🎸 Metal · 2000s

Battle-Axe by Deftones (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Deftones · riff

The Battle-Axe by Deftones guitar tone is built on a Fractal Axe-Fx II, dialed in at gain 8.5/10, bass 6, mid 4.5, 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)

8.5

GAIN

BASS

4.5

MID

6.5

TREBLE

PRESENCE

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 8.5 sits above the metal average (7.3) — a hotter, more saturated take than most metal tones; mids at 4.5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

VOLUME

8-9

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: ESP Stef B-7 (Stephen Carpenter Signature 7-string, likely Fluence model for 2003 era) · Amp: Fractal Axe-Fx II (amp modeling), Engl Tube Poweramp E850/100, Orange 4x12 cabinets

Studio recording for Deftones' self-titled album (2003). Stephen Carpenter used Axe-Fx II for amp modeling, running into Engl tube power amps and Orange 4x12 cabs. Guitar is a 7-string ESP Stef B-7 with EMG 707 pickups. No evidence of live/touring gear or alternate guitars for this song's riff section.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ ENGL songs & tones →🎚️ EMG active pickups songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

ESP Stef B-7 (Stephen Carpenter Signature 7-string, likely Fluence model for 2003 era) → Noise gate (model unknown) → Fractal Axe-Fx II (amp modeling), Engl Tube Poweramp E850/100, Orange 4x12 cabinets

Effects

noise_gate, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (digital, level 2)

Tone character

tight and percussive, saturated high-gain, slightly scooped mids, chunky, massive power chords, modern metal clarity, articulate attack, compressed and focused, active pickup punch, minimal ambience, aggressive palm muting

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 Battle-Axe sound.

Difficulty

3.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires tight palm muting, precise rhythm, and noise control with high-gain settings, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Worth knowing

No direct amp knob settings for 'Battle-Axe' found; settings estimated based on typical Axe-Fx/Engl/Orange high-gain metal tones and Deftones' 2003 studio rig.
Pedal/effects info for this specific song's riff section is not explicitly documented; effects inferred from audio and typical Deftones rig for this era.
ESP Stef B-7 with EMG 707 pickups is confirmed for the album era, but exact pickup selector position is inferred based on tone and genre conventions.
No evidence of time-based or modulation effects in the riff section; only minimal reverb present.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Deftones' 'Battle-Axe' features a saturated, modern metal tone with tight low end, slightly scooped but not hollow mids, and clear but not harsh highs. Stephen Carpenter typically uses high-gain amps (like the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier) with moderate bass, slightly reduced mids, and boosted presence for clarity, with a very dry, studio-tight sound and little to no reverb.

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

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Battle-Axe guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Battle-Axe guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 8.5, bass 6, mid 4.5, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 1. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Battle-Axe tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: ESP Stef B-7 (Stephen Carpenter Signature 7-string, likely Fluence model for 2003 era) · Amp: Fractal Axe-Fx II (amp modeling), Engl Tube Poweramp E850/100, Orange 4x12 cabinets; noise_gate, reverb.

Can I get the Battle-Axe 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 Deftones on Battle-Axe — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 8.5, bass 6, mid 4.5, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 1), and noise_gate, reverb. 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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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com