Riff Tone

Lifeless Dead

Mad Season

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson EDS-1275 Double Neck (6-string neck)

AmpMarshall amplifier (exact model unknown, likely JCM800 or JMP era based on era and genre)

PickupsGibson humbuckers (stock EDS-1275, likely late 70s/early 80s spec)

Amp Settings

gain6.5

bass6.5

mid6.5

treble6.5

reverb1.5

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1994-1995. Mike McCready used the 6-string neck of his Gibson EDS-1275 for the riff section of 'Lifeless Dead'. No evidence of live/tour gear or alternate guitars for this section. Amp model not explicitly confirmed, but Marshall is most likely based on McCready's typical studio rig for Mad Season and genre/era.

Tone Character(10)

thick and mid-heavycrunchy and saturatedclear note definitionfull-bodiedslightly compresseddynamic attackclassic grunge/alt-rock crunchnot scoopedpunchy and aggressivechiming harmonics

Difficulty

The riff is moderately challenging due to its syncopated rhythm, dynamic accents, and need for tight palm muting, but does not require advanced lead techniques.

Sources

[Discussion] Mike McCready Mad Season Tone? : r/guitarpedals Mad Season – Above - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | Equipboard Mad Season - Above | Guitar Forum - The Gear Page Mike McCready in Mad Season | Guitar Forum - The Gear Page

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account