Riff Tone

Children of a Worthless God

Exodus

Guitarmetal2000s

Original Gear

GuitarESP Eclipse (Gary Holt signature or similar, mahogany body, EMG pickups)

AmpMarshall JCM800 (likely 2203 or 2204 head, used in studio for this era)

PickupsEMG 81 (bridge, active humbucker)

Amp Settings

gain9

bass6

mid5

treble7

reverb0

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

boostPro Tone Pro Tone Gary Holt Mid Boost

noise_gateFortin Fortin Zuul+ Noise Gate

Notes

Studio recording, album: 'The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A' (2007). Gary Holt is confirmed to use ESP Eclipse guitars with EMG 81 pickups and Marshall JCM800 amps for Exodus riff tones in this era. No evidence of live rig or alternate gear for this specific recording.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussiverazor-sharp attackscooped midshigh-gain saturationarticulate note separationaggressive palm mutingdry and immediateminimal ambiencemodern thrash claritychunky low end

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, accurate alternate picking and tight palm muting at high speed, with complex rhythm changes and precise timing, making it challenging for most guitarists.

Sources

Capturing Gary Holt's Exodus Guitar Tone Marshall JCM 800 Exodus' Gary Holt Guitar Rig Rundown - Premier Guitar

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