Tone library / System Of A Down / Aerials

Aerials amp settings — Fender Champion 100

The System Of A Down guitar tone for “Aerials”, dialed in for a Fender Champion 100 with a Jackson JS22 Dinky. Studio version, Toxicity (2001) — heavy main riff and chorus tone

Original rig

1962 Gibson SG / Les Paul into blended Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier (Modern High Gain) and Marshall JMP 2203, tuned to Drop C

Aggressive, mid-forward wall-of-sound modern high gain with tight low end and sharp bite

Amp settings — Fender Champion 100

CHANNELChannel 2 (Voice: Metal / 2000s High Gain)BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	6
Mid	5
Treble	7
Reverb	2
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Jim Dunlop Cry Baby GCB95

Leave bypassed for the rhythm and chorus riffs

02Buehring Ultra Metal

Used as a tight boost into Channel 2's Metal voice — keeps the Drop C low-end articulate

Dist 2 · Level 8 · Tone 6

Why these settings

The Fender Champion 100 features a 3-band EQ on Channel 2 (presence is not present on this faceplate and is set to null). Set the Voice selector to the high-gain Metal voice to replicate Daron Malakian's blended Mesa Rectifier and Marshall JMP crunch. The Buehring Ultra Metal acts as a tightening front-end boost with drive kept low and level pushed to prevent the Drop C tuning from muddying the 2x12 speakers. For the clean intro, switch to Channel 1 with a touch of onboard hall reverb.

PRO TIPTune your Jackson to Drop C (C-G-C-F-A-D) and strike your palm-muted open low strings aggressively near the bridge saddles to capture the tight, percussive chug of the Toxicity rhythm tracks.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Champion 100. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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