Riff Tone

Exhausted

Foo Fighters

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Les Paul Standard (white, early 90s, likely used on debut album sessions)

AmpHomemade 'Can' amp (aka 'Gas Can Amp', as described by Premier Guitar) possibly in combination with a Fender Bandmaster Reverb head into a 4x12 cab

PickupsGibson humbuckers (stock Les Paul Standard, likely 490R/498T or similar)

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid6.5

treble6.5

reverb1.5

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1994-1995. The signature riff tone is from the mysterious 'Can' amp, described as 'swarm of bees' and 'disgustingly raunchy fuzz'. Some sources mention a Fender Bandmaster Reverb head with a ProCo RAT for live and possibly some studio overdubs, but the main riff tone is attributed to the Can amp. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the main riff section.

Tone Character(10)

lo-fi and fuzzyraw and aggressivemidrange-heavysustain-richthick and compressedslightly nasalnotably saturatedvintage fuzz-like distortionwall-of-sound characternot tight or modern

Difficulty

The riff is not technically complex but requires strong right-hand technique and dynamic control to maintain definition and power through a heavily saturated, fuzzy tone.

Sources

Dave Grohl Used a Gas Can Amp to Make the Foo Fighters' Lo-Fi ...Dave Grohl's Guitar Rig, Gear & Pedalboard | Equipboard Guitar sound for exhausted : r/Foofighters - Reddit

This tone has been researched 2 times by the community

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account