Marshall JCM800 2203

One of the most recognizable guitar intros ever written. Slash's tone on Appetite for Destruction is the textbook Les Paul through a cranked Marshall JCM800 sound: thick, warm humbuckers pushing a hot British amp into singing, vocal-like overdrive. The JCM800 is doing most of the work here, with its aggressive midrange and natural compression when pushed hard. A touch of reverb from the studio and Slash's fluid vibrato complete the picture.

Tom Morello's approach to guitar is unlike anyone else: he uses a simple rig — Les Paul, Marshall JCM800, Whammy pedal, and wah — but manipulates them in unconventional ways to create sounds that resemble turntables, synthesizers, and samples. On Killing in the Name, the core rhythm tone is a Les Paul through a cranked JCM800 for aggressive, tight palm-muted riffs. The Whammy and wah are used for the song's iconic solos and DJ-like scratching effects.

Welcome to the Jungle features a more aggressive, higher-gain version of Slash's Les Paul through Marshall tone compared to Sweet Child O' Mine. The opening wah-filtered harmonics lead into a pummeling riff with thick distortion and tight low end. Slash used an Alesis Midiverb for the pitch-shifted intro effect.

The Trooper's galloping rhythm and harmonized lead melodies defined the Iron Maiden sound. Murray's Stratocaster through a Marshall produces a bright, cutting tone with enough midrange to carry the twin-guitar harmonies. The tone is aggressive but not excessively distorted -- clarity is essential for the fast, galloping triplet picking patterns.