What guitar did Dimebag use on Cowboys from Hell?

Dimebag Darrell used a Dean ML guitar on "Cowboys from Hell." The ML was one of his signature guitars throughout his career, featuring high-output humbucker pickups essential to his aggressive tone.

What amp did Pantera use on Cowboys from Hell?

Dimebag used a Randall RG100H amplifier head on "Cowboys from Hell." This high-gain tube amp was central to achieving his scooped-mids metal tone that became influential in the groove metal genre.

How to get Dimebag's scooped mids tone?

Cut the midrange frequencies on your amp's EQ while boosting the highs and lows. Start with a high-gain tube amp and high-output humbuckers, but be careful not to scoop too aggressively as it can make the tone sound thin in a mix.

What effects did Dimebag use on Cowboys from Hell?

Dimebag used an MXR EVH 90 Phase 90 for sweeping phaser effects and texture. He also employed various distortion and overdrive pedals throughout his career, though the primary distortion came from his cranked Randall amplifier.

Who produced Cowboys from Hell album?

Terry Date produced "Cowboys from Hell" and also served as the engineer. The album was recorded at Pantego Sound Studio in Pantego, Texas, marking Pantera's major label debut and shift to their heavier groove metal sound.

lead guitar from "cowboys from hell" by pantera

cowboys from hell

pantera

lead guitar

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Tone Profile

The lead guitar tone is aggressive, high-gain, and articulate, perfect for fast-shredding and heavy riffs. It's a quintessential late 80s/early 90s metal sound, with a biting edge and plenty of sustain.

Shop This Rig

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Dean ML(instrument)
Randall RG100H(amp)
Shure SM57(microphone)
MXR EVH 90 Phase 90(processing)
Dime Distortion MXR Custom Audio Electronics(processing)

The Story

Dimebag Darrell's lead guitar tone on "Cowboys from Hell" was tracked using his Dean ML guitar through a Randall RG100H amplifier at Pantego Sound Studio. The signature element was his scooped-mids EQ approach, cutting midrange frequencies while boosting highs and lows to create an aggressive, articulate tone perfect for the emerging groove metal sound.

Production Credits

Producer: Terry Date

Engineer: Terry Date

Recorded at: Pantego Sound Studio, Pantego, TX

Signal Chain

Instrument: Dean MLShop on Reverb

Amp: Randall RG100HShop on Reverb

Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb

Processing: MXR EVH 90 Phase 90Shop on Reverb, Dime Distortion MXR Custom Audio ElectronicsShop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a high-output humbucker-equipped guitar into a high-gain tube amplifier.
Experiment with scooping the mids on your amp's EQ, but be careful not to overdo it, as it can make the tone sound thin.
Use a noise gate to control any unwanted noise from the high-gain amp setting.
Consider using a wah pedal for added expression and dynamics.

Original Gear

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Dean MLShop on Reverb(guitar)
Randall RG100HShop on Reverb(amp)
Shure SM57Shop on Reverb(mic)
MXR EVH 90 Phase 90Shop on Reverb(pedal)
Dime Distortion MXR Custom Audio ElectronicsShop on Reverb(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Dean ML 79 StandardShop on Reverb$400-$500

Alternative to: Dean ML guitar

Current production version of Dime's signature guitar shape with high-output humbuckers needed for this aggressive tone

Randall RD100H DiavloShop on Reverb$800-$1000

Alternative to: Randall RG100H amplifier

Modern Randall high-gain tube head that captures the scooped, aggressive character of the original RG series

Neural DSP Archetype PetrucciPlugin Boutique$100-$150

Alternative to: Randall RG100H amplifier

High-gain amp modeling plugin with excellent scooped-mids metal tones and built-in noise gate for tight palm muting

MXR Phase 90Shop on Reverb$80-$100

Alternative to: MXR EVH 90 Phase 90

Current production Phase 90 provides the same sweeping phaser effect Dime used for texture and movement

Shure SM57Shop on Reverb$100-$120

Alternative to: Shure SM57 microphone

Same industry-standard dynamic mic still in production, perfect for capturing aggressive guitar cabinet recordings

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

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lead guitar from “cowboys from hell” by pantera | ToneDB