Guitar tone · metal

Machine Head guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 5 Machine Head songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Jackson Demmelition V into Peavey 5150 (EVH 5150 head, studio recording).

Guitars Machine Head used

Jackson Demmelition V1 song
Gibson Les Paul (likely 1980s/early 90s Standard or Custom, as used by Robb Flynn on Burn My Eyes)1 song
Jackson Soloist (likely SLS3 or USA SL1, as used by Phil Demmel/Robb Flynn on 'Unto the Locust')1 song
Fender Jazz Bass (early 90s, likely Japanese or American Standard)1 song
Gibson Les Paul (likely 1980s/early 90s Studio or Standard, as used by Robb Flynn on 'Burn My Eyes')1 song
ESP Flying V Custom (Robb Flynn signature, likely with EMG 81/85 pickups)1 song
Fender Jazz Bass (early 90s, likely MIJ or MIA, used by Adam Duce)1 song
Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL21 song

Amps Machine Head used

Peavey 5150 (EVH 5150 head, studio recording)1 song
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early 2-channel Rev F, as used on Burn My Eyes)1 song
Peavey 5150 (Block Letter, original version)1 song
Ampeg SVT (classic tube head, likely with 8x10 cab)1 song
Marshall JCM800 2203 (studio recording, 1994 era)1 song
Peavey 5150 120-Watt Head1 song
Ampeg SVT (classic tube head, likely SVT-II or SVT-CL) with Ampeg 8x10 cab1 song
Peavey 5150 II1 song

9 Machine Head tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
SLAUGHTER THE MARTYR · riff	Riff · distorted	Jackson Pro Series Soloist SL2	Peavey 5150 II	8.5
Locust · riff	Riff · distorted	Jackson Demmelition V	Peavey 5150 (EVH 5150 head, studio recording)	9
Davidian · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul (likely 1980s/early 90s Standard or Custom, as used by Robb Flynn on Burn My Eyes)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early 2-channel Rev F, as used on Burn My Eyes)	9
Davidian · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Fender Jazz Bass (early 90s, likely Japanese or American Standard)	Ampeg SVT (classic tube head, likely with 8x10 cab)	8
Davidian · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul (likely 1980s/early 90s Studio or Standard, as used by Robb Flynn on 'Burn My Eyes')	Marshall JCM800 2203 (studio recording, 1994 era)	8.5
Davidian · clean	Clean · clean	Fender Jazz Bass (early 90s, likely MIJ or MIA, used by Adam Duce)	Ampeg SVT (classic tube head, likely SVT-II or SVT-CL) with Ampeg 8x10 cab	0
Locust · solo	Solo · distorted	ESP Flying V Custom (Robb Flynn signature, likely with EMG 81/85 pickups)	Peavey 5150 120-Watt Head	8
Old · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Flying V (early 90s, likely stock pickups)	Peavey 5150 (block letter, original model, not 6505+)	8.5
This Is the End · solo	Solo · distorted	Jackson Soloist (likely SLS3 or USA SL1, as used by Phil Demmel/Robb Flynn on 'Unto the Locust')	Peavey 5150 (Block Letter, original version)	8

Machine Head songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

Davidian on Orange Crush 20

Get Machine Head's tone on your gear

Pick any Machine Head song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.

Match a tone on the web iPhone app Android app

Frequently asked questions

What amp did Machine Head use?

Across 5 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Peavey 5150 (EVH 5150 head, studio recording) (1 song), Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early 2-channel Rev F, as used on Burn My Eyes) (1 song), Peavey 5150 (Block Letter, original version) (1 song), Ampeg SVT (classic tube head, likely with 8x10 cab) (1 song).

What guitar did Machine Head use?

Most often: Jackson Demmelition V (1 song), Gibson Les Paul (likely 1980s/early 90s Standard or Custom, as used by Robb Flynn on Burn My Eyes) (1 song), Jackson Soloist (likely SLS3 or USA SL1, as used by Phil Demmel/Robb Flynn on 'Unto the Locust') (1 song), Fender Jazz Bass (early 90s, likely Japanese or American Standard) (1 song).

How do I get Machine Head's tone on my amp?

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