Song Rig
Man in the Box
Jerry Cantrell · Facelift · 1990
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Man in the Box introduced Alice in Chains's unique sound — a wah pedal held in mid-position (a "cocked wah" technique) that gives the guitar a constant nasal, vocal quality without the sweep. This vocal midrange honk is combined with high-gain distortion from Cantrell's Randall Century 200 head. The tone is sludgy and heavy but simultaneously melodic — quite different from the cutting distortion of contemporaneous grunge bands.
Signal Chain
- 1G&L Rampage (with Seymour Duncan humbuckers)
- 2Dunlop Crybaby GCB-95 (cocked at mid-position)
- 3Randall Century 200 head
- 4Marshall cabinets
Amp Settings
The Randall Century 200 is a solid-state amp with a very specific aggressive midrange character. The cocked wah adds to the mid-forward quality — the combination creates a sound that is simultaneously heavy and vocal.
Technique
How to Play It
The cocked wah technique — engaging the wah pedal but leaving it in a fixed position rather than sweeping it — is the signature element. The exact heel-to-toe position determines the frequency peak; Man in the Box sits at roughly mid-position.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Any humbucker guitar into a high-gain amp. Add a wah pedal and engage it without sweeping — try different fixed positions until you find the vocal mid-honk quality. The gain must be high enough to sustain the single notes in the riff.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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