Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein Gear, Effects, Tone, Rig Examples – In-Depth Guide

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein is one of the most well-known names in the punk scene. The American guitarist is mostly known as the lead guitarist of the horror punk band Misfits. He is also known as Doyle, as many fans call him by his nickname. Doyle has a unique playing approach with aggressive licks and uncompromising style as he combines speed-picking solos with melodic punk riffs.

He uses many different gears, from various effect pedals to different amps and guitars. His high gain and heavy distortion tones. He has a unique sound that can be described as highly punk and heavy. He uses a complex pedal setup with basic effects such as distortion, chorus, delay, and likewise. His tone consists of quie a bit of gain, articulated tones, and harmonics, as well as a good sustain.

In order to replicate Doyle’s tone, you have to get a bit familiar with his gear, setup, and approach, which I will cover in this article today. I will discuss the unique parts of his tone and how to get closer to it. And at the end, I will give some rig examples for different budgets on how to catch the tone of Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s Guitars

Signature Guitars

Dean Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein Signature Annihilator

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein is his own design created by Dean Guitars. The guitar has a unique gothic shape with unique characteristics. It has a handmade high-output custom pickup designed by Doyle, which gives the guitar it’s monster high-gain tone. Plus, it has a  full FU-Tone titanium tremolo system which offers a recessed system. This is the guitar Doyle has used the most in recent years.

The guitar has a neck-through system with a graphite body which is a pretty weird design. It features Seymour Duncan Invader pickups for high-gain tones. Another interesting fact is that the guitar does not have any external screws. This is because the screws scratch his body when he plays topless. The guitar’s aesthetic design is inspired by Batman, his favorite superhero.

Electric Guitars

Ibanez Iceman Electric Guitar

Ibanez Iceman Electric Guitar was Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s choice in the Danzig years of the Misfits. You can listen to the song American Nightmare by The Misfits to hear the guitar’s tone and how he plays it.

Gibson Les Paul Dot Studio Black

In the beginning years of his career, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein was using a Gibson Les Paul Dot Studio Black. 

Gibson Les Paul Special SL Electric Guitar

Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein of the Misfits, 1982
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Again, in the first years of his career, Doyle preferred different Les Paul-style guitars, and Gibson Les Paul Special SL Electric Guitar was one of them, along with the Dot Studio Black.

Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster

Altough he does not use it very often, his acoustic guitar choice of Doyle is a Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster. He has a photo of the guitar in his Instagram page.

Bass Guitars

Oktober Devil Wings Bass

As shown on Doyle’s official webpage, Doyle and Doyle’s bass guitar player uses a special Oktober Devil Wings Bass, which Doyle also plays in the studio and on the stage.

Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass ’77

In the live performances, instead of Oktober Devil Wings Bass, Doyle and his bassist started using a Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass ’77 in recent years. The guitar is explained in the official webpage.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s Amps

Ampeg SVT-CL Classic

Doyle’s primary choice of amp heads is the Ampeg SVT-CL Classic as it has more bottom to it, just like Doyle likes. He says that he does not like the mid-range, so he looks for more high-end and bottom-end in his tone. The amp was recommended to him by a friend, and he has used it for many years with The Misfits, Danzing, and his solo projects.

Marshall PB100 Power Brake Attenuator

When Doyle uses Demeter preamps, he likes to have Power Brake to prevent his tone from being too loud.

Ampeg Lee Jackson VL-1002 Guitar Head

During the era when Doyle was playing with Michael Graves in the Misfits, he was using another Ampeg head called the Ampeg Lee Jackson VL-1002 Guitar Head. 

EVH 5150 III 100S 100W

In his studio, Doyle has had an EVH 5150 III 100S 100W since 2021, which he uses for his recordings occasionally. In live shows, he did not use it yet. The amp is shown in his Instagram page.

Kemper Profiler Rack

Like most guitarists, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein also owns a Kemper Profiler Rack, as it is one of the most versatile amps, especially for the studio. You can reach almost any tone possible with the Profiler, so Doyle uses it for his recordings. You can see his Kemper Profiler in Doyle’s official Instagram account.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s Cabs

Ampeg Classic Series 8 x 10″ Cabinet

Ampeg Classic Series 8 x 10″ Cabinet is Doyle’s first choice of cab. The cabinets have  8 x 10″ size and 800W power which is perfect for his heavy and aggressive tones.

Ampeg V2 Ported 4×12 Cab

On his live shows, Doyle also uses Ampeg V2 Ported 4×12 Cabinets with his Ampeg amps.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s Effect Pedals

DigiTech Hardwire Series SC-2 Valve Distortion

One of the main ingredients of Doyle’s heavy distortion tone is the DigiTech Hardwire Series SC-2 Valve Distortion. Its capacity to deliver the full spectrum from classic rock crunch to modern high-gain sounds is ideal for its sonic flavors.

DigiTech WH-4 Whammy (4th Gen)

Another characteristic pedal from Doyle’s pedalboard is the DigiTech WH-4 Whammy, as he likes to use pitch shifters to create unique effects. 

Vox Joe Satriani Time Machine Delay Pedal

For his delay effects, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein has used Vox Joe Satriani’s Time Machine Delay Pedal since his Abominator Tours in 2015.

MXR M109 6-Band Graphic EQ

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein prefers MXR M109 6-Band Graphic EQ to finetune his sound. He has used it since the 2015 Abominator Tour on the stage.

MXR M152 Micro Flanger

As Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein likes the chorus effects, he has an MXR M152 Micro Flanger in his pedal setup to add some unique flavors of flanger effects to his tone from time to time.

TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger

When Doyle needs a more profound and complex flanger effect, he uses his TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger instead of the MXR M152.

Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah Pedal

One of the most used pedals in Doyle’s pedalboard is the Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah Pedal, as he likes and adds the Wah effect pretty often. 

Rocktron Hush Noise Gate

Doyle uses high-gain tones and pedals, so he needs a good noise gate to silence the unwanted noise. His go-to pedal for this task is the Rocktron Hush Noise Gate pedal.

Livewire ABY Box ABY1

The Live Wire ABY1 selector/combiner footswitch is a great pedal switcher that many guitarists use on the stage, like Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein.

MXR EVH 5150 Stereo Chorus

MXR EVH 5150 Stereo Chorus is another chorus pedal that Doyle used for a while on the stage. But he prefers other chorus pedals more than the EVH510.

DigiTech FreqOut Natural Feedback Creator

DigiTech FreqOut, Natural Feedback Creator, is one of the key secrets behind Doyle’s tones, as he is known for his heavy riffing, ripping solos, and his amazingly strong feedback.

MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive

MXR EVH 5150 Overdrive sits on the studio setup. Doyle as he uses it as a clean booster as well as a support for his gain tones. He does not use it on the stage, tough.

Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner

Doyle uses a Boss TU-2 or TU-3 Chromatic Tuner on the stage to tune his guitar precisely.

Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

During the time off during the time of Gorgeous Frankenstein, Doyle was using a Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor to prevent unwanted noise from his signal.

MXR M169 Carbon Copy

In recent years Doyle started using an MXR M169 Carbon Copy for his delay effects with The Misfits on the stage.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s Accessories 

Demeter TGP-3 Preamp 

Another key trick to Doyle’s tone is using Demeter TGP-3 Preamps connected to the bass heads. This way, he can bypass the mids and get the bottom and high ranges he likes.

Dunlop DC-Brick Multi-Power Supply

To power up his pedalboard, Doyle has a Dunlop DC-Brick Multi-Power Supply.

Seymour Duncan Invader SH-8

Seymour Duncan Invader SH-8 is a great high-gain humbucker bridge pickup perfect for Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s heavy and aggressive distortion tones. 

Line 6 Relay G30

On the stage, Doyle uses the Line 6 Relay G30 wireless transmitter system, which allows him to move freely on the stage without the limitations of the cables.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s Guitar Strings

Dean Markley 2504-DO Doyle Annihilators Electric Guitar Strings – .010-.060

Doyle uses Dean Markley 2504-DO Doyle Annihilators Electric Guitar Strings – .010-.060 to have a more heavy-hitting tone and durability on his guitar.

Von Frankenstein Monster Gear Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein Signature Strings – Monsters (.010-.052)

https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=67144&awinaffid=1525401&ued=https%3A%2F%2Freverb.com%2Fmarketplace%3Fquery%3DVon Frankenstein Monster Gear Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein Signature Strings – Monsters (.010-.052)

Another string set Doyle uses is the Von Frankenstein Monster Gear Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein Signature Strings – Monsters (.010-.052), as it gives Doyle the quality, feel, and durability required by the most discerning of tone aficionados.

What Is Special About Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s Guitar Tone?

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein is known for his bands like Danzig and Misfits. With both bands, he had a very aggressive playing style, ripping solos, heavy tones, and of course, particular looks with his Frankenstein makeup.

His guitar tone is extremely sharp, like a butcher’s knife. He does not like to have mid-ranges in his tone and goes just for low and high ranges, which ends with a razor-like sound. That is why his tone is extremely recognizable whenever heard. 

His guitar tones rip through the record and mix very easily. His tones are extremely metallic and go well with his punk with speed-thrash hints playing style.

How To Sound Like Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein?

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein indeed has a particular sound. It is not for everybody’s taste, but it is highly recognizable. The most important aspect is that his tone is extremely aggressive and sharp, like a razor. He uses extremely high-gain and heavy tones with his highly aggressive playing style, creating a very dark sound. 

One of the tricks he does is he uses bass amp heads with a Demeter preamp. So this way, he bypasses the mid-ranges and gets the bottom and high frequencies in his tone. This makes the tone more metallic and sharper, which results in a more aggressive sound.

Another trick is finding the perfect combination of crushing tone, strength, durability, and, most of all, feel. While he likes to be minimalistic with his setup, he has a medium-sized pedalboard. He likes to have some whammy, chorus, and delay effects from time to time. But, the core of his tone comes from the bass amp heads, the preamp, the DigiTech Hardwire Series SC-2 Valve Distortion, and the noise gate pedal, mainly the Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor. 

So, to recreate his tone, you can use any valve-style distortion with the gain going up almost to full range, bass and high frequencies dialed up, and the mids scooped down, noise gate acting all the time to prevent the unwanted noise and feedback, and a good amp to give the loud sound you need.

Coming to the playing style, the most characteristic playing of Doyle is playing as aggressively as you can. Well, he is not the most talented or skillful guitar player, and his solos are more about the feel than the technique. He does not use any fancy licks or different scales, or he does not have anything new to offer. Playing aggressive power chords, with basic pentatonic solos and lots of pinched harmonics, will get you more than close enough.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein Rig Examples

Budget

Guitar – Ibanez Iceman IC100 Electric Guitar White

Amp – Positive Grid Spark

Effect Pedal – HardWire SC-2 Valve Distortion

Suppose you want to build a setup to recreate Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein’s tone. In that case, you can go for a budget version of his guitar and have an Ibanez Iceman IC100 Electric Guitar White along with a modeler amp like Positive Grid Spark to have the versatility to create different tones. To support your distortion tone and get as aggressive as Doyle, add his valve distortion pedal HardWire SC-2 Valve Distortion to your setup.

Mid-Range

Guitar – Ibanez Iceman ICT700 Electric Guitar White

Amp – Ampeg SVT Micro VR Stack – SVT Micro Head and SVT-210AV Cabinet

Effect Pedal – HardWire SC-2 Valve Distortion

Effect Pedal – Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

If you have a bit more budget, you can go for a better guitar like Ibanez Iceman ICT700 Electric Guitar White which is the actual guitar Doyle used for a while before his signature Annihilator. 

You can go for an Ampeg amp like Ampeg SVT Micro VR Stack – SVT Micro Head with SVT-210AV Cabinet, which are a gain variations of the amp heads Doyle uses. To get his aggressive tones, a HardWire SC-2 Valve Distortion with a Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor would be a perfect combination. If you still have more budget, you can also add a TC Electronic SCF Stereo Chorus and Flanger for the chorus effects to your setup.

High-End

Guitar – Dean Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein Signature Annihilator

Amp – Ampeg SVT Classic Tube Bass Heads with Celestion-loaded 4×12 Cabinets

Preamp – Demeter TGP-3 Preamp 

Effect Pedal – HardWire SC-2 Valve Distortion

Effect Pedal – Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor

Effect Pedal – DigiTech WH-4 Whammy (4th Gen)

Effect Pedal – Vox Joe Satriani Time Machine Delay Pedal

Effect Pedal – TC Electronic SCF Stereo Chorus and Flanger

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To get the full Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein rig, you need his signature guitar,  Dean Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein Signature Annihilator, along with his favorite amp, Ampeg SVT Classic Tube Bass Heads with Celestion-loaded 4×12 Cabinets. You will also need a Demeter TGP-3 Preamp connected to the bass heads.

While the guitar and amp get you pretty close, the main ingredients are the pedals. You need the HardWire SC-2 Valve Distortion for the aggressive valve-like distortion tones, a Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor to prevent unwanted noise, a DigiTech WH-4 Whammy (4th Gen) for unique pitch shifting effects, Vox Joe Satriani Time Machine Delay Pedal for the delay effects, and a TC Electronic SCF Stereo Chorus and Flanger to recreate his unique chorus effects.

Conclusion

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein is one of the unique characters in rock history with his looks and sound. He likes to have highly aggressive and heavy high-gain tones with the spice of some chorus and whammy effects. He also uses delay and wah effects from time to time. He has a particular sound that is not that hard to recreate.

With the right gear and a lot of aggressive playing techniques and styles, you can easily get to his range and start playing some Misfits tones. Just be careful with your guitar and gear in order not to break them while being aggressive.

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Last update on 2024-05-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API