Riff Tone

...and Suffer As One

Crowbar

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarESP Viper (early 1990s, likely custom or Standard Series, as used by Kirk Windstein on 'Crowbar' album)

AmpRandall RG100ES solid-state head

PickupsEMG 81 (bridge, active humbucker)

Amp Settings

gain9

bass7.5

mid4.5

treble6

reverb0

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

distortionBoss Boss Metal Zone MT-2

Notes

Studio recording, 1993; settings and gear inferred from era, genre, and known Crowbar studio rig for the self-titled album. No direct studio photo evidence for this exact song, but consistent with all available interviews and fan/tech breakdowns for this album.

Tone Character(10)

crushingly heavytight and percussivescooped midsaggressive palm mutingdense, sludgy wall of soundrazor-sharp high-gain saturationminimal ambiencearticulate pick attackmassive, sustained power chordsdry, in-your-face punch

Difficulty

The riff is slow and based on power chords, but requires precise palm muting, tight rhythm, and heavy downpicking for the signature Crowbar sludge sound.

Sources

Ultimate Crowbar Metal Zone Settings for a Heavy Doom Metal Tone How to get Crowbar sound with Boss Metal Zone? - Facebook How to make tone like a Crowbar? : r/sludge - Reddit What is the crunchiest, nastiest, heaviest guitar tone you know?

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