System of a Down – Mezmerize
The music gear and equipment used by the artists, producers, engineers, and more involved in the making of the 2005 album Mezmerize.
Music from Mezmerize
Artists on Mezmerize
Gear Used On Mezmerize
Explore the instruments, equipment, software, and production tools used in the making of System of a Down – Mezmerize (2005). Click more on each item to see exactly how it was used.
Guitars used by Daron Malakian on Mezmerize
Avg price: $1,192.56
"While Malakian’s distorted tone is formidable, his many-and-varied clean tones are among the most interesting on the disc. He has a gift for placing small, delicate sounds amid roaring chunk-metal mixes and somehow ensuring that the tiny sound claims the listener’s attention. Mezmerize/Hypnotize is particularly rich in multitracked, harmonized, Greek bouzouki-like timbres, many of which were achieved on a Fender Jazzmaster through a Divided by 13 model FTR-37 amp." - Guitar World.
Avg price: $4,486.59
"Along with the 1962 SG, Malakian also used a Jackson Randy Rhoads Flying V retrofitted with humbuckers and two early Eighties Gibson Korina Flying Vs for distorted tones." - Guitar World.
Effects Pedals used by Daron Malakian on Mezmerize
Vox V848 Clyde McCoy Wah (2002-2004)
Avg price: $124.00
Daron's wah since 2006, it replaced the MSD Silver Machine Wah. Was also used with Scars on Broadway in 2010 and System of a Down in 2011.
Avg price: $196.49
Daron used this pedal for some atmospheric flanging sounds in Scars on Broadway in August 2010 and the intro of Holy Mountains at the May 2011 System tour.
Amplifiers used by Daron Malakian on Mezmerize
Marshall JMP 2203 Mk II Master Lead 100w
Avg price: $2,207.37
"Malakian’s main guitar for distorted tones was a 1962 Gibson SG through a 100-watt Marshall JMP100 amp and a single 4x12 cab. One channel of the Marshall is stock, but the second has been modified for extra gain. This very basic rig was recorded via an unusual room-miking technique." - Guitar World.
John Dolmayan
Roles:
Studio Equipment used by John Dolmayan on Mezmerize
The "Army Man" is a crusty old Western Electric frankenstein broadcast tube compressor I dragged out of an old radio guy's garage in Pasadena around 20 years ago. It has exposed wiring which I have not covered up, making it extremely dangerous when children or certain drummers are around. (hah!)
I have not done any maintenance to make this ancient compressor work properly. In fact, I don't want it to work properly because it makes anything you run through sound furry and explosive. For example, I'll route a mono drum room mic through it for extreme compression. Doing this makes the drums feel exciting without accentuating the high end on the cymbals. I might also go for the same effect on vocals and guitars, but in these cases it must be pushed to the absolute extreme to deliver the goods!
During a session, Serge from SOAD stuck a little toy army man in it, thus the nickname "Army Man" was born. That little toy soldier has has lived in there ever since and he must be doing a great job of guarding those precious components, it has never let us down.
This compressor was used all over the System Of A Down record, so much so that it probably would have been impossible to create the overall sound of that album without it.
Bass Guitars used by Shavo Odadjian on Mezmerize
Avg price: $1,175.62
In this documentary, at 6:36 and 3:41, shavo is seen with a 1961 stacked knob fender jazz bass in a natural finish. It was used all throughout mezmerize/hypnotize for its sharp attack, and great note clarity for high speed songs. The Gibson Thunderbird, was not used at all for what is on these two albums, due to the tone being much too boomy and not tight, like the fender jazz bass' tone.
Here are some tracks that this bass was used on for further evidence: