Tone library / System Of A Down / Aerials

Aerials amp settings — Peavey Rage 158

The System Of A Down guitar tone for “Aerials”, dialed in for a Peavey Rage 158 with a Yamaha Sc400t. Studio version, Toxicity album (2001)

Original rig

Ibanez Iceman (stock humbuckers) or Gibson SG → Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier blended with Marshall JCM800 2203, 4x12 cab, MXR Smart Gate noise gate. Drop C tuning.

Mid-forward high-gain crunch with clarity and cut, not scooped — aggressive but articulate palm mutes

Amp settings — Peavey Rage 158

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	3
Mid	7
Treble	6
Master	4

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Zoom GFX-8 (Noise Gate block)

Essential for tight palm mutes in Drop C — Daron used an MXR Smart Gate

Threshold 4 · Decay 3

02Zoom GFX-8 (Distortion/Preamp block — use 'Rect Vntg' or 'MS Crunch' model)

Run the GFX-8 amp model into a CLEAN Rage 158 — set amp gain to 2-3 and let the Zoom provide all distortion character. 'Rect Vntg' approximates the Mesa Rectifier voicing.

Gain 7 · Bass 4 · Mid 7 · Treble 6 · Level 7

Why these settings

The Peavey Rage 158 is a solid-state practice amp with limited gain character — it cannot replicate a cranked Triple Rectifier on its own. Use the Zoom GFX-8's Rectifier model as your primary gain source and run the Rage 158 nearly clean (gain 2-3) as a power amp. The Yamaha SC400T has single coils, which are brighter and lower output than Daron's humbuckers — compensate by pushing mids +1 on the Zoom and keeping treble conservative to avoid ice-pick highs.

PRO TIPDrop C tuning is mandatory for this tone — the low string tension and pitch are baked into the sound. If you stay in standard tuning, the riff will sound thin and wrong no matter your settings. Tune to C-G-C-F-A-D and use a heavier string gauge (.012-.054 or similar) to maintain tension.

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These settings are for a Peavey Rage 158. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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