The Smashing Pumpkins

Cherub Rock guitar tone settings.

Siamese Dream · 1993 · Hard Rock

Explore Cherub Rock by The Smashing Pumpkins: an example rig, amp settings and playing tips. Adapt the reference to your own supported gear with Amper.

Siamese Dream — The Smashing Pumpkins album artwork — Album artwork · The Smashing Pumpkins / Apple Music ↗

RECREATION

Heavy rhythm

Thick, sustaining distortion with a broad midrange.

In your hands

Keep the octave-style figures distinct and control unused strings; a single guitar will not reproduce layered tracks.

Evidence and sources

Amper practice recreation for the named guitar part or electric arrangement. Gain, EQ, pickup and effect choices are authored starting points, not documented artist settings or a verified recording rig. No track-specific recording evidence is claimed for this profile. Listening validation on physical gear is pending.

Reference tone

FREE TO EXPLORE

An authored example rig, not your matched settings or a documented artist preset.

RG421→Big Muff Pi→Dual Rectifier Multi-Watt

guitar · Ibanez

RG421

5-way selector (bridge to neck)Bridge humbuckerWhy this setting?

Suggested pickup position for this part; a tonal choice, not a claim about the original session.

Volume10Why this setting?

Suggested volume position for this part. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Guitar output.

Tone8Why this setting?

Suggested tone position for this part. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Master treble roll-off.

pedal · Electro-Harmonix

Big Muff Pi

Volume3Why this setting?

Match bypassed loudness by ear; output is not a fixed unity-gain position.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Output level.

Tone5Why this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Clockwise shifts from bass emphasis toward treble.

Sustain7Why this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Distortion and sustain amount.

Effect footswitchOnWhy this setting?

Engage this selected pedal for this section; match the bypassed loudness.

amp · Mesa/Boogie

Dual Rectifier Multi-Watt

Rear channel selectorCH1Why this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

CH1 modeCleanWhy this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

CH1 Gain2Why this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Channel preamp drive.

CH1 Treble5Why this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Channel high EQ.

CH1 Mid6Why this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Channel middle EQ.

CH1 Bass5Why this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Channel low EQ.

CH1 Presence5Why this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Channel high response; behavior depends on selected mode.

CH1 Master2Why this setting?

Start with output at minimum, then raise toward this low starting position to suit your room; knob position is not loudness.

Normalized knob travel 0-10. Channel output.

CH1 Multi-Watt50 WWhy this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

CH1 Rectifier SelectDiodeWhy this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Loop AssignLoop BypassWhy this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Main Power voicingBoldWhy this setting?

Editorial starting point, not a measured reproduction. Compare at equal listening volume and adjust by ear.

Select the indicated channel on the rear selector, not FTSW. Use Loop Bypass and connect pedals to the front input. Output and Solo are inactive: begin with the active channel Master fully down and raise it cautiously. Only the selected channel settings are shown.

Know the limits

Editorial recreation; these settings have not been listening-tested on your setup.
Pickup output, speakers, room, and studio layering remain differences; the numeric mapping is not an acoustic calibration.
Rectifier channel/mode, EQ and presence interact; these positions are a starting point, not a calibrated match.

These are Amper recreation settings, not the artist’s exact knob positions. Amper practice recreation for the named guitar part or electric arrangement. Gain, EQ, pickup and effect choices are authored starting points, not documented artist settings or a verified recording rig. No track-specific recording evidence is claimed for this profile. Listening validation on physical gear is pending.