Crawl by Kings of Leon (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The Crawl by Kings of Leon guitar tone is built on a Selmer TruVoice Treble-N-Bass Fifty, dialed in at gain 6.5/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 6 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

Amp settings (0–10)

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 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 6.5 sits above the rock average (4.8) — a hotter, more saturated take than most rock tones; mids at 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson ES-325 (likely, based on era and band member's main guitar for this album, but not directly confirmed for this song/section) · Amp: Selmer TruVoice Treble-N-Bass Fifty

Studio recording, 2008 (Only By The Night album). Amp confirmed for album, guitar inferred from era and band member's typical use. No direct studio photo or interview for this specific riff section.

Gear used on this tone

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Gibson ES-325 (likely, based on era and band member's main guitar for this album, but not directly confirmed for this song/section) → Fuzz pedal (model unknown) → Selmer TruVoice Treble-N-Bass Fifty

Effects

fuzz, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

fuzzy and saturated, heavy low-end punch, mid-forward and thick, raw and aggressive, slightly compressed sustain, biting upper mids, garage-rock edge, not overly scooped, distinct pick attack, classic British crunch

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · crunch distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Crawl sound.

Difficulty

2.5/5 · Riff

The riff is moderately challenging due to its syncopated rhythm and need for tight, aggressive picking, but does not require advanced techniques or fast tempo.

Worth knowing

• No direct source confirms the exact guitar or pedal used for the 'Crawl' riff section; guitar model inferred from typical gear for this album/era.
• No numeric amp settings found; values estimated based on typical Selmer TruVoice usage for British rock crunch and the album's tone.
• No explicit pedal or effect model confirmed for this song/section; no evidence of modulation or time-based effects in the riff.
• Pickup position inferred from tone and genre conventions.
• If more detailed studio notes or isolated track analysis become available, update accordingly.
• Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Crawl' riff features a thick, mid-forward, crunchy tone typical of Kings of Leon's late-2000s sound, likely using a cranked tube amp (often an AC30 or Marshall) with moderate gain, boosted mids, and a balanced EQ. The reverb is minimal, as the tone is dry and punchy, and the presence is set to add clarity without harshness.

Crawl guitar tone — FAQ

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Sources

• Kings of Leon – Only By The Night - Gear & Equipment Used on the ...

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