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Riff Tone

In the Meantime

Helmet

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarESP Horizon Custom (magenta, single bridge humbucker, no neck pickup or tone knob)
AmpMarshall JCM800 2204S head into Marshall 1960s greenback 4x12 cabinet
PickupsDiMarzio custom humbucker (early 90s, precursor to Air Zone, bridge position only)

Amp Settings

gain7.5
bass5.5
mid6.5
treble7
reverb0
presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1992. Guitar is a heavily modified ESP Horizon Custom with only a single bridge humbucker and no tone knob. Amp is a JCM800 2204S head into a Marshall 4x12 with 1960s greenbacks. No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; tone is achieved via amp and guitar only. Settings are estimated based on genre, era, and forum consensus for this song.

Tone Character(10)
tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutingrazor-sharp attackdry, unprocessed soundfocused midrange punchhigh-gain saturationarticulate note separationcompressed, modern metal toneminimal sustainno ambience or effects

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, fast palm muting and precise, aggressive picking to maintain the percussive, staccato rhythm. Syncopated accents and consistent muting make it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

Page Hamilton on his iconic ESP Horizon | Guitar WorldPage Hamilton on making Helmet’s 1994 classic Betty | Guitar WorldHelmet – Meantime - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | EquipboardSince it's all the rage now to make drive pedals that ...

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