Riff Tone

Bullet with Butterfly Wings

The Smashing Pumpkins

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

Guitar1990s Fender Stratocaster (likely American Standard, modded with Lace Sensor pickups)

AmpMarshall JCM800 head with KT88 tubes, Marshall 1960 4x12 cab

PickupsLace Sensor single-coil (likely Red in bridge position)

Amp Settings

gain8

bass8

mid5.5

treble7

reverb0.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

fuzzElectro-Harmonix Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (Op Amp version)

Notes

Studio recording, 1995 (Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness sessions). Billy Corgan used a Stratocaster with Lace Sensor pickups into a Marshall JCM800 head (KT88 tubes) and 4x12 cab. The Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (Op Amp version) was used for the core fuzz/distortion. No chorus, delay, or modulation effects are audible in the riff section; the tone is dry, saturated, and focused. Settings are for the studio recording, not live.

Tone Character(10)

thick and saturated fuzzmid-scooped, aggressive rhythmtight, percussive attackmassive wall of soundhigh sustaindry, focused, and punchyslightly compressedcrushing, heavy riffingarticulate despite heavy gainno ambient or modulation effects

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, aggressive palm muting and precise rhythm to maintain clarity under heavy fuzz. While not technically complex, the tone and articulation demand control and consistency.

Sources

The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings Sound Like Smashing Pumpkins Without Busting the Bank! - Andertons Blog Gear Rundown: The Smashing Pumpkins

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