John Petrucci's Sound
Progressive metal's benchmark technician, with a composer's grip on long forms.
Mesa/Boogie Mark series precision — tight, sustaining and enormous
The rig
The gear associated with the sound. Each item opens a live Reverb search — vintage examples where they exist, modern equivalents where they don't.
Guitars
- Ernie Ball Music Man JP6 / MajestyFind on Reverb
- Ibanez JPM (1990s)Find on Reverb
Amps
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ and Mark VFind on Reverb
- Mesa JP-2C signatureFind on Reverb
Effects
- TC Electronic 2290 delayFind on Reverb
- Dunlop JP95 wahFind on Reverb
- Fractal Axe-Fx for controlFind on Reverb
Pickups
- DiMarzio Crunch Lab / LiquiFire / DreamcatcherFind on Reverb
Why it sounds like that
Pull Me Under
Mark IIC+ rhythm tone: extremely tight low end with enough midrange for the riff to survive keyboard doubling.
Metropolis Pt. 1
Lead tone with long stereo delay so the unison lines with keyboards stay huge.
The Glass Prison
Seven-string era: darker, heavier, and still articulate under complex rhythm figures.
Similar sounds
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