The Trooper Amp Settings
by Iron Maiden
The Trooper showcases Iron Maiden's signature galloping rhythm and harmonized lead guitars. Both Dave Murray and Adrian Smith run Marshall JCM800s, creating a bright, aggressive tone that's perfect for their twin-guitar attack and galloping riffs.
What Makes This Tone Iconic
Iron Maiden's tone is tighter and brighter than most metal — it needs to be, to keep the galloping rhythm riffs articulate and the harmonized leads clear. The Marshall JCM800 provides a cutting, aggressive crunch that doesn't get muddy at speed. The dual-guitar harmony approach requires each tone to be defined and present, making clarity as important as heaviness.
Key Tone Elements
- Marshall JCM800 2203 — bright, aggressive British crunch
- Moderate gain — enough for metal but clear enough for galloping riffs
- Boosted mids for cutting through the mix
- Fender Strat (Murray) and Jackson (Smith) for different tonal flavors
- Twin harmonized guitar leads requiring precise, clear tones
Original Recording Settings
Original Gear
- Guitar
- Fender Strat (Murray, DiMarzio humbuckers) / Gibson SG (Smith)
- Pickups
- DiMarzio Super Distortion / Gibson humbuckers (bridge)
- Amplifier
- Marshall JCM800 2203 (both guitarists)
- Channel
- High gain input
- Tuning
- standard
- Pickup Selector
- bridge
- Strings
- 0.009-0.042
Maiden's signature twin-guitar sound from dual JCM800s.
Amp Settings
Effects Chain
Playing Technique
Signature Maiden 'gallop' - triplet-based palm-muted picking (down-up-up). Harmonized twin guitar leads in thirds/sixths. Fast alternate picking.
Sources+
- Guitar World: Iron Maiden features
- Equipboard.com - Dave Murray / Adrian Smith
Get This Tone on Your Gear
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