The Graveyard album cover - King Diamond
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Heads on the Wall" by King Diamond - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Heads on the Wall"

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.

Gain7.5
Bass6
Mid5.5
Treble7
Presence6.5
Volume7.5

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
Tone8
Volume10
Recording notes

From The Graveyard (1996). The Graveyard is the seventh studio album by Danish heavy metal band King Diamond, released in September 1996. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson Flying V through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for King Diamond's other songs from The Graveyard, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Heads on the Wall" Tone

  1. What guitar did King Diamond use on "Heads on the Wall"?

    The guitar on "Heads on the Wall" (released 1996) isn't documented; the Gibson Flying V 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 "Heads on the Wall" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7.5, Bass 6, Mid 5.5, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, Volume 7.5. 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 "Heads on the Wall" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Heads on the Wall" 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 "Heads on the Wall" by King Diamond are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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