Guitar tone · metal, prog

TOOL guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 32 TOOL songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979) into Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, studio recording).

Guitars TOOL used

Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)10 songs
Wal MkII 4-string7 songs
1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst7 songs
1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst6 songs
1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom3 songs
Wal Mk1 4-string3 songs
Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (late 1970s)3 songs
Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (Adam Jones' main studio guitar)2 songs

Amps TOOL used

Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, studio recording)4 songs
Diezel VH4 100W Tube Guitar Head2 songs
Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+2 songs
Diezel VH4 (studio recording, channel 3, 2000/2001 era)1 song
Diezel VH4 (channel 3) blended with Marshall Super Bass 1001 song
Diezel VH4 (primary for riff section on 10,000 Days)1 song
Diezel VH4 (Channel 1 or 2 for clean), Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (not used for clean sections, but present in rig)1 song
1976 Marshall Super Bass + Diezel VH4 (studio blend, Undertow era)1 song

78 TOOL tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Pneuma · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Diezel VH4 (studio recording, channel 3 high-gain), likely blended with Marshall Super Bass 100 (1976, for added body)	7
Forty Six & 2 · riff	Riff · distorted	1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, studio recording)	7.5
Stinkfist · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (Adam Jones' silverburst, 1979 model)	Diezel VH4 (channel 3, primary studio amp for Ænima era)	7
Vicarious · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Diezel VH4 (primary for riff section on 10,000 Days)	7.5
Jambi · riff	Riff · distorted	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	1976 Marshall Model 1992 JMP Super Bass 100-watt head (main), blended with Diezel VH4 blueface and Rivera KR7 Knucklehead Reverb (studio recording)	6
Schism · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Diezel VH4 (studio recording, channel 3, 2000/2001 era)	7
Lateralus · riff	Riff · distorted	1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, studio recording)	7
Parabola · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (Black, late 1970s)	Diezel VH4 100W Tube Guitar Head	7.5
Lateralus · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (late 1970s)	Diezel VH4 (Blueface, early model), channel 2 (clean/edge-of-breakup)	0
Right In Two · riff	Riff · distorted	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	1976 Marshall Model 1992 JMP Super Bass 100-watt head, Diezel VH4 (Channel 3), Rivera KR7 Knucklehead Reverb (Channel 3)	6
Descending · riff	Riff · clean	1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird	Diezel VH4 (studio recording, clean channel)	0
Descending · clean	Clean · clean	Music Man Stingray (HH Stingray)	Likely Gallien-Krueger (dirty/clean split) and/or Tech 21 SansAmp DI	0
Forty Six & 2 · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (late 1970s)	Marshall Super Bass 100 (vintage, modded, likely JMP era, used in studio for Ænima)	7
Invincible · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (Adam Jones signature or vintage 1979 model)	Mesa/Boogie Fillmore 50 Combo	0
Right In Two · riff	Riff · clean	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Diezel VH4 (Channel 2 or 3, clean/edge settings likely for clean parts)	0
Rosetta stoned · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (Silverburst, late 70s/early 80s, likely stock Bill Lawrence pickups)	Marshall Super Bass 100 (vintage, hot-rodded, main studio amp for 10,000 Days era)	7.5
Schism · clean	Clean · clean	Wal MK2 4‑string bass	Gallien‑Krueger 2001RB (dual‑amp clean/dirty setup)	0
Sober · riff	Riff · distorted	1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom (Silverburst)	Marshall Super Bass 100 (vintage, hot-rodded)	7
The Patient · riff	Riff · distorted	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	1976 Marshall Model 1992 JMP Super Bass 100-watt head (primary), Diezel VH4 (Channel 3), Rivera KR7 Knucklehead Reverb (Channel 3)	5.5
10,000 Days (Wings, Pt. 2) · riff	Riff · distorted	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Blend of Diezel VH4 (Channel 3), Marshall Super Bass 100W, Bogner Uberschall, Rivera Knucklehead	8
10,000 Days (Wings, Pt. 2) · riff	Riff · clean	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Diezel VH4 (Blueface) + Marshall Super Bass 1976 + Bogner Uberschall (blended, studio recording)	0
46&2 · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier	9
Culling Voices · solo	Solo · clean	1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom	1976 Marshall Model 1992 JMP Super Bass 100-watt head	0
Culling Voices · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (Adam Jones' main studio guitar)	1976 Marshall Super Bass (modded, studio use)	0
Descending · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Diezel VH4	6.5
Eon Blue Apocalypse · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom (likely Silverburst, as used by Adam Jones on Lateralus)	Diezel VH4 (primary studio amp for Lateralus era clean tones)	0
Fear Inoculum · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (Adam Jones' personal, late 1970s)	Diezel VH4 (main), Marshall Super Bass (1976/78 JMP Super Lead spec, channels jumped), Bogner Uberschall, Rivera Knucklehead Reverb/K Tre (all blended in studio)	7
Forty Six & 2 · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (late 1970s/early 1980s, Adam Jones' main studio guitar)	Diezel VH4 (Channel 1 or 2 for clean, studio recording amp for Ænima era)	0
Forty Six & 2 · clean	Clean · clean	Music Man Stingray	Gallien-Krueger (clean) + dirty amp chain (dirty via Turbo Rat + Boss GEB‑7 into GK), Mesa/Boogie cabs	0
Forty Six & 2 · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal Mk1 4-String (custom, active electronics)	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (studio era), likely with blend of DI and amp-mic	7
H. · solo	Solo · distorted	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom	Diezel VH4 (Blueface) + 1976 Marshall Super Bass (blended, studio recording)	7
H. · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (late 70s/early 80s, stock Bill Lawrence pickups)	1976 Marshall Super Bass + Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, blended in studio)	7
H. · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (late 1970s)	Diezel VH4 (Channel 1 or 2 for clean), possibly blended with Marshall Super Bass (studio recording, 1996/1997)	0
H. · clean	Clean · clean	Wal Mk1 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (clean channel) into Mesa/Boogie RoadReady 8x10	0
H. · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal MkII 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (dirty channel, studio rackmount, into Mesa/Boogie 4x12 cab)	7
Intension · riff	Riff · clean	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom	Bogner Uberschall, Rivera KR7 Knucklehead Reverb, plus likely Marshall Silver Jubilee (Jones' core studio rig for 10,000 Days era)	0
Intolerance · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (Adam Jones's silverburst, 1979)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early 1990s revision, rackmount)	7
Intolerance · clean	Clean · clean	Rickenbacker 4001	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+	0
Invincible · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (studio), Mesa/Boogie Fillmore 50 (live, not used on studio recording)	7
Jambi · solo	Solo · distorted	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom (Silverburst)	1976 Marshall Model 1992 JMP Super Bass 100-watt head, Diezel VH4 (blue face, Channel 3), Rivera KR7 Knucklehead Reverb (Channel 3)	6
Jimmy · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (early 1970s, silverburst, stock for Adam Jones)	Diezel VH4 (channel 3, primary for heavy tones on Ænima era)	7
Lateralus · solo	Solo · distorted	1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Diezel VH4 (Channel 3) and Marshall Super Bass (1976, modded); possibly blended with Sunn Beta Lead (studio only, some sources)	7
Lateralus · clean	Clean · clean	Wal MkII 4-string (custom, active electronics, likely fretted for main clean sections)	Mesa/Boogie M-2000 (main), with likely blend of DI and amp-mic'd signal	0
Lateralus · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal Mk II 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 800RB (studio, likely blended with DI and/or additional amp)	6
Opiate · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (early 1980s)	Marshall Super Bass 100 (vintage, hot-rodded, likely JMP or Super Bass 100 head)	6.5
Opiate · clean	Clean · clean	Possibly Ovation Magnum Bass (early Tool era, maybe used on Opiate) or Rickenbacker Chris Squire model / Music Man StingRay (used by Paul D’Amour on early recordings)	Unknown (no specific bass amp documented for Opiate era)	0
Opiate · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Rickenbacker 4001 Chris Squire model (Paul D'Amour era)	Unknown	6.5
Opiate² · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (early 80s, Adam Jones' main studio guitar)	Diezel VH4 (primary studio amp for modern TOOL recordings, including Opiate² riff section)	7.5
Parabol · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, high gain)	6.5
Parabola · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal 4‑string custom (mahogany core, bird’s‑eye maple caps, mahogany/maple/rosewood neck)	Gallien‑Krueger 2001RB heads into Mesa/Boogie RoadReady 8x10 (clean) and Mesa/Boogie 4x12 (dirty) with Demeter preamps	6.5
Parabola · clean	Clean · clean	Wal MKII 4‑string (main studio/live bass); Music Man StingRay (used on “Parabola” likely, as part of Fear Inoculum era)	Gallien‑Krueger 2001RB heads (clean and dirty), Mesa/Boogie cabinets	0
Parabola · solo	Solo · distorted	1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Diezel VH4 (Channel 3), Marshall Super Bass 100 (modded), Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (all blended in studio)	7.5
Pneuma · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Diezel VH4 (channel 3) blended with Marshall Super Bass 100	7
Pneuma · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (Adam Jones' main studio guitar)	Diezel VH4 (Channel 1 or 2 for clean), Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (not used for clean sections, but present in rig)	0
Pneuma · clean	Clean · clean	Wal MkII 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (clean channel, likely bi-amped with Mesa/Boogie 400+ for grit sections)	0
Pneuma · solo	Solo · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Diezel VH4 (channel 2 or 3, clean/edge-of-breakup setting), blended with Marshall Super Bass (1976, clean channel)	4.5
Pneuma · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal MkII 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (studio, likely blended with DI); possible Ampeg SVT for additional grit	6.5
prison sex · clean	Clean · clean	Music Man StingRay 4-string	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+	0
Prison Sex · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (late 1970s/early 1980s, likely 1979-1981)	1976 Marshall Super Bass + Diezel VH4 (studio blend, Undertow era)	7.5
Pushit · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom (likely Silverburst, 1979)	Diezel VH4 100W Tube Guitar Head	0
Pushit · clean	Clean · clean	Wal Mk1 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 800RB (likely, based on era and Chancellor's known rig)	0
Right In Two · clean	Clean · clean	Wal Mk III 4-string	Mesa/Boogie M2000 (clean channel) into Mesa/Boogie 8x10 cabinet	0
Right In Two · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal MkII 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB + Demeter VTBP-201S preamp + Chandler Tube Driver (studio blend, likely Ampeg SVT for some tracks)	7
Right In Two · solo	Solo · distorted	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Diezel VH4 (Channel 3) into Mesa Boogie 4x12 with Celestion Vintage 30s	5.5
Schism · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	1976 Marshall Super Bass (studio blend, clean channel for clean sections)	0
Stinkfist · clean	Clean · clean	Music Man StingRay (4-string, likely early 1990s model)	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ tube amp	0
Stinkfist · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal Mk1 4-string	Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ tube head	7
Stinkfist · solo	Solo · distorted	1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier + Marshall JCM800 (studio blend, likely main solo amp: Marshall JCM800 2203)	7
The Grudge · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal MkII 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (studio era), Mesa/Boogie 8x10 cabinet	6.5
The Grudge · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom (Silverburst, late 1970s)	Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, studio recording)	7.5
The Grudge · clean	Clean · clean	Wal MkII 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (studio era), Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ (live backup)	0
The Patient · riff	Riff · clean	1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom	Diezel VH4 (studio, blended with Marshall and other amps per era, but Diezel is primary for cleans on Lateralus/10,000 Days era)	0
The Pot · riff	Riff · distorted	1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst	Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, studio recording)	6
Ticks & Leeches · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (Adam Jones' 1979 model)	1976 Marshall Super Bass (modded, used in studio for Lateralus)	8
Undertow · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Marshall JCM800 2203 head with Marshall 4x12 cabinet (Undertow studio recording)	7
Vicarious · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier + Marshall Super Bass + Diezel VH4 (studio blend)	7.5
Vicarious · clean	Clean · clean	Wal Mk II 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (clean channel) into Mesa/Boogie RoadReady 8x10 cabinet	0
Vicarious · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Wal MkII 4-string	Gallien-Krueger 2001RB (studio, 2006 era)	6.5

Get TOOL's tone on your gear

Pick any TOOL 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 TOOL use?

Across 32 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Diezel VH4 (Channel 3, studio recording) (4 songs), Diezel VH4 100W Tube Guitar Head (2 songs), Mesa/Boogie Bass 400+ (2 songs), Diezel VH4 (studio recording, channel 3, 2000/2001 era) (1 song).

What guitar did TOOL use?

Most often: Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979) (10 songs), Wal MkII 4-string (7 songs), 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (7 songs), 1979 Gibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (6 songs).

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

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