Tone Settings for Change (In the House of Flies) by Deftones (guitar and amp)

1. Volume

• Keep guitar volume at or near maximum (10) to maintain saturation and sustain.
• Use volume boosts or slight overdrive pedals to emphasize dynamics in chorus sections.

2. Tone

• Set tone knob to 5–7 to retain clarity while keeping warmth and darkness.
• Consider rolling tone slightly back for verse sections to match the moody atmospheric vibe.
• Use amp EQ to roll off some highs and mids for that dark alt-metal character.

3. Pickup Selector

• Use the bridge pickup for heavy choruses and riffs.
• Switch to the neck or middle position during verse/lower gain passages for smoother, warmer tones.
• Experiment with split coil or parallel pickup combinations for added textural contrast.

4. Humbucker or Single Coil Preferred?

• Humbuckers are ideal—especially high-output pickups for fat, saturated tones.
• Active humbuckers (e.g., EMG 81/85) or passive alternatives (like Seymour Duncan JB or DiMarzio) provide good punch and sustain.
• Single coils are not recommended; they lack the depth and aggression needed for this track’s tone.

5. Ideal Guitar Type (Electric, Baritone-Style)

• Baritone-scale electric guitar preferred (27″ scale or greater) for proper low tuning performance.
• Guitar should handle C Standard tuning or lower comfortably without floppiness.
• Look for guitars like the PRS SE 277, ESP LTD Baritone models, or any 7-string tuned down to replicate Deftones’ heavy low end.
• Solid body guitars with fixed bridges or stable tremolos help maintain tuning stability under heavy riffing.

• PRS Custom 24: Versatile tone and sustain, ideal for Deftones’ heavy and ambient textures.
• Fender Jazzmaster: Great for atmospheric clean tones and wide frequency response.
• Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier: High-gain amp head used by Deftones for thick distortion sounds.
• Marshall 4×12 Cabinet: Classic cabinet pairing for a powerful live tone.
• Boss DD-7 Digital Delay: Adds spacey delay for clean guitar sections.
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi: Fuzzy distortion for layered gain textures.
• Ibanez WH10 Wah: Expressive filter sweep used subtly in ambient passages.
• Boss RV-6 Reverb: Adds atmospheric depth to both clean and dirty tones.
• Ernie Ball VP Jr Volume Pedal: Useful for swells and dynamic control in ambient parts.
• Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler: Popular multifaceted delay pedal used by many ambient-heavy guitarists.

• Use a high-gain amp setting with tight low end and moderate mids.
• Dial back treble slightly to avoid harshness in palm-muted sections.
• Utilize humbucking pickups for a thicker tone and reduced noise.
• Keep guitar tuned to Drop C (CGCFAD) to match original pitch and feel.
• Apply light delay and room reverb on leads for added depth without clutter.
• Use a compressor subtly to even out clean dynamics in verses.
• Palm-mute with precision to maintain articulation in heavier passages.
• Set gain high enough for sustain but avoid oversaturation for clarity.
• Use dynamic picking to control aggression during build-ups and transitions.
• Double-track rhythm guitars for width in choruses and climaxes.