Riff Tone

The Lying Lies & Dirty Secrets of Miss Erica Court

Coheed and Cambria

Guitarrock2000s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Les Paul Custom Black Beauty (Travis Stever, likely studio guitar for riff section)

AmpBogner Uberschall

PickupsGibson humbuckers (stock or possible EMG 81/85 on some Les Pauls, but Black Beauty likely stock humbuckers for this era/album/riff)

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass6

mid6

treble7

reverb1.5

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 2005 (Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV Vol. 1). Travis Stever is the primary rhythm/riff guitarist; Claudio Sanchez also plays rhythm but Stever's Les Paul/Bogner Uberschall combo is most documented for heavy riff sections on this album. No direct evidence of Axe-FX or digital modeling for this era/album. Cabinet likely Bogner 4x12 or Marshall 1960A 4x12. Effects inferred from period-correct pedalboard and audible tone.

Tone Character(10)

tight and saturatedpercussive and articulatefull-bodied midrangeaggressive modern crunchclear note separationslight amp reverb for spaceminimal muddinessbridge pickup bitehigh-gain rhythm claritystudio multi-tracked heaviness

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, precise alternate picking and tight palm muting at a high tempo, with syncopated rhythms and clear articulation under high-gain settings, making it challenging for most intermediate players.