Tone library / Pantera / Cowboys from hell

Cowboys from hell amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

The Pantera guitar tone for “Cowboys from hell”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 40 with a Jackson JS22 Dinky. Studio version, Cowboys from Hell album (1990)

Original rig

Randall RG100ES solid-state head, Dean ML with Bill Lawrence L-500XL bridge pickup, Furman PQ-3 parametric EQ, MXR 6-Band Graphic EQ, Rocktron Hush noise gate

Tight, aggressive, scooped-mid thrash with razor-sharp treble and chainsaw attack

Amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

CHANNELMetal amp model (or closest high-gain solid-state voicing available)BRIGHToffBOOSTon

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	8
Mid	3
Treble	8
Presence	7
Reverb	0
Master	6

Don’t have a Positive Grid Spark 40? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Spark Noise Gate (built-in)

Essential—Dime's high-gain scooped tone requires aggressive gating to stay tight

Threshold 7

02Spark EQ Block (built-in parametric/graphic EQ)

Place BEFORE the amp block—this replicates Dime's MXR 6-Band boost at 800Hz and 3.2kHz with scooped 400Hz

100Hz 6 · 400Hz 3 · 800Hz 8 · 1.6kHz 6 · 3.2kHz 9

Why these settings

Your Jackson's ceramic humbuckers are hotter than Dime's L-500XL, so gain is dropped from the original 9-10 to 8. The Spark's digital amp models are tighter than the original Randall solid-state, so bass is boosted to 8 to recover low-end thump. The critical 800Hz and 3.2kHz boosts from Dime's external EQ chain must be replicated in the Spark's EQ block BEFORE the amp—without this, you will not achieve the signature chainsaw bite.

PRO TIPDime picked extremely hard with a sharp attack angle directly over the bridge pickup—this percussive picking technique is 50% of the tone. Practice palm-muting with your hand closer to the bridge saddles than usual for that tight, machine-gun chug.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Positive Grid Spark 40. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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More tones for the Positive Grid Spark 40

JealousEyesress Money for nothingDire straits Ain't Talkin' 'Bout LoveVan Halen Unchain the nightDokken Smells like a teen spiritNirvana Wonderful tonightEric Clapton

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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.