How to Dial In "The Ritual" by Testament - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "The Ritual"
Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.
Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
From The Ritual (1992). Their fifth studio album, produced by Tony Platt, it was released on 12 May 1992 by Atlantic Records and is their last with guitarist Alex Skolnick until he rejoined in 2005. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP E-II Eclipse through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the nearest rig to the one documented for Testament, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it a half step down (E♭ standard).
Common Questions About the "The Ritual" Tone
What guitar did Testament use on "The Ritual"?
The guitar on "The Ritual" (released 1992) isn't documented; the ESP E-II Eclipse above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in E♭ Standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), so retune before you dial anything in.
What amp settings does "The Ritual" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, 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.
Can I play "The Ritual" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "The Ritual" 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.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "The Ritual" by Testament are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.