Estranged amp settings — M-Vave Blackbox
The Guns N' Roses guitar tone for “Estranged”, dialed in for a M-Vave Blackbox with a Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s. Studio recording, Use Your Illusion II (1991) — iconic soaring melodic solos
1991 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro pickups) -> Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 / JCM800 (modded with 6550 power tubes) -> Marshall 1960BV 4x12 cab with Celestion Vintage 30s
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 7 |
| Bass | 6 |
| Mid | 8 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Presence | 5 |
| Reverb | 4 |
| Master | 8 |
01Jim Dunlop Cry Baby GCB95
Leave bypassed for the main Estranged solo melodies (kick on only for expressive wah filter sections).
02Overdrive Block (TS / Tube Drive)
M-Vave Blackbox onboard drive block used as a tight clean boost into the Marshall amp model to recreate cranked power-tube sustain.
03Delay Block (Analog / Tape)
FX loop position (post-amp model) — subtle ~380ms delay for studio ballad space.
Slash explicitly documented that his singing lead tone on Estranged was tracked using his Les Paul Goldtop on the neck pickup with the guitar tone knob completely rolled off to 0. Setting the Blackbox amp model mid control to 8 and keeping amp treble at 6 ensures the rolled-off tone knob yields a warm, vocal 'woman tone' rather than indistinct mud. Using the Blackbox's TS drive block as a low-gain boost mimics the intense power-stage compression and endless sustain Slash achieved by cranking a 100W Marshall in the studio.
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