Tone library / Rage against machine / Bullet in the head

Bullet in the head amp settings — Laboga LR-1

The Rage against machine guitar tone for “Bullet in the head”, dialed in for a Laboga LR-1 with a Music Man Sterling 4H. Studio version, Rage Against the Machine (1992)

Original rig

Music Man StingRay (2-band EQ) direct into console/SWR rig — bone-dry, no effects, pure DI tone with possible light amp coloration

Punchy, dry, aggressive fingerstyle with tight low-end, grinding upper-mids, and zero ambience — sits right in your face
Amp settings — Laboga LR-1
CHANNELCleanBRIGHToffBOOSToff
GAIN 3 BASS 6 MID 7 TREBLE 5 REVERB 0 MASTER 7
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain3
Bass6
Mid7
Treble5
Reverb0
Master7
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10
Why these settings

Tim's self-titled tone was a StingRay run nearly direct — extremely dry with no effects. The Laboga LR-1 is a guitar amp, so keep it clean to avoid guitar-voiced distortion muddying the bass. Mid pushed to 7 replicates the grinding upper-mid presence that cuts through Morello's wall of guitar. Your Sterling 4H's ceramic humbucker is hotter than Tim's 2-band alnico StingRay, so treble stays conservative at 5 to avoid ice-pick highs.

PRO TIPTim's machine-gun muting on this track comes from palm-muting directly over the bridge pickup while playing aggressive fingerstyle near the bridge — position your plucking hand right at the pickup pole pieces for that percussive, dry attack.

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These settings are for a Laboga LR-1. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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