🎸 Metalcore · 2000s

The End of Heartache by Killswitch Engage (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Killswitch Engage · riff

The End of Heartache by Killswitch Engage guitar tone is built on a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, dialed in at gain 7.5/10, bass 4.5, mid 7, 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)

7.5

GAIN

4.5

BASS

MID

6.5

TREBLE

PRESENCE

1.5

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 28 metalcore tones in our researched catalog: Gain 7.5 sits right around the metalcore average (8.0); mids at 7 are above average (5.4) — mid-forward, built to cut through a mix.

Guitar controls

VOLUME

TONE

Original gear

Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early/mid era recordings); later live: Laney Ironheart IRT120H + V30 4x12, Fuchs for cleans

Caparison TAT Special, Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers, Maxon OD808 boost, Boss NS-2 gate.

Gear used on this tone

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

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

Pickups

bridge humbucker (Fishman Fluence Modern)

Effects / signal chain

distortion, overdrive, noise-gate

Tone character

tight low end, spiked mids, vintage-voiced high-gain, articulate

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

high-gain, tight, mid-forward distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the The End of Heartache sound.

Difficulty

6/10 · Riff

Riffs are achievable; the tone hinges on the OD808-tightened mids, not piled-on gain.

Level: Expert-level — see more the hardest guitar songs →

Worth knowing

The End of Heartache pairs heavy rhythm with melodic leads — keep the mids forward so the melody cuts; a touch of reverb suits the choruses.
Killswitch Engage's signature is a VINTAGE-VOICED, MID-FORWARD metalcore tone — NOT a scooped modern sound. Both Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel keep bass around 4-5, push a slight midrange spike for definition, and run the power tubes hot. A Maxon OD808 in front tightens the low end (that's why gain isn't maxed) and a Boss NS-2 keeps palm mutes clean.
Era gear: the early/mid albums (this song's era) were tracked on a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier; later live rigs moved to a Laney Ironheart (IRT120H) with V30 cabs and Fuchs for cleans. Guitars are Caparison TAT Special with Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers.
These knob values are a community-researched translation of that documented mid-forward approach to a generic 0-10 amp — an honest STARTING POINT, not the official studio recall sheet. Dial bass and mids by ear; the mid spike is the whole sound.

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

🎧 Can you guess the tone?

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The End of Heartache guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the The End of Heartache guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 7.5, bass 4.5, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 1.5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the The End of Heartache tone?

Original gear/effects: Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early/mid era recordings); later live: Laney Ironheart IRT120H + V30 4x12, Fuchs for cleans; distortion, overdrive, noise-gate.

Can I get the The End of Heartache 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 Killswitch Engage on The End of Heartache — what gear and pedals?

Start with bridge humbucker (Fishman Fluence Modern), the amp EQ above (gain 7.5, bass 4.5, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 1.5), and distortion, overdrive, noise-gate. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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More like this

🎸 How to get Killswitch Engage’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Metalcore guitar tones → · 🎚️ Mesa Dual Rectifier settings → · 🎛️ best metalcore amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar riffs → · 🎚️ Overdrive tone guide → · 🎚️ Distortion tone guide → · 🎯 more high gain tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

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