The Rock Show Amp Settings
by blink-182
Original Recording Settings
Original Gear
- Guitar
- Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster (single-humbucker configuration)
- Pickups
- Seymour Duncan SH-8 Invader (bridge only — single pickup guitar) (bridge)
- Amplifier
- Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier + Marshall JCM900 4100 (blended via Mesa Boogie High Gain Amplifier Switch)
- Channel
- Mesa: dirty/lead channel, gain at 10. Marshall: clean channel, gain at 10.
- Tuning
- standard
- Pickup Selector
- N/A — single pickup, no selector switch
- Strings
- 0.010-0.052 (Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom)
DeLonge: 'Mesa/Boogies can have all that bottom end and saturation of distortion but it doesn't have that string note tone that a Marshall has. And Marshall has a lot of string note tone but none of that overdriven bottom end. So when you mix the two tones I think it sounds incredible.' Mesa 4x12 (x3) with Celestion Vintage 30s; Marshall 4x12 with Celestion Greenbacks. Recorded by Jerry Finn to Studer A827 tape via Neve BCM10 console. Royer R-121 ribbon mics on cabinets. Mixed by Tom Lord-Alge.
Amp Settings
Effects Chain
Playing Technique
Heavy power chords, aggressive palm muting, downstroked eighth-note patterns. Self-taught, intentionally avoids technical complexity. Medium-hard attack with Dunlop Tortex Standard 0.60mm (orange) picks. Volume knob stays on 10.
Sources+
- Tom DeLonge, Guitar Center interview — exact amp setup quote
- Tom DeLonge, MusicRadar interview (2012) — TOYPAJ effects approach
- Ernie Ball String Theory video — string gauge confirmed
- Reverb.com — Jerry Finn gear sale article
- Gearspace forum — firsthand assistant account of TOYPAJ sessions
- Equipboard — Tom DeLonge profile
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