Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks by Pantera (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks by Pantera guitar tone is built on a Randall RG100ES solid-state head, dialed in at gain 8.5/10, bass 6, mid 4, treble 7.5, presence 7 (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 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 are below average (5.2).

Guitar controls

Original gear

Guitar: Dean ML (likely 1994-1995, custom shop, Bill Lawrence L-500XL bridge pickup) · Amp: Randall RG100ES solid-state head

Studio recording, 1994 (Far Beyond Driven album). Dimebag Darrell's signature rhythm tone. No evidence of live rig or alternate gear for this section. No confirmed pedal use for the riff section; Dimebag's main rhythm tone was amp distortion with EQ and noise gate in studio.

Gear used on this tone

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Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Dean ML (likely 1994-1995, custom shop, Bill Lawrence L-500XL bridge pickup) → MXR 6-Band EQ → Rocktron Hush → Randall RG100ES solid-state head

Effects

eq, noise_gate

Tone character

tight and percussive, scooped midrange, aggressive palm muting, razor-sharp pick attack, chunky low end, dry, minimal ambience, high-gain saturation, articulate and clear, solid-state amp punch, fast, precise rhythm

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 Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Riff

The riff requires advanced palm muting, precise alternate picking, and tight rhythm control at high gain, making it challenging for most players.

Worth knowing

• No direct numeric amp settings for 'Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks' riff found in sources; settings estimated based on Dimebag's typical Far Beyond Driven rhythm tone and Randall RG100ES usage.
• No evidence of pedal use for the riff section; Dimebag's rhythm tone on this album is widely reported as amp-only with EQ and noise gate in studio.
• All effects inferred from genre, era, and critical listening; no explicit pedalboard or studio notes for this song's riff section.
• If more precise studio documentation emerges, settings may need revision.
• Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Dimebag Darrell's tone on this Far Beyond Driven-era track is extremely high-gain, tight, and aggressive, with a scooped midrange, tight bass, and biting treble/presence. He used a Randall solid-state amp with minimal reverb and settings that emphasize clarity and punch for modern groove metal.

Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks guitar tone — FAQ

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Sources

• When Dimebag Darrell answered readers' questions - Guitar World
• How do I get the Dimebag tuning from Far Beyond Driven : r/Pantera

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