How to Get the Dimebag Darrell Pantera Guitar Tone

Dimebag Darrell's tone is one of the most aggressive in metal: sharp, mid-forward and cutting, with scorching harmonics. Here's how to get it.

The key ingredients

• Guitar: a Dean with a Floyd Rose and hot pickups.
• Amp: a solid-state Randall for that unmistakable razor grind.
• EQ: forward mids and lots of presence — the opposite of a scooped tone.
• Effects: a touch of noise gate to tighten the chugs, plus flange/whammy for solos.

The fastest way

Load ready metal guitar presets for Kemper, Helix, Quad Cortex, ToneX and more — Dimebag's cutting grind dialed in.

FAQ

What amp did Dimebag use? Solid-state Randall amps were central to his sharp, mid-heavy sound.

Are his mids scooped? No — Dimebag pushed mids and presence, which is why the tone cuts so hard.