Riff Tone

Highway Song

System Of A Down

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Telecaster (exact model unspecified, likely 1990s/early 2000s American Standard or similar)

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 (primary), possibly layered with Marshall Plexi and/or Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

PickupsSingle-coil (stock Fender Telecaster pickups, likely ceramic or Alnico V)

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass5.5

mid6

treble7

reverb0

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1998 (System of a Down debut album). Daron Malakian is seen using a Fender Telecaster and Marshall JCM800 2203 in studio photos. Some sources mention layering with Marshall Plexi and Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, but JCM800 is the main amp for the riff section. Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer was used on the album, but no evidence it was used on this specific riff. No evidence of time-based or modulation effects for the riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutinghigh-gain saturationfocused midrange puncharticulate attackchunky low endclear note separationdry, immediate soundminimal ambiencemodern metal edge

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, aggressive palm muting and precise alternate picking at a moderate tempo, with syncopated rhythms that demand good timing and right-hand control.

Sources

System of a Down – System Of A Down - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | Equipboard

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