Catharsis album cover - Machine Head
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Heavy Lies the Crown" by Machine Head - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Heavy Lies the Crown"

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
Bass6.5
Mid5
Treble6.5
Presence6.5
Volume7.5

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

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Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Catharsis (2018). Catharsis is the ninth studio album by American heavy metal band Machine Head, released on 26 January 2018 by Nuclear Blast. The album's personnel list credits Robb Flynn on rhythm guitar and Phil Demmel on lead guitar. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP E-II Eclipse through a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, the rig we use for Machine Head's other songs from Catharsis, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Heavy Lies the Crown" Tone

  1. What guitar did Machine Head use on "Heavy Lies the Crown"?

    The guitar on "Heavy Lies the Crown" (released 2018) isn't documented; the ESP E-II Eclipse above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Heavy Lies the Crown" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 6.5, Mid 5, Treble 6.5, 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 "Heavy Lies the Crown" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Heavy Lies the Crown" 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 "Heavy Lies the Crown" by Machine Head are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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