🎸 Metal · 2000s

Aerials by System of a Down (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by System of a Down · riff

The Aerials by System of a Down guitar tone is built on a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier, dialed in at gain 7.5/10, bass 6, mid 5.5, treble 6.5, presence 6 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

7.5

GAIN

BASS

5.5

MID

6.5

TREBLE

PRESENCE

1.5

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 284 metal tones in our researched catalog: Gain 7.5 sits right around the metal average (7.3); mids at 5.5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Ibanez Iceman IC300 · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier

Studio recording for 'Aerials' (2001, Toxicity album). Daron Malakian is confirmed to have used the Ibanez Iceman and Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier for the main riff in the studio. No evidence of pedal-based distortion; all gain from amp. No evidence of additional effects in the riff section. Settings estimated based on genre, amp, and era.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Mesa/Boogie songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Mesa Dual Rectifier songs & tones →🎚️ Ibanez RG songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Ibanez Iceman IC300 → Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier

Effects

Ibanez Iceman IC300 → Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier (high-gain channel, spring reverb low)

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

tight and percussive, saturated high-gain, chunky low end, slightly scooped mids, articulate attack, modern metal clarity, aggressive pick attack, focused and dry, minimal ambience, no audible modulation or delay

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Aerials sound.

Difficulty

3/5 · Riff

The riff requires tight palm muting, precise alternate picking, and rhythmic accuracy to achieve the percussive, articulate sound. While not technically advanced, the tone and timing demand intermediate-level control.

Worth knowing

No direct source provides exact amp knob settings for the studio recording; values are estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier settings for early 2000s metal and forum consensus.
No evidence of pedals or modulation/time-based effects in the riff section; all gain is from the amp.
Pickup model is inferred from era and typical Ibanez Iceman specs; exact pickup model on Daron's studio guitar not confirmed.
If new evidence emerges of a different amp or pedal used in the studio for this section, settings may need revision.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Daron Malakian used a Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier with moderately high gain for a saturated but articulate metal tone, keeping the bass tight, mids neutral (not scooped), and treble/presence high enough for clarity. The track is dry with little to no reverb, matching early 2000s metal production.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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Aerials guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Aerials guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 7.5, bass 6, mid 5.5, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 1.5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Aerials tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Ibanez Iceman IC300 · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier; Ibanez Iceman IC300 → Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier (high-gain channel, spring reverb low).

Can I get the Aerials tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like System of a Down on Aerials — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 7.5, bass 6, mid 5.5, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 1.5), and Ibanez Iceman IC300 → Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier (high-gain channel, spring reverb low). Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

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More like this

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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com