What amp does Tom Morello use?

Morello uses a Marshall JCM800 2205 50W head. He keeps his setup simple — the Marshall provides the core crunch and his effects (wah, Whammy) and techniques do the creative heavy lifting.

How does Tom Morello make those scratching sounds?

Morello uses a kill switch (toggle switch) on his guitar to rapidly cut the signal, creating staccato, DJ-scratch-like effects. Combined with the Whammy pedal, he creates sounds that don't seem possible on guitar.

How to get the Killing in the Name riff tone?

Marshall-style crunch with moderate gain. Rock a wah pedal in time with the riff. Drop D tuning. The riff itself is straightforward — the rhythmic wah movement is what makes it distinctive.

Grunge & Alternative1992Rage Against the Machine

Killing in the Name Amp Settings

by Rage Against the Machine

Killing in the Name features Tom Morello's heavy, groove-driven riff with a wah pedal adding rhythmic filter sweeps. His Marshall JCM800 provides aggressive crunch while his innovative technique makes a guitar sound like a DJ's turntable.

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What Makes This Tone Iconic

Morello redefined what a guitar could do. The main riff uses a wah pedal rocked in rhythm for a funk-metal groove. But it's his approach that's truly iconic — using the guitar as a sound-design instrument, creating scratching sounds, feedback, and textures that nobody had heard from a guitar before. The JCM800 provides the heavy foundation, and Morello's creativity does the rest.

Key Tone Elements

Marshall JCM800 2205 50W for aggressive, tight crunch
Wah pedal used rhythmically on the main riff
DigiTech Whammy for pitch-shifting effects
Kill switch technique for staccato, DJ-scratch sounds
Drop D tuning for heavier low-end on the riff

Original Recording Settings

VerifiedResearched tone data for "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine

Original Gear

Guitar: Fender Telecaster (US Standard)
Pickups: Stock Fender Telecaster single coils (neck (especially for Whammy solo))
Amplifier: Marshall JCM800 2205 50W head into Peavey 4x12 cabinet
Channel: Overdrive channel only
Tuning: Drop D
Pickup Selector: neck for whammy solo, varies for riff
Strings: 0.010-0.046

Morello only uses overdrive channel, getting cleans by rolling back guitar volume. Purchased cheaply to replace stolen gear in 1988. All effects in the amp's effects loop.

Amp Settings

Gain

9.0

Bass

5.0

Mid

5.0

Treble

5.0

Presence

5.0

Master Volume

5.0

Volume

7.0

Gain confirmed at 9 from multiple sources. EQ roughly flat. Morello uses less gain than many assume for his tone.

Effects Chain

→

MXR Phase 90

phaser

→

DigiTech Whammy WH-1

pitch shifter

→

Boss DD-3 Digital Delay (x2)

delay

→

DOD FX40B EQ

EQ/boost

→

1.MXR Phase 90 — Only used for the opening riff. Confirmed in Premier Guitar Rig Rundown.

2.DigiTech Whammy WH-1 — THE key effect for the solo. Set to +2 octave mode, creating signature turntable-scratching effect. In the effects loop.

3.Boss DD-3 Digital Delay (x2) — Two DD-3s set to different delay times.

4.DOD FX40B EQ — Used as volume boost. EQ flat, level slider slightly raised above unity.

Playing Technique

Drop D tuning for heavy riffs. The solo uses the Whammy pedal rocked back and forth to create pitch-shifting 'DJ scratching' effect with tremolo picking. Neck pickup for smoother Whammy tone. Toggle switch killswitch effects. Very creative and unconventional approach.

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