Riff Tone

Undertow

TOOL

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Les Paul Custom Silverburst (1979)

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 head with Marshall 4x12 cabinet (Undertow studio recording)

PickupsStock Gibson T-Top humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain7

bass6

mid7

treble6.5

reverb1

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1992-1993. Adam Jones used his 1979 Les Paul Custom Silverburst into a Marshall JCM800 2203 for the Undertow album. No evidence of Mesa/Boogie or other amps on this album. Settings are estimated based on era, genre, and typical use. No confirmed pedal use for the riff section; effects are minimal and mostly amp-based.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutingsaturated distortionfocused midrange puncharticulate low endminimal ambiencedry, in-your-face soundchunky riff definitioncompressed attackclassic 90s alt-metal rhythm

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, aggressive palm muting, precise alternate picking, and accurate timing with the rhythm section, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

TOOL/Adam Jones | The Gear Page Adam Jones TOOL EQ | The Gear Page Adam Jones - Tool sound(s) | Page 4 | The Gear Page

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account