V: The New Mythology Suite album cover - Symphony X
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "A Fool's Paradise" by Symphony X - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "A Fool's Paradise"

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
Bass5.5
Mid6
Treble7
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.

TuningD Standard(D G C F A D)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone10
Volume10
Recording notes

From V: The New Mythology Suite (2000). Their fifth album, produced by Michael Romeo and Eric Rachel and recorded at Trax East in South River, New Jersey and other studios, released on October 10, 2000 through Inside Out. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Caparison Apple Horn 6 through an Engl Powerball II, the nearest rig to the one Symphony X is documented with, stands in. Set the amp to a high-gain setting and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it a whole step down (D standard).

FAQ

Common Questions About the "A Fool's Paradise" Tone

  1. What guitar did Symphony X use on "A Fool's Paradise"?

    The guitar on "A Fool's Paradise" (released 2000) isn't documented; the Caparison Apple Horn 6 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in D Standard (D G C F A D), so retune before you dial anything in.

  2. What amp settings does "A Fool's Paradise" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 7, 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 "A Fool's Paradise" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "A Fool's Paradise" 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 "A Fool's Paradise" by Symphony X are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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