Unquestionable Presence album cover - Atheist
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Unquestionable Presence" by Atheist - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Unquestionable Presence"

Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.

The settings

Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning

Amp settings

Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.

Gain8.5
Bass6
Mid5
Treble6
Presence6
Volume6.5

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

Get the settings for my amp
Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

TuningStandard(E A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Unquestionable Presence (1991). Unquestionable Presence is the second studio album by American death metal band Atheist. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP LTD EC-1000 through a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, a saturated death-metal pairing, stands in. Set the amp to a saturated high-gain setting and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Unquestionable Presence" Tone

  1. What guitar did Atheist use on "Unquestionable Presence"?

    The guitar on "Unquestionable Presence" (released 1991) isn't documented; the ESP LTD EC-1000 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).

  2. What amp settings does "Unquestionable Presence" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 8.5, Bass 6, Mid 5, Treble 6, Presence 6, Volume 6.5. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale; match them on your amp first, then nudge to taste. ToneMirror can translate these positions for whatever amp you actually own.

  3. Can I play "Unquestionable Presence" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Unquestionable Presence" tone on a Katana, a Helix, a tube combo, or anything else. The translation accounts for EQ curve, gain structure, and pickup type so the result actually sounds like the record, not just the same knob numbers on different gear.

Related tones

Tone references for "Unquestionable Presence" by Atheist are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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