Groove Metal1996The Great Southern Trendkill

Floods (Guitar Solo) Amp Settings

by Pantera

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Original Recording Settings

Well-SourcedResearched tone data for "Floods (Guitar Solo)" by Pantera

Original Gear

Guitar: Washburn Dimebag Darrell signature-era guitars (exact model for the Floods solo not specified in retrieved sources)
Pickups: Bill Lawrence L-500 series (L-500-XL explicitly cited as used ‘lately’ by Dimebag in earlier Guitar World interview); exact pickup in the Floods tracking guitar not specified (bridge (Dimebag states pickups are always in the treble/bridge position for his tone))
Amplifier: Randall RG-100 head (carpeted RG-100 cited for Trendkill-era tracking approach)
Channel: Not specified
Tuning: D standard (A≈425Hz; slightly flat concert pitch)
Pickup Selector: bridge

Trendkill-era interview describes returning to an RG-100-based setup plus PQ-3 and graphic EQ, with heavy reliance on tight gating.

Amp Settings

Gain

7.0

Bass

7.0

Mid

2.0

Treble

6.0

Presence

6.0

Master Volume

6.0

Volume

7.0

No published, song-specific RG-100 knob positions were found in retrieved sources. Values estimated to reflect Dimebag’s documented scooped-EQ aesthetic + tight, bright articulation.

Effects Chain

→

Furman PQ-3 (parametric EQ)

parametric EQ / pre-boost

→

MXR 6-band graphic EQ (blue)

graphic EQ / pre-boost

→

Noise gate (Boss model noted in 1996 Trendkill interview; Rocktron gates referenced by tech for broader rig history)

noise gate

→

Dunlop Cry Baby / Vox Wah (era-dependent; wah use described generally by Dimebag)

wah

→

1.Furman PQ-3 (parametric EQ) — Documented as part of Dimebag’s Trendkill-era setup; used as a gain-shaping/EQ stage into the amp.

2.MXR 6-band graphic EQ (blue) — Documented as part of the Trendkill-era setup; used in tandem with PQ-series EQ to shape cut/boost curves and drive the amp front end.

3.Noise gate (Boss model noted in 1996 Trendkill interview; Rocktron gates referenced by tech for broader rig history) — Tight gating is repeatedly described as central to Dimebag’s tight attack and stop/start clarity.

4.Dunlop Cry Baby / Vox Wah (era-dependent; wah use described generally by Dimebag) — Dimebag describes running album leads through a wah and setting it to a ‘hot’ spot; specific Floods-solo wah usage is not explicitly documented in retrieved sources.

Playing Technique

Signature Dimebag approach: heavy pick attack, wide vibrato, expressive bends, frequent pinch harmonics, and controlled sustain. For Floods’ melodic soloing, phrasing and vibrato depth are as important as gain; double-tracking is cited as a key thickening method.

Sources+

Guitar World (From the Archive; June 1996 interview, published online Jan 22, 2013): Trendkill-era use of Randall RG-100, Furman PQ-3, MXR 6-band EQ, and noise gate; discussion of Floods melodic lead and lead doubling.
Guitar World (Dimebag Darrell: Home of Deranged; Vulgar Display era interview excerpt): Dimebag describes Bill Lawrence L-500 pickups incl. L-500-XL, bridge/‘treble’ pickup position always used, and Furman PQ-4 + MXR 6-band + Rocktron Hush chain concept; wah placement and use discussed.
MusicRadar (Dimebag Day; Grady Champion interview, published Dec 8, 2019): explanation of how PQ-3/PQ-4 and 6-band EQ interact and the importance of tight gating; evolution of Randall-based rigs and wet-loop modulation context.
Songsterr (Floods tab; includes “D Standard 425Hz” notation): supports commonly used performance tuning reference for Floods in guitarist communities.