Psychosocial amp settings — Vox AC4C1

The Slipknot guitar tone for “Psychosocial”, dialed in for a Vox AC4C1 with a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster. Studio version, All Hope Is Gone (2008)

Original rig

Jim Root: Orange Rockerverb 100 + Orange 4x12, Fender Jim Root Telecaster (EMG pickups). Mick Thomson: Rivera KR7 + Mesa 4x12, Ibanez MTM signature (EMG 81/85). Noise gates mandatory, Drop A tuning.

Surgical, tight, scooped mids, percussive attack, massive low-end with controlled saturation

Amp settings — Vox AC4C1

BRIGHToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	10
Bass	4
Mid	3
Treble	7
Reverb	0
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Noise Gate (Boss NS-2 or similar)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Absolutely essential for this tone. The silence between chugs defines the percussive attack. Without a gate, the AC4's natural sustain will blur the riff into mush.

Threshold 7 · Decay 3

02High-Gain Distortion (Boss MT-2 Metal Zone or TC Electronic Dark Matter)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The AC4 cannot produce modern metal gain on its own. This pedal becomes your entire gain stage. The amp stays clean to amplify the pedal's saturation without stacking mud.

Level 7 · Low 6 · High 7 · Mid 3 · Mid Freq 5 · Dist 8

Why these settings

The AC4C1 is a 4-watt Class A tube amp designed for chimey cleans and edge-of-breakup British crunch—it cannot produce modern metal saturation. Amp gain is maxed only because even at 10 the AC4 produces mild overdrive, not high-gain distortion. A dedicated metal distortion pedal is mandatory; the amp's job here is to stay as clean as possible and amplify the pedal. Bass is dropped to 4 (vs. the original's 7-8) because Strat single coils in standard tuning will flub out the AC4's small speaker if pushed lower. Treble raised to compensate for the Strat's natural brightness being less aggressive than EMG humbuckers.

PRO TIPPalm mute extremely close to the bridge—within 1 inch—and strike with the pick angled slightly downward for maximum 'chunk.' The percussive snare-drum attack on this riff comes from pick technique and gating, not just gain. Without Drop A tuning and a noise gate, you'll get an approximation at best; consider tuning to Drop D and playing the riff an octave position higher for a tighter response from your Strat's strings.

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These settings are for a Vox AC4C1. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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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.