🎸 Metal · 2000s

Passenger by Deftones (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Deftones · riff

The Passenger by Deftones guitar tone is built on a Marshall JMP-1 Preamp into Marshall power amp, dialed in at gain 8.5/10, bass 6, mid 4.5, treble 6.5, presence 4.5 (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)

8.5

GAIN

BASS

4.5

MID

6.5

TREBLE

4.5

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); presence 4.5 is below average — a smoother power-amp voicing.

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

8-9

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: ESP Stef B-7 (Stephen Carpenter signature 7-string, ca. 2000, likely with JB pickup) · Amp: Marshall JMP-1 Preamp into Marshall power amp (studio, White Pony era)

Studio recording, 2000. Stephen Carpenter used his ESP Stef B-7 7-string with Seymour Duncan JB in bridge, into a Marshall JMP-1 preamp and Marshall power amp. No evidence of other guitars or amps for this riff section. Settings are for the studio recording, not live.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Seymour Duncan pickups songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

ESP Stef B-7 (Stephen Carpenter signature 7-string, ca. 2000, likely with JB pickup) → Overdrive/Boost pedal (model unknown, likely used for tightening riff) → Marshall JMP-1 Preamp into Marshall power amp (studio, White Pony era)

Effects

boost

Tone character

tight, percussive rhythm chugs, saturated, modern metal distortion, articulate low end for 7-string riffing, slightly scooped mids for clarity, aggressive, cutting attack, minimal reverb for dry, in-your-face sound, clear note separation under heavy gain, chunky, palm-muted power chords, dense, layered guitar tracks, studio-recorded, high-fidelity metal tone

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 Passenger sound.

Difficulty

3/5 · Riff

The riff requires intermediate skill due to tight, percussive palm muting on a 7-string, syncopated rhythm, and managing clarity under high gain.

Worth knowing

No official studio knob settings for 'Passenger' riff found; amp and pedal settings are averaged from forum users referencing Deftones/White Pony era tones.
Guitar and amp models confirmed for White Pony era, but exact pedal chain for 'Passenger' riff is not documented in official sources.
Presence and reverb settings are estimated based on typical Marshall JMP-1 usage and forum posts.
Pedal use is inferred from era and genre; no direct evidence of specific pedals on this song's riff section.
All effects settings are estimated; no official pedalboard or studio notes for this track.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Deftones' 'Passenger' features a saturated, modern metal tone with tight lows, slightly scooped but not hollow mids, and clear but not harsh highs, typical of Stephen Carpenter's Mesa/Rectifier setup from the White Pony era. The tone is dry and direct, with little to no reverb, matching the dense, layered production style of late 90s/early 2000s alternative metal.

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

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Passenger guitar tone — FAQ

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

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

What gear was used for the Passenger tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: ESP Stef B-7 (Stephen Carpenter signature 7-string, ca. 2000, likely with JB pickup) · Amp: Marshall JMP-1 Preamp into Marshall power amp (studio, White Pony era); boost.

Can I get the Passenger 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 Deftones on Passenger — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 8.5, bass 6, mid 4.5, treble 6.5, presence 4.5, reverb 0), and boost. 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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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com