TONEDB

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

cowboys from hell

pantera

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

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.

Gear

Dean MLinstrument
Reverb$699Sweetwater
Randall RG100Hamp
ReverbSweetwater
Shure SM57microphone
ReverbSweetwater
MXR EVH 90 Phase 90processing
Reverb$130Sweetwater
Dime Distortion MXR Custom Audio Electronicsprocessing
ReverbSweetwater

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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 ML

Amp: Randall RG100H

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: MXR EVH 90 Phase 90, Dime Distortion MXR Custom Audio Electronics

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

  • Dean ML(guitar)
  • Randall RG100H(amp)
  • Shure SM57(mic)
  • MXR EVH 90 Phase 90(pedal)
  • Dime Distortion MXR Custom Audio Electronics(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Dean ML 79 Standard$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

ReverbSweetwater
Randall RD100H Diavlo$800-$1000

Alternative to: Randall RG100H amplifier

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

ReverbSweetwater
Neural DSP Archetype Petrucci$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

ReverbSweetwater
MXR Phase 90$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

ReverbSweetwater
Shure SM57$100-$120

Alternative to: Shure SM57 microphone

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

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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