Riff Tone

Demon Driver

Yngwie Malmsteen

Guitarmetal1980s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Yngwie Malmsteen Stratocaster (1980s, scalloped fretboard, brass nut)

AmpMarshall 1959 Super Lead 100W (1980s, non-master volume, often modded for extra gain)

PickupsDiMarzio HS-3 single-coil (bridge position, noiseless, low output)

Amp Settings

gain8

bass5.5

mid6.5

treble7.5

reverb1.5

presence7

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1985 (Marching Out album). Yngwie is known to use his signature Stratocaster with DiMarzio HS-3 pickups and a vintage Marshall 1959 Super Lead head for his classic 1980s recordings. No evidence of live rig or later signature YJM100 amp for this era. No chorus or clean effects in riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivehigh-gain saturationarticulate pick attackfast note definitionslightly scooped midsbright and cuttingminimal noiseclassic Marshall crunchaggressive palm mutingslight room ambience

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced alternate picking at high speed, precise palm muting, and complex phrasing typical of Yngwie's neoclassical metal style, making it highly challenging for most players.

Sources

Rig Rundown - Yngwie Malmsteen - Premier Guitar Yngwie Malmsteen's Guitar Gear, Stratocasters & Pedalboard Yngwie Malmsteen - Demon Driver (Tab) - Ultimate-Guitar.Com

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