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Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench - Guitar Tab

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Key B major
Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench guitar tab video
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Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Foo Fighters Hard Rock B major
Capo Advisor 0 B major · Original key

About Monkey Wrench

Monkey Wrench is the lead single from Foo Fighters' second album, The Colour and the Shape. Built on heavy, driving riffs and angst-fueled vocals from Dave Grohl, the track showcases powerful chord progressions and dynamic dynamics that make it a rewarding study for electric guitarists seeking to master alternative rock intensity.

  • The song peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
  • Features thick, overdriven guitar tones layered with contrasting clean passages typical of 90s alternative rock.
  • Grohl's personal lyrics reflect emotional turmoil, creating raw vocal delivery that complements aggressive instrumental sections.

How to Play Monkey Wrench

Tuning: Drop D · Key: B major · Tempo: 174 BPM

The drop D tuning lets you fret the low power chords with a single finger, which is central to the heavier riffing here. At 174 bpm it moves fast, so the real test is building picking stamina and keeping every note clean at speed.

Loop the hardest passage and creep the speed up from around 70 percent until it holds at 174 BPM.

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Chris Shiflett's Telecaster Deluxe with dual humbuckers provides a brighter, more cutting lead tone than Dave Grohl's darker semi-hollows, creating essential tonal separation in Foo Fighters' layered recordings.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Chris Shiflett uses Les Paul Standards live for their thick humbucker output and sustain, matching the band's preference for guitars that push tube amps into natural saturation without pedal-based distortion.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom's thick body and potent humbuckers deliver the compressed midrange and sustain essential to Foo Fighters' heavy, saturated crunch when paired with cranked Mesa/Boogie and Marshall amps.

Gibson ES-335
Guitar

Gibson ES-335

Dave Grohl's signature DG-335 semi-hollow body produces warm, chimey overdrive on cleaner parts and thick midrange on heavy sections, becoming the sonic foundation of Foo Fighters' studio and live sound.

Gibson Explorer
Guitar

Gibson Explorer

Grohl's white 1980s Explorer delivers aggressive humbucker tones and extended upper range, providing the raw power and cutting presence needed for the band's louder, more distorted passages.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800's legendary crunch and natural tube saturation perfectly complements Foo Fighters' philosophy of tone-first guitar-and-amp combinations, delivering the heavy, responsive drive heard throughout their discography.

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