GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
X Riff Guitar Tone Settings — System Of A Down
System Of A Down · 1990s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Ibanez ICX120
Pickups
Ibanez Axis humbuckers
Amp
Crate VFX5212
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1998
Amp Settings
Mids4
Bass8
Gain8.5
Reverb0
Treble6.5
Presence7
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
- Boss DD-6 Digital Delay · delay
Guitar → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Boss DD-6 Digital Delay → Crate VFX5212 Amp
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Tone Character
- tight palm-muted chugs
- aggressive bridge pickup tone
- scooped mids
- high-gain saturation
- percussive attack
Notes & Caveats
- Specific pedal settings and signal chain order are not documented; estimations are based on typical usage in the genre and era.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. System Of A Down's 'X' features a modern metal tone with high gain and a tight low end. The mids are slightly scooped to fit the genre's conventions, and the treble and presence are set to cut through the mix without being overly bright. The reverb is minimal to maintain a dry, aggressive sound.