Riff Tone

War March

Andy James

Guitarmetal2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarESP LTD AJ-1 Andy James Signature

AmpPeavey 6505+ head

PickupsEMG 57/66 active humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid4.5

treble6.5

reverb1.5

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

noise_gateUnknown Noise Gate (model unknown)

overdriveUnknown Overdrive/Boost pedal (model unknown, likely Maxon OD808 or similar)

Notes

Studio recording, 2010s. Andy James is known for using his ESP LTD AJ-1 signature guitar with EMG 57/66 pickups and a Peavey 6505+ amp for his signature high-gain rhythm tones. No direct source confirms the exact gear for 'War March' riff, but this is consistent with his documented studio setup for this era and genre.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivehigh-gain saturationarticulate palm mutingmodern metal clarityaggressive attacklow noise floorfast note trackingcompressed and focusedclear pick attackscooped midrange

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced picking speed, tight palm muting, and precise synchronization, making it challenging even for experienced metal guitarists.

Sources

Andy James Gear Guide (general era/rig)Nik Nocturnal: “A lot of what makes a song heavy isn’t the riff – the mix, I’d argue, makes something heavier than the riff itself” | Guitar World

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