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lead guitar from “all the small things” by blink-182 | ToneDB

all the small things

blink-182

lead guitar

75% ai confidence

Tone Profile

Bright and punchy with a slightly overdriven character, perfect for pop-punk power chords and catchy lead lines. It's got a good amount of clarity and a touch of aggression.

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The Story

The lead guitar on "All The Small Things" was recorded at Signature Sound Recording in San Diego with producer Jerry Finn. Tom DeLonge used a Fender Stratocaster through a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier amplifier, with the sound captured using a Shure SM57 microphone on the cabinet. The signal chain likely included both the direct input and miked amplifier to achieve the bright, punchy pop-punk tone characteristic of blink-182's sound.

Production Credits

Producer: Jerry Finn

Engineer: Sean O'Dwyer

Recorded at: Signature Sound Recording (San Diego, CA)

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a bright-sounding guitar like a Stratocaster or Telecaster.
  • Use a high-gain amp like a Mesa/Boogie Rectifier to get the basic drive tone.
  • Experiment with different overdrive and distortion pedals to fine-tune the character of the distortion.
  • Use a dynamic microphone like an SM57 to capture the amp's tone.
  • Apply EQ to shape the tone and remove any unwanted frequencies.
  • Use compression to add sustain and punch to the guitar signal.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Boss MT-2 Metal ZoneShop on Reverb$60-$80

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Budget option that can deliver similar high-gain distortion characteristics with bright, aggressive midrange perfect for pop-punk

PRS MT-15 Mark TremontiShop on Reverb$450-$500

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

15-watt tube head with similar high-gain voicing and brightness that works well for recording pop-punk tones

Neural DSP Fortin Cali SuitePlugin Boutique$120-$140

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Digital recreation of Mesa/Boogie Rectifier tones with built-in cabinet simulation, perfect for direct recording

Squier Classic Vibe '70s StratocasterShop on Reverb$380-$420

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster

Affordable Stratocaster with single-coil pickups that provides the bright, cutting tone needed for pop-punk leads

Shure SM57Shop on Reverb$100-$120

Alternative to: Shure SM57

The exact same microphone used on the original recording, still the industry standard for recording guitar amplifiers

Sources

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