What amp does Adam Jones use?

Jones primarily uses a Diezel VH4 high-gain amplifier, often blended with a Marshall JCM800. The Diezel provides thick, warm saturation while the Marshall adds midrange cut.

What guitar does Adam Jones play?

Jones plays Gibson Les Paul Custom (silverburst finish). The Les Paul's thick humbuckers through the Diezel create Tool's signature warm, enveloping heavy tone.

How to get the Tool guitar tone?

Use a high-gain amp with warm, thick saturation (not harsh). Les Paul or similar humbucker guitar. Drop D tuning. Bass 6, mids 5, treble 4-5. The tone should feel heavy but not aggressive — warm and enveloping.

Grunge & Alternative2001Lateralus

Schism Amp Settings

by Tool

Schism features Adam Jones' dark, heavy tone — a Les Paul Custom through a Diezel VH4 and Marshall JCM800. The tone is thick, warm, and deeply resonant, matching Tool's progressive complexity with an almost orchestral heaviness.

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What Makes This Tone Iconic

Jones' tone is heavy without being aggressive. Where most metal tones cut and attack, his sound envelops and surrounds. The Diezel VH4 provides a thick, warm saturation that's more orchestral than brutal, perfectly matching Tool's progressive arrangements. His simple setup — Les Paul, amp, minimal effects — proves that great tone can come from restraint and taste rather than complexity.

Key Tone Elements

Diezel VH4 — warm, thick, high-gain German amplifier
Marshall JCM800 blended for midrange cut
Gibson Les Paul Custom with humbuckers
Drop D tuning for darker, heavier register
Minimal effects — tone comes from amp and guitar

Original Recording Settings

EstimatedResearched tone data for "Schism" by Tool

Original Gear

Guitar: Gibson Les Paul Custom / Silverburst Les Paul
Pickups: Gibson 490R (neck) / 498T (bridge) (bridge)
Amplifier: Diezel VH4 / Marshall JCM800
Channel: High gain (Diezel)
Tuning: Drop D
Pickup Selector: bridge
Strings: 0.011-0.052

Adam Jones used Diezel and Marshall amps. The Diezel VH4 provides the thick, detailed high-gain tone.

Amp Settings

Gain

7.0

Bass

6.0

Mid

7.0

Treble

6.0

Presence

5.0

Master Volume

5.0

Volume

7.0

Jones's tone is notably mid-heavy with moderate gain - not as high as typical metal.

Effects Chain

→

Boss DD-3

delay

→

MXR Flanger

flanger

→

Boss GE-7

→

1.Boss DD-3 — Subtle delay for depth.

2.MXR Flanger — Used on certain passages.

3.Boss GE-7 — Tone shaping.

Playing Technique

Complex time signatures (the main riff alternates between 5/8 and 7/8). Precise, methodical picking. Heavy palm muting with rhythmic accents. The riff has an almost bass-like quality with low, deliberate notes.

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