Riff Tone

Holy Wars...The Punishment Due (2004 Remix)

Megadeth

Guitarmetal2000s

Original Gear

GuitarJackson KV1 Dave Mustaine Signature

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 head into DeCuir 4x12 cabinets with Celestion speakers

PickupsSeymour Duncan JB (bridge), Bill Lawrence L-500XL (bridge, some sources); likely bridge humbucker for riff

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass5.5

mid4

treble7

reverb0

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording for 'Rust In Peace' (original 1990, remixed 2004). Gear confirmed for original album; 2004 remix is a remix of the original tracks, not a re-recording. No evidence of pedal use for rhythm/riff section; distortion from amp. No evidence of effects loop or studio effects on rhythm guitar. Settings estimated based on genre, amp, and era.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivescooped midsaggressive palm mutinghigh-gain saturationarticulate attackrazor-sharp riffingfocused low endcrisp high endminimal ambiencefast alternate picking clarity

Difficulty

The riff section is extremely fast, requires precise alternate picking, tight palm muting, and complex rhythm changes, making it highly challenging for most players.

Sources

Megadeth – Rust In Peace - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | Equipboard Dave Mustaine's Guitar Gear, Pedalboard & Amps | Equipboard

This tone has been researched 42 times by the community

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