Riff Tone

My Hero

Foo Fighters

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Explorer (late 90s, black, as used by Dave Grohl on 'The Colour and the Shape')

AmpMesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head

PickupsGibson humbuckers (stock, likely 490R/498T or similar for late 90s Explorer)

Amp Settings

gain6.5

bass5

mid6

treble6.5

reverb2

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

distortionPro Co Pro Co RAT

boostMXR MXR M133 Micro Amp

Notes

Studio recording, 1997. Guitar and amp confirmed for 'My Hero' era by multiple sources. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the main riff section. No explicit mention of live rig for this song/era.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivemid-range barktop-end snarlwarm but cuttingopen strings ringingpunchy attackhigh-gain saturationarticulate chord voicingsaggressive pick attackslightly scooped low end

Difficulty

The riff uses straightforward power chords but requires tight timing, consistent aggressive picking, and letting open strings ring cleanly, making it moderately challenging for beginners.

Sources

Dave Grohl's Guitar Rig, Gear & Pedalboard | Equipboard What Pedal Would Match the Tone in My Hero by Foo Fighters?Dave Grohl's guitars: the 6-strings behind the Foo Fighters | Guitar World Trying to get that Foo Fighter rock sound through my amp need help

This tone has been researched 17 times by the community

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