Real AmpTuning: E StandardPickup: NeckBeginner FriendlyEmoClean ToneBest for Beginners
Black Parade Intimate Clean — Restrained Electric Layer
The guitar is deliberately subordinate to the piano and vocal, so this preset uses the clean side of the documented Black Parade palette rather than a large distorted stack. My Chemical Romance used vintage Fender guitars, a Hiwatt for alternate textures, and straightforward layered tones during the sessions, but the exact guitar on this song is not documented; settings are approximated accordingly. Source: Seymour Duncan’s Ray Toro interview.
Signal Chain
Vintage Fender-style electric guitar (exact model undocumented)→Hiwatt clean head→British 4x12→Short Plate Reverb→Gentle Studio Compression→Output
GuitarVintage Fender-style electric guitar (exact model undocumented)
Tone
7.5
PickupNeck
TuningE Standard
Volume
8
AmpHiwatt clean head
Bass
5
Gain
2
Mids
6
Master
6
Treble
5.5
Presence
4.5
Cab / IRBritish 4x12
MicLarge-diaphragm condenser
Mic PositionOff-axis and slightly distant
EffectShort Plate Reverb
Mix
2
Decay2.5
EffectGentle Studio Compression
Mix
10
Amount3
Attack5
Release5
Notes
Play softly and leave space around the vocal melody. Use less reverb than expected so the guitar remains close and fragile.
Don't have this gear?
See the same signal chain mapped to another platform. Knob values carry over as starting points — gain ranges differ between platforms.