Tone library / Deftones / Headup

Headup amp settings — Marshall JCM800 2203

The Deftones guitar tone for “Headup”, dialed in for a Marshall JCM800 2203 with a ESP LTD Stephen Carpenter SC-607B. Studio version, Around the Fur (1997)

Original rig

Custom ESP Baritone (Drop C#) with Seymour Duncan JB / EMG pickups, ADA MP-1 / Marshall JMP-1 preamp into Marshall 9200 dual-monobloc power amp and 1960B 4x12 cabs

Aggressive, dry, heavy Drop-C# nu-metal crunch with tight low-end chug and sharp upper-mid cut
Amp settings — Marshall JCM800 2203
CHANNELHigh Sensitivity input
GAIN 8 BASS 7 MID 6 TREBLE 6 PRESENCE 5 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain8
Bass7
Mid6
Treble6
Presence5
Master5
Don’t have a Marshall JCM800 2203? Match your own rig →
Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Boss SD-1 or Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; tightens low-end chug on the JCM800 front end

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 9
Why these settings

The JCM800 2203 naturally delivers the raw British mid-bark heard on Around the Fur, but lacks the cascaded preamp compression of Carpenter's racked ADA/JMP-1 setup. Pushing the preamp gain to 8 and keeping the master volume high drives the power section for necessary saturation without muddying the Drop C# low end. Adding an overdrive pedal in front as a clean boost will tighten the sub-low flub and provide the modern percussive attack.

PRO TIPTune to Drop C# (C#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#) and strike the open low strings with heavy, aggressive downpicks close to the bridge saddles to maximize transient attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall JCM800 2203. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play
More tones for the Marshall JCM800 2203
Master of PuppetsMetallicaNo ReasonSum 41WalkPanteraNobodyAvenged SevenfoldFarewell BalladBlack Label SocietyBasket caseGreen Day
Find your amp
Browse
Marshall JCM800 2203 settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Deftones tonesALL SONGS Deftones on the Marshall JCM800 2203SAME ARTIST, SAME AMP ESP LTD Stephen Carpenter SC-607B tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.

Get ToneAdapt — first match free