Inside Out by XYZ (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The Inside Out by XYZ guitar tone is built on a Marshall JCM800 2203 head, dialed in at gain 7/10, bass 6, mid 6, treble 7, 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 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

Original gear

Guitar: Kramer Baretta (likely 1987-1989, Floyd Rose, single humbucker, maple neck) · Amp: Marshall JCM800 2203 head (likely through 4x12 cabinet, 1980s model)

Studio recording, 1989. No direct evidence for pedals or alternate amps for the riff section. Gear inferred from genre, era, and typical LA hair metal studio setups. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this 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

Kramer Baretta (likely 1987-1989, Floyd Rose, single humbucker, maple neck) → Marshall JCM800 2203 head (likely through 4x12 cabinet, 1980s model)

Effects

reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

tight and percussive, saturated and crunchy, articulate pick attack, bright and cutting, punchy low end, compressed and focused, minimal ambience, scooped but present mids, aggressive rhythm, crisp power chord definition

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 Inside Out sound.

Difficulty

3/5 · Riff

The riff requires tight palm muting, accurate alternate picking, and quick power chord transitions typical of 80s hard rock, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Worth knowing

• No direct source confirms exact guitar, amp, or pedal models for the studio recording of 'Inside Out' riff. Gear and settings estimated based on genre, era, and typical LA hair metal studio setups (late 80s).
• No evidence found for pedal use in the riff section; no chorus, delay, or modulation effects are audible in the riff. If present, they are extremely subtle.
• Settings are estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 usage for 80s hard rock/metal rhythm tones.
• Pickup and amp model inferred from period-correct artist/genre conventions and listening to the isolated riff.
• Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. XYZ's 'Inside Out' riff features a classic late-80s/early-90s hard rock crunch with punchy mids, moderate gain, and balanced EQ. The tone is tight and articulate, likely achieved with a Marshall-style amp set for crunchy saturation, forward mids, and minimal reverb typical of the era's production.

Inside Out guitar tone — FAQ

Share this tone

Sources

• XYZ - Inside Out (1989) : r/hairmetal - Reddit
• Tone Tips: Dialing in Your Gear for Great Sound - Premier Guitar

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