modern progressive metal
Notes & Caveats
- No official rig rundown or direct studio settings for 'Under a Glass Moon' riff found in sources; amp and guitar inferred from era and interviews.
- Amp settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ usage for 1990s progressive metal and Petrucci's known preferences.
- No explicit pedal or effect model confirmed for the riff section; effects inferred from genre, era, and audio.
- Pickups listed as DiMarzio Custom-wound humbuckers based on period-correct info; exact model not specified in sources.
- If more precise settings or pedal models are found in future official interviews or studio notes, update accordingly.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. John Petrucci's tone on 'Under a Glass Moon' (Images and Words, 1992) is high-gain but tight, with controlled bass, slightly scooped but not hollow mids, and bright, articulate highs. He used a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ or Triaxis preamp, settings favoring clarity and punch for progressive metal, with little to no amp reverb as the production is very dry.