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The recording
Adam Jones recorded the guitar parts for "Forty Six & 2" in a Drop D tuning (D A D G B E) during the 1996 sessions for the album Ænima. The performance features tight, palm‑muted rhythm riffs and soaring lead lines that shift between clean and high‑gain textures. The session was produced and mixed by David Bottrill, who captured the aggressive guitar tone that drives the song’s dynamic shifts.
Tuning Drop D (D A D G B E)
Signal chain
Original gear
Gibson Les Paul Custom (Silverburst)
Guitar
Adam Jones used a Gibson Les Paul Custom in Silverburst finish on the recording, delivering a thick mahogany tone and high‑output humbuckers that drive the heavy riffs of "Forty Six & 2".
Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Wah
Wah Pedal
A Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Wah was part of Jones’s effects chain for the Ænima sessions, adding expressive sweeps on the bridge sections of "Forty Six & 2".
MXR Phase 90
Phase Pedal
The subtle modulation heard on the verses was created with an MXR Phase 90, providing a swirling texture that complements the song’s shifting dynamics.
Boss DD-5 Digital Delay
Delay Pedal
Jones employed a Boss DD‑5 digital delay to layer echo on the lead lines, giving the track its atmospheric depth.
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp
The core distortion tone was generated by a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier set to the Modern High‑Gain channel with a silicon diode rectifier, delivering tight low end and aggressive mids as described in tone‑analysis posts.
Mesa/Boogie 4×12 Recto Traditional Slant Cabinet (Celestion V30)
Cabinet
The amp was voiced into a Mesa/Boogie 4×12 Recto Traditional Slant cabinet loaded with Celestion V30 speakers, providing focused mids and a tight low‑end that shape the guitar’s presence on the track.
Alternatives
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Tune the guitar to Drop D (D A D G B E) before playing.
- 2.Use heavy palm‑muting on the low strings for the chuggy rhythm parts.
- 3.Apply alternate picking on the fast sixteenth‑note sections to keep timing tight.
- 4.Add subtle vibrato on sustained notes for expressive phrasing.
- 5.Blend the wah pedal into bridge passages for vocal‑like tone sweeps.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the Forty Six & 2 guitar tone?
The available research points to Gibson Les Paul Custom (Silverburst) into Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier. The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original Forty Six & 2 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 Forty Six & 2 in?
The current research record lists Drop D (D A D G B E). ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the Forty Six & 2 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.
