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Lonely Day (System of a Down) guitar tone and amp settings

Lonely Day guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Crunch amp type, high gain (Gain 7), forward mids (Middle 6.5), smooth top (Treble 6), bridge pickup.

Tuning: Drop C#

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

Lonely Day settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every song

AmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

VariationOff
Amp TypeCrunch
Gain7
Volume5Balances the amp section while retaining a firm drive response.
Bass5
Middle6.5
Treble6
Booster0
Mod0
FX0
Delay0
Reverb0
Set to your roomMaster
Set to your roomPower Control

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output feeds the Marshall-style amp drive.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Variation
Off
Amp Type
Crunch
Gain
7
Volume
5
Bass
5
Middle
6.5
Treble
6
Booster
0
Mod
0
FX
0
Delay
0
Reverb
0
Master
Set to your room
Power Control
Set to your room

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
8

Lonely Day settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40

Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every song

AmpPositive Grid Spark 40

Amp TypeCrunch
Gain6.5
Bass4.5
Mid6
Treble6.5
Set to your roomMaster
Mod0
Delay0
Reverb0
Set to your roomOutput
App Amp ModelPlexiglasin the app, optional
App DriveOffin the app, optional
App Comp/WahOffin the app, optional
App Mod/EQOffin the app, optional
App DelayOffin the app, optional
App ReverbOffin the app, optional

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output to drive the Marshall-style amp model
Tone7.5
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Type
Crunch
Gain
6.5
Bass
4.5
Mid
6
Treble
6.5
Master
Set to your room
Mod
0
Delay
0
Reverb
0
Output
Set to your room
App Amp Model
Plexiglas
App Drive
Off
App Comp/Wah
Off
App Mod/EQ
Off
App Delay
Off
App Reverb
Off

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7.5

Lonely Day settings on a Fender Mustang LT25

Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every song

AmpFender Mustang LT25

Amp Model70S ROCKin the menu
Gain5.2
Volume5Set preset level for balanced output
Treble6
Bass5
Middle6.5in the menu
Set to your roomMaster
StompNonein the menu
ModNonein the menu
DelayNonein the menu
ReverbNonein the menu

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output to drive the amp naturally
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Model
70S ROCK
Gain
5.2
Volume
5
Treble
6
Bass
5
Middle
6.5
Master
Set to your room
Stomp
None
Mod
None
Delay
None
Reverb
None

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

Lonely Day settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

Amp

Gain6.5
Bass4.5
Mid6.5
Treble6

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output helps drive the amp into the desired crunch.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
6.5
Bass
4.5
Mid
6.5
Treble
6

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
8
The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

The heavy tone on Mezmerize and Hypnotize starts with one main guitar, a vintage Gibson SG, played through a Marshall amp with one channel modified for extra gain. The SG's sideways tremolo arm adds the trebly cut the sound relied on. For many of the heavy rhythm parts, a humbucker guitar was doubled with a single-coil guitar. The speaker cabinet was aimed at a wall of acoustic guitars, most of them muted, so a room mic picked up their resonance. The same Marshall served both records, and since then the heavy tone has come from layering an SG with an ES-335.

  • Double a humbucker guitar with a single-coil guitar on the heavy rhythm parts.
  • Aim the speaker cabinet at a wall of acoustic guitars and set a room mic to pick up their resonance.

What amp did Daron Malakian use on Lonely Day?

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

Daron Malakian

Guitar
1962 Gibson SG[1]
Amp
Marshall JMP100[1]
  • Malakian's main guitar for distorted tones on Mezmerize/Hypnotize was a 1962 Gibson SG through a 100-watt Marshall JMP100 amp and a single 4x12 cab. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • One channel of the Marshall was stock and the other was modified for extra gain. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • Malakian also used a Jackson Randy Rhoads Flying V and two early-Eighties Gibson Korina Flying Vs for distorted tones. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • The SG was Malakian's favorite guitar on the album, partly because its sideways tremolo arm adds trebly cut. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • On many of the heavy rhythm parts, Malakian doubled a humbucker guitar with a single-coil guitar. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • A 1964 Gibson SG Special with P-90 pickups was often the single-coil guitar chosen for that doubling. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • Malakian covered a wall with acoustic guitars and pointed the speaker cabinet at it, with a room mic set up. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • On that wall, most of the guitars had their strings muted, so the room picked up their resonance rather than their notes. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • For this album, Malakian tuned to D sharp with a dropped C sharp. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[1]
  • Malakian says he had the same Marshall on the Mezmerize and Hypnotize records as on the Scars records. (on the album Mezmerize/Hypnotize)[2]
  • Malakian says he has layered a 1962 SG Standard with a 1968 Gibson ES-335 for his heavy tone since Mezmerize and Hypnotize. (in a later era)[2]
  • Daron Malakian said: ‘I don't use any compressors or anything like that, it's really straightforward.’ (in a later era)[3]
  • Malakian says he solos by making his parts sing a melody rather than fast runs of notes. (in a later era)[3]

Questions

What amp did Daron Malakian use on Lonely Day?

The sources on this page document Daron Malakian's gear on Lonely Day by System of a Down: guitar, 1962 Gibson SG [1]; amp, Marshall JMP100 [1]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.

What are the Lonely Day settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?

For the Lonely Day guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 7, Volume 5, Bass 5, Middle 6.5, Treble 6, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master and Power Control to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Lonely Day settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?

For the Lonely Day guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 6.5, Bass 4.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0, App Amp Model Plexiglas; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7.5. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Lonely Day settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?

For the Lonely Day guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 70S ROCK, Gain 5.2, Volume 5, Treble 6, Bass 5, Middle 6.5, Stomp None, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb None; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What tuning is Lonely Day in?

Lonely Day by System of a Down is played in Drop C#, according to the cited source [1]. Tune to it before you set the amp, or the riff will not sit right against the record.

Can I get the Lonely Day tone on my own amp?

Yes. The settings above cover 3 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for Lonely Day, using only the controls your gear has.

Get it for your exact rig

KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for this song.

Download KnobMaster on the App Store