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rhythm guitar from “adam's song” by blink 182 | ToneDB

adam's song

blink 182

rhythm guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

The rhythm guitar tone is a quintessential pop-punk sound: bright, crunchy, and energetic, providing a solid foundation for the song's driving feel. It's got enough bite to cut through but remains smooth and balanced for the genre.

Gear

Fender Stratocasterinstrument
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Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifieramp
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Shure SM57microphone
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Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamerprocessing
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The Story

The rhythm guitar tone on "Adam's Song" was recorded at Signature Sound in San Diego with producer Jerry Finn and engineer Sean O'Dwyer. Tom DeLonge used his signature setup of a Fender Stratocaster through a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier amplifier, with an Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer for additional saturation and tightness. The track was close-mic'd with a Shure SM57 and likely involved multiple guitar layers to create the thick, driving pop-punk sound characteristic of blink-182's Enema of the State album.

Production Credits

Producer: Jerry Finn

Engineer: Sean O'Dwyer

Recorded at: Signature Sound (San Diego, CA)

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Stratocaster

Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Fender Stratocaster and dial in a bright, slightly scooped tone on a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier.
  • Use an Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer with the drive set low to mid to add extra gain and sustain.
  • Place a Shure SM57 close to the speaker cone, slightly off-axis, to capture the amp's raw sound.
  • Consider double-tracking or quad-tracking the guitar part to enhance the overall thickness and width of the tone.

Original Gear

  • Fender Stratocaster(guitar)
  • Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier(amp)
  • Shure SM57(mic)
  • Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Squier Classic Vibe '70s Stratocaster$400-$450

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster

Delivers the bright, single-coil bite needed for pop-punk at a budget-friendly price point

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Boss Katana 100 MkII$350-$400

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

The Rectifier model captures the aggressive midrange crunch and tight low-end of the original Dual Rec

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Neural DSP Archetype: Petrucci$100-$120

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Includes accurate Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier modeling with built-in Tube Screamer-style overdrive

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Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive$50-$70

Alternative to: Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

Provides similar mid-focused boost and saturation characteristics as the TS9 at a lower price point

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Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer$100-$130

Alternative to: Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

The exact pedal used on the recording, still in production and essential for authentic Tom DeLonge tones

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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