Progressive Metal2016The Stage

The Stage Amp Settings

by Avenged Sevenfold

Adapt to Your AmpFree — no account needed

Original Recording Settings

Well-SourcedResearched tone data for "The Stage" by Avenged Sevenfold

Original Gear

Guitar: Schecter Synyster Custom-S (primary) / '54 Fender Stratocaster / Nash Telecaster / Godin ACS-SA (nylon)
Pickups: Seymour Duncan Invader (bridge) + Sustainiac (neck) — Synyster Gates. Seymour Duncan JB SH-4 (bridge and neck) — Zacky Vengeance. (varies by section)
Amplifier: Schecter Hellwin Stage 100 (EL34, 100W, 3 channels)
Channel: Not specified
Tuning: Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-E)
Pickup Selector: varies

Also: Mesa Boogie JP-2C (John Petrucci signature), Bogner Uberschall blended in. Produced by Joe Barresi. Fractal Audio Axe-Fx III used for modeling/effects in studio.

Amp Settings

Gain

7.0

Bass

5.0

Mid

4.0

Treble

6.0

Presence

6.0

Master Volume

5.0

Volume

6.0

No published song-specific settings. Estimated for modern progressive metal clarity and dynamics.

Effects Chain

→

Boss CS-3 Compressor

compressor

→

Visual Sound H2O (chorus/echo)

chorus/delay

→

Fractal Audio MFC-101

MIDI switching

→

1.Boss CS-3 Compressor — Syn: 'I pretty much just run the Boss blue compressor… it beefs it up without sounding synthetic.'

2.Visual Sound H2O (chorus/echo)

3.Fractal Audio MFC-101 — MIDI controller for amp/effects switching.

Playing Technique

Complex arpeggiated intro patterns. Clean passages use layered multi-guitar approach (Schecter + Strat + Telecaster) for shimmer. Mix of progressive/jazz-influenced clean sections and heavy riffing.

Sources+

Equipboard (The Stage album page): Schecter Synyster Custom-S, Mesa JP-2C, Boss CS-3.
2013 Premier Guitar Rig Rundown: Hellwin, Axe-Fx in loop, Godin for nylon sections.
Guitar World (Zacky signature article): Schecter 6661 with JB SH-4.
Synner.com (Archambault vault): Uberschall continuity across albums.
Ultimate Guitar, Cifra Club: Drop D tuning confirmed.