Get this tone on your gear
Choose your guitar and amp to get exact knob settings.
Quick tone direction
Use a high-output bridge humbucker into sustaining solid-state-style gain. Keep the low end controlled, shape the mids deliberately and use wah or modulation only where the solo needs it.
- Gain
- High sustain with clear bends and vibrato
- EQ
- Controlled bass, shaped mids and smooth high attack
- Pickup
- High-output bridge humbucker
- Wah
- Use for vocal emphasis, not as a fixed full-time filter
- Gate
- Light enough to preserve sustained notes
Dimebag discussed using a Korg Pandora on a passage in 10's. Do not force every named part of a later live rack into the studio signal chain.
Read the Pantera tone guideThe recording
Recorded in 1996 for the album The Great Southern Trendkill, “10’s” is a brief instrumental interlude that features a high‑gain solo by Dimebag Darrell near the song’s ending. The part was tracked with Dimebag’s Washburn Dime 333 using the bridge pickup, employing tight alternate picking and rapid tremolo picking to achieve a percussive, singing sustain. Producer Terry Date captured the tone in the studio with a clean signal path, applying a wah and subtle EQ before feeding the signal into a Randall RG‑100ES, while a noise gate kept the high‑gain hiss in check.
Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)
Signal chain
Original gear
Washburn Dime 333
Guitar
Dimebag used his signature Washburn Dime 333 with a Bill Lawrence L‑500XL bridge pickup and a Seymour Duncan ’59 neck pickup for the solo on “10’s”, giving the part a razor‑sharp bite.
Dunlop Cry Baby DB‑01 Wah Pedal
Wah Pedal
A Cry Baby wah is placed first in the chain, allowing Dimebag to shape the vocal‑like sweep that defines the solo’s articulation.
Furman PQ‑3 Parametric EQ
EQ
The Furman PQ‑3 provides a precise parametric cut that scoops the mids, sharpening the high‑gain tone for the solo.
MXR 126 Flanger/Doubler
Flanger
An MXR 126 adds a subtle doubling effect that thickens the solo without sacrificing its aggressive edge.
Noise Gate (model unknown)
Noise Gate
A noise gate at the end of the chain tames the high‑gain hiss, keeping the solo tight in the mix.
Randall RG‑100ES Solid State Head
Amp
Dimebag drives a Randall RG‑100ES solid‑state head, set with high gain and scooped mids to deliver the searing, tight distortion heard on the solo.
Alternatives
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Select the bridge pickup for the sharpest attack.
- 2.Engage the wah pedal on each phrase to shape vocal‑like sweeps.
- 3.Set the amp’s gain high and scoop the mids for tight, aggressive distortion.
- 4.Use alternate picking with muted palm‑hand technique to keep the lines percussive.
- 5.Add a subtle flanger/doubler for thickness without muddying the attack.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the 10's guitar tone?
The available research points to Washburn Dime 333 into Randall RG‑100ES Solid State Head. The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original 10's amp settings documented?
Exact historical knob positions are not reliably documented for most recordings. ToneTwin does not publish generated values as studio fact; it creates playable settings only for the amp and pedals a player selects.
What tuning is 10's in?
The current research record lists Standard (E A D G B E). ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the 10's tone on my own gear?
Use the reported pickup, gain character, effects and signal-chain order as the target, then translate that target to your equipment. The matcher models controls for your selected rig rather than copying undocumented studio numbers.
Researched and reviewed by the ToneTwin Research Team.