Tone library / System Of A Down / Holy Mountains

Holy Mountains amp settings — Mustang ii

The System Of A Down guitar tone for “Holy Mountains”, dialed in for a Mustang ii with a Harley Benton St 62. Studio version, Hypnotize (2005)

Original rig

Daron Malakian: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier + Marshall JCM800 blend, Gibson SG with Seymour Duncan Invader pickup (bridge). Serj's acoustic parts on separate track.

Aggressive mid-heavy crunch with tight low-end, cutting upper-mids for Armenian-influenced melodic riffs, moderate gain with clarity

Amp settings — Mustang ii

CHANNELAmp Model: Metal 2000 (closest to Rectifier voicing)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Mustang II's Metal 2000 model approximates the Dual Rectifier's scooped-but-punchy character. Daron's tone is less scooped than typical nu-metal—mid at 7 retains the melodic clarity essential for the Armenian-influenced riffs. Gain at 7 (not maxed) keeps note definition; the Invader pickup runs hot, but your single-coil ST-62 bridge needs this gain level to reach similar saturation. Treble at 6 prevents ice-pick harshness through the Mustang's digital voicing.

PRO TIPDaron picks hard near the bridge with a stiff pick for that percussive attack on the staccato riffs—dig in aggressively on the verse chunks, then lighten up for the melodic passages to let the mid-range sing.

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

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