Tone library / System Of A Down / Lost In Hollywood

Lost In Hollywood amp settings — Blackstar Blackstar ID:Core 20 V4

The System Of A Down guitar tone for “Lost In Hollywood”, dialed in for a Blackstar Blackstar ID:Core 20 V4 with a Spira guitar Spira S 400. Studio version, Mezmerize album (2005)

Original rig

Marshall JMP100 (stock channel for cleans), 1962 Gibson SG with PAF humbuckers, no pedals, room-miked

Glassy, articulate clean with warm low-mids and subtle room ambience

Amp settings — Blackstar Blackstar ID:Core 20 V4

CHANNELClean WarmBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	6
Mid	5
Treble	5
Presence	0
Reverb	3
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Blackstar ID:Core's Clean Warm voice approximates the Marshall JMP's stock clean channel warmth. ISF should sit around 9-10 o'clock (toward American/scooped) to avoid excessive British midrange bite that the original JMP cleans lack. Your Spira S 400's humbuckers match the SG's PAF output well, so no gain compensation needed. Tone knob rolled to 7 softens the top end to replicate the PAF's smoother high frequencies.

PRO TIPPlay with your picking hand positioned over the neck pickup or even slightly over the fretboard edge—Malakian's clean attack on this track has a softer, rounder transient that comes from picking position, not just EQ.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Blackstar Blackstar ID:Core 20 V4. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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