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rhythm guitar from “bullet with butterfly wings” by the smashing pumpkins | ToneDB

bullet with butterfly wings

the smashing pumpkins

rhythm guitar

70% ai confidence

Tone Profile

Aggressive and distorted rhythm guitar, with a scooped-mids EQ and a fuzzy, saturated tone. It’s a raw and powerful sound, perfect for driving the song's energy.

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The Story

This crushing tone was built around Billy Corgan's Fender Stratocaster running through an ADA MP-1 preamp with a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal and MXR Phase 90. The track was recorded by engineer Alan Moulder at the band's Pumpkinland studio in Chicago. The aggressive sound comes from layering multiple distorted guitar tracks with a scooped-midrange EQ approach, creating the massive wall of fuzz that drives the song.

Production Credits

Producer: Flood, Alan Moulder

Engineer: Alan Moulder

Recorded at: Pumpkinland (Chicago, IL)

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a cranked amp and a distortion pedal for a base tone.
  • Experiment with different overdrive and fuzz pedals to find the right level of saturation.
  • Use a graphic EQ to cut some of the midrange frequencies.
  • Double-track the guitar parts to create a thicker, more powerful sound.
  • Slightly vary the performance on each take to create a more natural-sounding stereo image.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Boss Katana 100 MkIIShop on Reverb$350-$400

Alternative to: ADA MP-1 preamp

The Brown channel with mids scooped can deliver similar saturated preamp tones with built-in effects

Pro Co RAT 2Shop on Reverb$70-$90

Alternative to: Pro Co RAT distortion

Direct successor to the original RAT with the same aggressive, cutting distortion character

MXR Phase 90Shop on Reverb$80-$100

Alternative to: MXR Phase 90

Still in production and provides the exact same swirling phase effect used on the original recording

Neural DSP Archetype PliniPlugin Boutique$100-$120

Alternative to: ADA MP-1 preamp tone

High-gain preamp models with excellent EQ shaping for achieving scooped, saturated rhythm tones

Squier Classic Vibe 70s StratocasterShop on Reverb$400-$450

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster

Provides authentic Strat single-coil pickup character at budget price point for the fuzzy, cutting tone

Sources

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