🎸 Rock · 1990s

Everlong by Foo Fighters (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Foo Fighters · riff

The Everlong by Foo Fighters guitar tone is built on a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head, dialed in at gain 7/10, bass 6, mid 6, treble 7.5, presence 6.5 (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)

GAIN

BASS

MID

7.5

TREBLE

6.5

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 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 7 sits well above the rock average (4.8) — a hotter, more saturated take than most rock tones; mids at 6 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-10

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson Explorer (black, late 90s model, as used by Dave Grohl on 'The Colour and the Shape') · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (100W, 3-channel, as used in studio for distorted tones on 'Everlong')

Studio recording, 1996-1997. Guitar and amp confirmed by multiple sources for the album's heavy rhythm sections. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the main riff. Pedals used for additional gain and texture, but core tone is Mesa Dual Rectifier with Explorer. Pickup selector likely bridge for maximum attack.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Mesa/Boogie songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Mesa Dual Rectifier songs & tones →🎚️ Gibson Explorer songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Gibson Explorer (black, late 90s model, as used by Dave Grohl on 'The Colour and the Shape') → Pro Co RAT → Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (100W, 3-channel, as used in studio for distorted tones on 'Everlong')

Effects

distortion, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

tight and percussive, crunchy, overdriven, aggressive attack, mid-range bark, top-end snarl, gritty and unpolished, robust and soaring, high-output humbucker punch, thick, saturated distortion, dynamic, palm-muted chugs

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

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

Difficulty

3.5/5 · Riff

The main riff requires tight, fast alternate picking with precise palm muting and stamina to maintain the aggressive rhythm, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Worth knowing

No official studio knob settings published; amp settings estimated based on Mesa Dual Rectifier typical use in 90s alt-rock and user-submitted settings.
Pedal use inferred from interviews and rig rundowns; exact pedal settings for the studio recording not published.
Pickup type and selector inferred from era-correct Explorer and typical Foo Fighters rhythm tone.
Presence and reverb settings estimated based on genre and amp model; no direct source for these values.
No evidence of modulation or time-based effects (chorus, flanger, phaser, delay) in the riff section; distortion is the primary effect.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Dave Grohl used Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifiers and sometimes Marshall amps for 'Everlong,' dialing in a tight, punchy hard rock crunch with forward mids and clear but not harsh highs. The tone is dry and immediate with minimal reverb, and the presence is set to add clarity without harshness.

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

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Everlong guitar tone — FAQ

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

Set your amp to roughly: gain 7, bass 6, mid 6, treble 7.5, presence 6.5, reverb 1.5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Everlong tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Gibson Explorer (black, late 90s model, as used by Dave Grohl on 'The Colour and the Shape') · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Solo Head (100W, 3-channel, as used in studio for distorted tones on 'Everlong'); distortion, reverb.

Can I get the Everlong 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 Foo Fighters on Everlong — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 7, bass 6, mid 6, treble 7.5, presence 6.5, reverb 1.5), and distortion, 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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More like this

🎸 How to get Foo Fighters’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Rock guitar tones → · 🎚️ Mesa Dual Rectifier settings → · 🎛️ best rock amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar riffs → · 🎯 more high gain tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

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