Tone library / Bolt thrower / Those once loyal

Those once loyal amp settings — Peavey 5150

The Bolt thrower guitar tone for “Those once loyal”, dialed in for a Peavey 5150 with a Ibanez grgr131ex-bkf. Studio version, Those Once Loyal (2005)

Original rig

Bolt Thrower used Peavey 5150 amps (Barry Thomson and Gavin Ward both favored this amp during this era), Ibanez guitars with humbuckers, recorded at Sable Rose Studios with Andy Faulkner. The album is known for its chunky mid-tempo death metal tone with prominent bass and a 'wall of guitars' approach.

Crushing mid-heavy death metal chug with tight low-end, grinding midrange saturation, and controlled high-frequency bite - not overly scooped, focused on rhythmic heaviness

Amp settings — Peavey 5150

CHANNELLead (Red)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	5
Mid	6
Treble	6
Presence	5
Reverb	0
Master	4

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808

Used as a clean boost/tightener in front of the 5150 Lead channel - classic death metal technique to tighten low-end and add midrange focus

Drive 0 · Tone 5 · Level 7

02MXR Ten Band EQ

Slight mid-hump around 500Hz-1kHz for that Bolt Thrower grinding chug, tame the fizzy highs

31.25Hz 4 · 62.5Hz 5 · 125Hz 6 · 250Hz 5 · 500Hz 6 · 1kHz 6 · 2kHz 5 · 4kHz 5 · 8kHz 4 · 16kHz 4

Why these settings

You have the exact amp platform Bolt Thrower used. The 5150 Lead channel delivers the crushing saturation. Gain stays at 6 because the TS808 boost pushes the front end harder - going higher creates mud. Mid at 6 maintains the grinding chug Bolt Thrower is known for; they never scooped mids like thrash bands. Your Ibanez humbuckers are hotter than vintage-output pickups, so gain stays conservative.

PRO TIPBolt Thrower's trademark chug comes from precise palm-mute pressure and downpicking consistency - mute firmly right at the bridge saddles, not further back. The tone is in the hands as much as the amp. Also, tune to B standard (B-E-A-D-G-B) to match the album's tuning.

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