Guitar tone · metal

DOWN guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 6 DOWN songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Gibson Les Paul Standard (early 90s, likely 1991-1994, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein on NOLA) into Peavey 5150 (original block letter, as used by both guitarists on NOLA studio recording).

Guitars DOWN used

Gibson Les Paul Standard (early 90s, likely 1991-1994, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein on NOLA)1 song
Gibson Firebird Studio1 song
Gibson Les Paul (likely Custom or Standard, as used by Pepper Keenan on Down II era)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1990s-early 2000s, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein in studio)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Custom (likely 1970s or early 1980s, as used by Pepper Keenan on NOLA and Down II)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (early 1990s, likely 1991-1994, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein on NOLA album)1 song

Amps DOWN used

Peavey 5150 (original block letter, as used by both guitarists on NOLA studio recording)1 song
Ampeg SS-150H1 song
Sunn Model T (vintage, as used by Down on Down II, confirmed for studio recordings of this era)1 song
Peavey 5150 (studio recording amp for Down II era, high-gain metal standard)1 song
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (most documented for Down II studio sessions, especially for heavy riff sections)1 song
Peavey 5150 head (studio recording, NOLA era, widely documented for Down and Crowbar in mid-90s)1 song

6 DOWN tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Bury Me in Smoke · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (early 1990s, likely 1991-1994, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein on NOLA album)	Peavey 5150 head (studio recording, NOLA era, widely documented for Down and Crowbar in mid-90s)	8
Ghosts Along the Mississippi · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (likely 1970s or early 1980s, as used by Pepper Keenan on NOLA and Down II)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (most documented for Down II studio sessions, especially for heavy riff sections)	8
Lifer · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (early 90s, likely 1991-1994, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein on NOLA)	Peavey 5150 (original block letter, as used by both guitarists on NOLA studio recording)	8
New Orleans Is a Dying Whore · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1990s-early 2000s, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein in studio)	Peavey 5150 (studio recording amp for Down II era, high-gain metal standard)	8
Stone the Crow · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Firebird Studio	Ampeg SS-150H	7.5
swan song · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul (likely Custom or Standard, as used by Pepper Keenan on Down II era)	Sunn Model T (vintage, as used by Down on Down II, confirmed for studio recordings of this era)	7.5

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did DOWN use?

Across 6 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Peavey 5150 (original block letter, as used by both guitarists on NOLA studio recording) (1 song), Ampeg SS-150H (1 song), Sunn Model T (vintage, as used by Down on Down II, confirmed for studio recordings of this era) (1 song), Peavey 5150 (studio recording amp for Down II era, high-gain metal standard) (1 song).

What guitar did DOWN use?

Most often: Gibson Les Paul Standard (early 90s, likely 1991-1994, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein on NOLA) (1 song), Gibson Firebird Studio (1 song), Gibson Les Paul (likely Custom or Standard, as used by Pepper Keenan on Down II era) (1 song), Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1990s-early 2000s, as used by Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein in studio) (1 song).

How do I get DOWN's tone on my amp?

Open any DOWN song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.