Guitar tone · metal
W.A.S.P. guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 6 W.A.S.P. songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Charvel San Dimas (early 80s, likely custom, used by Chris Holmes) into Marshall JCM800 2203 (100W head, 1980s, likely with 4x12 cabinet, Celestion speakers).
Guitars W.A.S.P. used
- Charvel San Dimas (early 80s, likely custom, used by Chris Holmes)1 song
- Charvel San Dimas (early 80s, likely custom, as used by Chris Holmes on debut album)1 song
- Fender Precision Bass1 song
- ESP Mirage (custom, likely 1980s, used by Bob Kulick on The Crimson Idol sessions)1 song
- Jackson Randy Rhoads (likely RR1 or custom shop, as used by Doug Blair in W.A.S.P. during 2015-2017 era)1 song
- ESP Eclipse (likely custom, as used by Chris Holmes in W.A.S.P. studio recordings mid-1990s)1 song
- Charvel Jackson Star (yellow bolt-on, custom, as used by Chris Holmes on 'The Headless Children')1 song
Amps W.A.S.P. used
- Marshall JCM800 2203 (100W head, 1980s, likely with 4x12 cabinet, Celestion speakers)1 song
- Marshall JCM800 2203 (100W head, as used in studio for debut album, confirmed by multiple sources and era-typical for Holmes)1 song
- Ampeg SVT (likely 70s/early 80s model, classic tube head)1 song
- Marshall JCM800 2203 (most likely, as used by Bob Kulick and W.A.S.P. for The Crimson Idol studio sessions)1 song
- Soldano SLO-100 (Super Lead Overdrive 100W head, as used by W.A.S.P. for lead/solo tones in the 2010s)1 song
- Marshall JCM800 2203 (as used by Chris Holmes and W.A.S.P. for studio recordings in the 1990s)1 song
- Marshall Super Lead 100-watt head (1971 or 1972 model, used in studio recording)1 song
7 W.A.S.P. tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| I Wanna Be Somebody · riff | 7.5 |
| I Wanna Be Somebody · distorted | 6.5 |
| L.O.V.E. Machine · riff | 8 |
| Miss You · solo | 7.5 |
| The Gypsy Meets the Boy · riff | 7.5 |
| The Headless Children · riff | 7.5 |
| What I'll Never Find · solo | 7.5 |
Get W.A.S.P.'s tone on your gear
Pick any W.A.S.P. song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did W.A.S.P. use?
Across 6 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Marshall JCM800 2203 (100W head, 1980s, likely with 4x12 cabinet, Celestion speakers) (1 song), Marshall JCM800 2203 (100W head, as used in studio for debut album, confirmed by multiple sources and era-typical for Holmes) (1 song), Ampeg SVT (likely 70s/early 80s model, classic tube head) (1 song), Marshall JCM800 2203 (most likely, as used by Bob Kulick and W.A.S.P. for The Crimson Idol studio sessions) (1 song).
What guitar did W.A.S.P. use?
Most often: Charvel San Dimas (early 80s, likely custom, used by Chris Holmes) (1 song), Charvel San Dimas (early 80s, likely custom, as used by Chris Holmes on debut album) (1 song), Fender Precision Bass (1 song), ESP Mirage (custom, likely 1980s, used by Bob Kulick on The Crimson Idol sessions) (1 song).
How do I get W.A.S.P.'s tone on my amp?
Open any W.A.S.P. song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.