Get this tone on your gear
Choose your guitar and amp to get exact knob settings.
Quick tone direction
Start with a high-output bridge humbucker and a tight modern high-gain voice. Use a low-gain boost only to firm the attack, and keep the rhythm sound dry.
- Gain
- High, but below the point where chords blur
- EQ
- Controlled lows, clear mids and a smooth top end
- Boost
- Low drive and enough level to tighten the amplifier
- Gate
- Light to moderate; do not cut sustained notes
- Effects
- Dry rhythm; add delay only for the lead part
The recording
The 'Nightmare' riff was tracked in 2010 with Synyster Gates playing a Schecter Synyster Gates Custom‑S, using the bridge position of a Seymour Duncan SH‑8 Invader pickup and a Sustainiac neck pickup. The part features aggressive palm‑muted attack and tight low‑end, captured by the studio engineers during the album sessions.
Signal chain
Original gear
Schecter Synyster Gates Custom‑S
Guitar
Synyster Gates recorded the 'Nightmare' riff using his Schecter Synyster Gates Custom‑S equipped with a Seymour Duncan SH‑8 Invader bridge pickup and a Sustainiac neck pickup, captured with the bridge pickup in the studio.
MXR MC401 Boost/Line Driver
Pedal
A Boost/Line Driver unit was placed in front of the amp to push the Bogner Uberschall into higher gain for the 'Nightmare' studio tone, as detailed in the tone settings.
Bogner Uberschall 120‑Watt Tube Head
Amp
The core amp for the 'Nightmare' recording was a Bogner Uberschall 120‑Watt tube head, delivering tight, high‑gain metal tone with a hint of reverb.
Alternatives
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Select the bridge pickup (Seymour Duncan SH‑8 Invader) for the main riff.
- 2.Engage the MXR MC401 Boost to add extra attack before the amp.
- 3.Use alternate picking on the rapid sixteenth‑note runs to maintain speed and clarity.
- 4.Apply slight vibrato and sustain with the Sustainiac neck pickup for soaring leads.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the Nightmare guitar tone?
The available research points to Schecter Synyster Gates Custom‑S into Bogner Uberschall 120‑Watt Tube Head. The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original Nightmare 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.
How do I recreate the Nightmare 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.
