🎸 Metal · 2000s

In the End by LINKIN PARK (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by LINKIN PARK · riff

The In the End by LINKIN PARK guitar tone is built on a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, dialed in at gain 8/10, bass 5.5, mid 4.5, treble 7, 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)

GAIN

5.5

BASS

4.5

MID

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 sits right around the metal average (7.3); mids at 4.5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

VOLUME

8-9

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: PRS Custom 24 (Mike Shinoda's main studio guitar for Hybrid Theory era) · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (studio recording, Hybrid Theory era)

Studio recording, 2000. Guitar and amp confirmed for Hybrid Theory era by multiple interviews and rig rundowns, but not explicitly tied to 'In the End' riff in sources. No evidence of live/touring gear being used for the studio recording.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Mesa/Boogie songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Mesa Dual Rectifier songs & tones →🎚️ PRS Custom 24 songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

PRS Custom 24 (Mike Shinoda's main studio guitar for Hybrid Theory era) → Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (studio recording, Hybrid Theory era)

Effects

Guitar → Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (light spring reverb)

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

tight and percussive, modern high-gain saturation, articulate attack, slightly scooped mids, focused low end, compressed and aggressive, minimal ambience, dry, direct sound, studio double-tracked, distinct separation from synth layers

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 In the End sound.

Difficulty

2.5/5 · Riff

The riff is rhythmically straightforward but requires tight palm muting and consistent picking to maintain the percussive, articulate sound characteristic of the recording.

Worth knowing

No source provides explicit amp knob settings for 'In the End' riff; values estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier settings for nu-metal in 2000s.
No direct confirmation of exact guitar model for this specific song section; PRS Custom 24 is inferred from era and studio photos/interviews.
No pedal or effect is audibly present in the riff section; distortion is amp-based.
No explicit pickup selector position stated; bridge pickup is inferred from tone and genre.
No evidence of effects loop or additional rack effects for the riff section.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Linkin Park's 'In the End' riff uses a tight, modern nu-metal tone with high gain, slightly scooped mids, tight bass, and clear but not harsh treble, typical of Mesa/Boogie Rectifier amps used by Brad Delson in this era. The production is very dry with little to no amp reverb, matching the punchy, percussive sound of early 2000s nu-metal.

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

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In the End guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the In the End guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 8, bass 5.5, mid 4.5, treble 7, 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 In the End tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: PRS Custom 24 (Mike Shinoda's main studio guitar for Hybrid Theory era) · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (studio recording, Hybrid Theory era); Guitar → Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (light spring reverb).

Can I get the In the End 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 LINKIN PARK on In the End — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 8, bass 5.5, mid 4.5, treble 7, presence 6, reverb 1), and Guitar → Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (light spring reverb). Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

Share this tone

Sources

Linkin Park Rig Rundown - Premier Guitar

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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