Killing with a Smile album cover - Parkway Drive
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro" by Parkway Drive - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro"

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
Mid5.5
Treble6.5
Presence6.5
Volume7

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.

TuningDrop B(B F♯ B E G♯ C♯)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Killing with a Smile (2005). Their debut studio album, produced by Adam Dutkiewicz and recorded in two weeks in May 2005, it was released on 12 September 2005 through Resist and Epitaph. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP E-II Horizon NT-II through a Peavey 6505+, the nearest rig to the one documented for Parkway Drive, stands in. Set the amp to a saturated high-gain setting and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in drop B.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro" Tone

  1. What guitar did Parkway Drive use on "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro"?

    The guitar on "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro" (released 2005) isn't documented; the ESP E-II Horizon NT-II above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in Drop B (B F♯ B E G♯ C♯), so retune before you dial anything in.

  2. What amp settings does "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 6, Mid 5.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 6.5, Volume 7. 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 "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro" 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 "Guns for Show, Knives for a Pro" by Parkway Drive are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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