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lead guitar from “disarm” by smashing pumpkins | ToneDB

disarm

smashing pumpkins

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

The lead guitar tone in "Disarm" is characterized by its warm, overdriven sound with a slightly fuzzy edge, providing a balance between melodic clarity and distorted aggression. It's a tone that sits well in the mix, offering both sustain and definition.

Gear

Fender Stratocasterinstrument
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ADA MP-1amp
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Shure SM57microphone
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ProCo RATprocessing
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The Story

The lead guitar tone on "Disarm" was created using Billy Corgan's signature setup of a Fender Stratocaster (often equipped with Lace Sensor pickups) running through an ADA MP-1 preamp and ProCo RAT distortion pedal. The track was recorded at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, with producer Butch Vig and engineer Brian Styrer, using a Shure SM57 to capture the amplified sound.

Production Credits

Producer: Butch Vig

Engineer: Brian Styrer

Recorded at: Smart Studios (Madison, WI)

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Stratocaster

Amp: ADA MP-1

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: ProCo RAT

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Fender Stratocaster-style guitar; if you have a model with single-coil pickups, that will get you closer to the original sound.
  • Use an ADA MP-1 preamp to get the core amp tone. Dial in a moderate gain setting to provide a solid foundation for the distortion.
  • Introduce a ProCo RAT distortion pedal to add the desired level of fuzz and saturation. Adjust the RAT's filter knob to shape the overall tone, finding the sweet spot where the distortion doesn't become harsh.
  • Place a Shure SM57 microphone close to the speaker cone of your amplifier, slightly off-axis, to capture the sound.
  • Experiment with EQ to further refine the tone, focusing on the midrange frequencies to bring out the guitar's presence in the mix.

Original Gear

  • Fender Stratocaster(guitar)
  • ADA MP-1(amp)
  • ProCo RAT(pedal)
  • Shure SM57(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Neural DSP Archetype Nolly$99-$119

Alternative to: ADA MP-1 preamp

Provides similar preamp saturation characteristics with excellent cabinet simulation for the MP-1's warm, driven sound

ReverbSweetwater
ProCo RAT 2$69-$89

Alternative to: ProCo RAT distortion pedal

Direct modern reissue of the original RAT circuit, providing the exact same fuzzy, compressed distortion character

ReverbSweetwater
JHS PacketRat$199-$229

Alternative to: ProCo RAT distortion pedal

Contains multiple RAT variants in one pedal, allowing you to dial in the specific RAT sound used on this recording

ReverbSweetwater
Fender Player Stratocaster$799-$899

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster with Lace Sensor pickups

Modern Strat with similar single-coil pickup output and tonal characteristics, providing the bright, cutting foundation tone

ReverbSweetwater
Boss IR-200$399-$449

Alternative to: ADA MP-1 preamp

Versatile preamp with similar gain staging capabilities and built-in cabinet simulation for the MP-1's saturated preamp sound

ReverbSweetwater
Behringer Vintage Rat VR600$29-$39

Alternative to: ProCo RAT distortion pedal

Budget-friendly RAT clone that captures the essential fuzzy distortion character at a fraction of the cost

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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