🎸 Metal · 2000s

One Step Closer by LINKIN PARK (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by LINKIN PARK · riff

The One Step Closer by LINKIN PARK guitar tone is built on a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, dialed in at gain 8.5/10, bass 6, mid 4.5, treble 6.5, 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)

8.5

GAIN

BASS

4.5

MID

6.5

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 8.5 sits above the metal average (7.3) — a hotter, more saturated take than most metal tones; mids at 4.5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

VOLUME

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: PRS CE24 (1999, mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard) · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (Rackmount, Revision G, c. 1999-2000)

Studio recording, Hybrid Theory album (2000). Brad Delson used a PRS CE24 with stock humbuckers into a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier for the main riff. Some sources mention Orange or Marshall amps, but the Dual Rectifier is most consistently cited for the album's heavy rhythm tones. No evidence of live/touring gear or alternate guitars for the studio riff section.

Gear used on this tone

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

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup (HFS Treble humbucker)

Signal chain

PRS CE24 (1999, mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard) → Boss OD-2 OverDrive/Distortion → Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (Rackmount, Revision G, c. 1999-2000)

Effects

overdrive

Tone character

tight and percussive, scooped mids, aggressive palm muting, high-gain saturation, chunky low end, articulate pick attack, compressed and focused, modern nu-metal sound, minimal ambience, dry, in-your-face rhythm

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, aggressive dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the One Step Closer sound.

Difficulty

2.5/5 · Riff

The riff is rhythmically straightforward but requires tight palm muting, precise timing, and aggressive picking to achieve the percussive, articulate sound. The drop Db tuning and syncopated accents add moderate challenge.

Worth knowing

No direct numeric amp settings found in sources; settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier usage for nu-metal/Linkin Park in 2000s.
Some sources mention Orange or Marshall amps, but studio evidence and genre/era point to Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier as primary amp for this song's riff.
No evidence of pedals or effects other than possible Boss OD-2 (see below); no time-based or modulation effects are audible in the riff section.
No explicit pickup selector position found, but bridge humbucker is standard for this tone and genre.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Linkin Park's 'One Step Closer' features a tight, modern nu-metal tone with saturated high gain, slightly scooped mids, tight but not boomy bass, and clear, aggressive highs. Brad Delson used Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifiers with minimal reverb and a dry, punchy mix typical of early 2000s nu-metal production.

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

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One Step Closer guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the One Step Closer guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 8.5, bass 6, mid 4.5, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 0. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the One Step Closer tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: PRS CE24 (1999, mahogany body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard) · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (Rackmount, Revision G, c. 1999-2000); overdrive.

Can I get the One Step Closer 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 One Step Closer — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup (HFS Treble humbucker), the amp EQ above (gain 8.5, bass 6, mid 4.5, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 0), and overdrive. 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 LINKIN PARK’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Metal guitar tones → · 🎚️ Mesa Dual Rectifier settings → · 🎛️ best metal amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar riffs → · 🎚️ Overdrive tone guide → · 🎯 more scooped mids tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

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