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Stone Temple Pilots

9 guitar songs · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Alternative Rock

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Band Overview

History and Guitar Legacy

Stone Temple Pilots emerged from San Diego in 1989 and became one of the defining guitar-driven rock bands of the 1990s alternative explosion. Often associated with grunge alongside Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, STP carved out their own identity through a more eclectic, riff-heavy approach drawing from Classic Rock, psychedelia, and glam. Lead guitarist Dean DeLeo and bassist brother Robert DeLeo formed one of the tightest rhythm sections in 1990s rock. Core (1992), Purple (1994), and Tiny Music (1996) proved STP were far more than grunge imitators.

Playing Style and Techniques

Dean DeLeo bridges heavy riffing and melodic sophistication, comfortable with crushing drop-D power chords on tracks like 'Dead & Bloated' and jangly arpeggiated clean passages on 'Big Empty' and 'Interstate Love Song.' His rhythm playing uses open-position chord voicings with more harmonic complexity than standard barre chords. DeLeo masters layered guitar arrangements, stacking clean and distorted parts to create wide stereo images. His approach emphasizes feel, dynamics, and tone over flashy technique, making every note serve the song's purpose.

Why Guitarists Study Stone Temple Pilots

Dean DeLeo's playing is a masterclass in crafting memorable, mid-gain riffs that sit perfectly in a mix. For guitarists developing their craft, STP demonstrates how to bridge heavy and melodic playing styles while maintaining rhythmic precision. His work teaches the importance of dynamics, tone shaping, and creating arrangements that serve the song. Studying STP helps players develop their ear for guitar parts that contribute musically rather than showcase technique alone.

Difficulty and Learning Path

STP songs range from beginner-friendly to solidly intermediate. Tracks like 'Plush' and 'Creep' suit players who've mastered basic open chords and power chords. Songs like 'Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart' and 'Vasoline' demand tighter rhythmic control, confident palm-muting, and alternate tuning familiarity. DeLeo emphasizes feel and dynamics over shred techniques, making STP essential for learning how to craft purposeful guitar parts that support the song structure.

What Makes Stone Temple Pilots Essential for Guitar Players

  • Dean DeLeo frequently uses open-string chord voicings and unusual shapes rather than standard barre chords, giving STP riffs a richer harmonic texture. Study the intro to 'Interstate Love Song' to hear how open strings ring against fretted notes for a semi-acoustic warmth that a straight barre chord can't deliver.
  • Drop-D tuning is a staple in the STP catalog. Songs like 'Dead & Bloated,' 'Sex Type Thing,' and 'Big Bang Baby' all leverage that low D for heavier, fatter power chords. Getting comfortable switching between standard and drop-D quickly is essential for covering this band.
  • Palm-muting control is critical for nailing STP's rhythm parts. 'Vasoline' and 'Sex Type Thing' require you to dial in precise muting pressure, too heavy and you lose the note definition, too light and the riffs lose their punch. Practice transitioning between tight palm-muted chugs and open ringing chords.
  • Dean DeLeo's lead work is tasteful and melodic rather than technically demanding. His solos in 'Plush' and 'Big Empty' use pentatonic and blues-scale phrasing with expressive vibrato and well-placed bends. Focus on sustain and note choice over speed when learning his leads.
  • Dynamic contrast is a hallmark of STP's guitar approach. Many songs shift dramatically between clean arpeggiated verses and overdriven choruses, 'Creep' and 'Big Empty' are perfect examples. Learning to manage your volume knob and pedal switching to handle these transitions smoothly is a real-world skill these songs will develop.

Did You Know?

Dean DeLeo tracked much of Core using a 1972 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe through a cranked Marshall, a straightforward setup that proves you don't need a massive pedalboard to get legendary guitar tones.

The iconic clean tone on 'Interstate Love Song' was achieved using a 12-string guitar layered with a standard 6-string, creating that lush, Byrds-influenced jangle that became one of STP's most recognizable sonic signatures.

For the Purple album sessions, Dean DeLeo experimented heavily with vintage gear, including old Supro and Silvertone amps, to get dirtier, more lo-fi textures that contrasted with Core's polished Marshall tones.

'Plush' was originally written in an open tuning, and early demos had a very different feel before the band reworked it into the standard-tuning arrangement most guitarists learn today. The acoustic version strips it back further and is a great exercise in fingerpicking dynamics.

Dean DeLeo is a self-taught player who credits Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, and Andy Summers as key influences, which explains the blend of heavy riffing, psychedelic textures, and chord sophistication you hear throughout STP's catalog.

During the recording of Tiny Music, Dean DeLeo used a Talk Box on several tracks and experimented with feedback loops and unconventional mic placements, pushing STP's guitar sound into more experimental territory than most fans expected.

The riff for 'Sex Type Thing' was one of the first ideas Dean DeLeo brought to the band, and its simplicity, essentially a grinding drop-D power chord progression with aggressive palm-muting, became the template for an entire generation of '90s hard rock guitar.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Core album cover
Core 1992

Core is the essential starting point for learning STP guitar. 'Sex Type Thing' teaches tight palm-muted drop-D riffing, 'Plush' develops your feel for dynamic verse-chorus transitions, and 'Dead & Bloated' is a workout in controlled aggression. The album covers the full range of Dean DeLeo's rhythm and lead fundamentals.

Spotify Apple Music
Purple album cover
Purple 1994

Purple is where STP's guitar work gets more sophisticated and varied. 'Interstate Love Song' is a clinic in clean-tone rhythm playing with open-string voicings, 'Vasoline' tightens up your alternate picking and palm-muting, and 'Big Empty' teaches you how to build atmosphere with arpeggiated clean parts before exploding into overdriven choruses. This album will level up your dynamics and tone awareness.

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Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop album cover
Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop 1996

'Big Bang Baby' and 'Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart' showcase a glammier, more rhythmically complex side of STP. This album pushes you into funkier rhythmic patterns, unusual chord shapes, and more adventurous effects use. It's ideal for intermediate players who've already nailed Core and Purple and want to expand their vocabulary.

Spotify Apple Music

Tone & Gear

Guitar

Dean DeLeo's primary guitars include a 1972 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe (with mini-humbuckers), various Gibson Les Paul Standards, and Fender Telecasters for cleaner parts. On Purple, he also used a Rickenbacker 360/12 twelve-string for tracks like 'Interstate Love Song.' He often keeps his guitars relatively stock, relying on pickup selection and volume knob manipulation for tonal variety rather than heavy modifications.

Amp

DeLeo is closely associated with Marshall JCM800 and vintage Marshall Plexi heads for his overdriven tones, typically pushed into natural breakup rather than relying on pedal distortion. He's also used vintage Supro and Silvertone amps for grittier, lo-fi textures, particularly on Purple and Tiny Music sessions. For cleans, Fender Twin Reverbs and Vox AC30s have appeared in his rig, providing the sparkly headroom heard on tracks like 'Big Empty.'

Pickups

The mini-humbuckers in his '72 Les Paul Deluxe are a key part of the Core-era tone, they're lower output than full-size PAFs, giving a slightly brighter, more articulate attack that cuts through the mix without getting muddy. For his Les Paul Standards, he runs classic PAF-style humbuckers that deliver warm midrange crunch. When using Telecasters, the stock single-coils provide the twangy clean bite heard on STP's more stripped-back arrangements.

Effects & Chain

Dean DeLeo's effects approach is restrained but purposeful. His core chain includes a wah pedal (Dunlop Cry Baby), a Talk Box for specific tracks, and occasional chorus or flanger for atmospheric clean parts. He's used the MXR Phase 90 and Electro-Harmonix Small Stone for psychedelic textures. Overall, his tone is driven primarily by guitar-into-amp interaction, he prefers tube saturation over heavy pedal distortion, keeping the signal chain relatively clean and dynamic.

Recommended Gear

Fender Telecaster
Guitar

Fender Telecaster

Dean DeLeo uses Telecasters for STP's cleaner, stripped-back arrangements, leveraging their bright single-coil twang to cut through without muddiness. Their articulate bite provides the sparkly contrast to the band's heavier Les Paul-driven riffs.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

The Les Paul Standard's warm PAF-style humbuckers deliver the core-era STP crunch, offering rich midrange that bridges DeLeo's clean tones and overdriven Marshall breakup. This guitar anchors the band's signature heavy yet melodic sound.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While less documented than his Standards and Deluxe, the Custom's fuller PAF voicing suits STP's dense, layered arrangements. Its premium construction complements DeLeo's preference for guitar-amp interaction over heavy effects.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

DeLeo pushes the JCM800 into natural tube saturation for Stone Temple Pilots' signature overdriven tone, avoiding heavy distortion pedals. This head provides the warm, organic breakup essential to tracks like 'Plush' and 'Vasoline.'

Fender Twin Reverb
Amp

Fender Twin Reverb

The Twin Reverb's pristine headroom and lush reverb define STP's clean, atmospheric parts heard on ballads like 'Big Empty.' Its sparkle complements DeLeo's Telecaster work and dynamic volume knob manipulation.

Vox AC30
Amp

Vox AC30

The AC30's natural chime and breakup character provide warmth and psychedelic texture for STP's cleaner passages and atmospheric moments. Its vintage British tone balances the Marshall's aggression in the band's dynamic arrangements.

How to Practice Stone Temple Pilots on GuitarZone

Every Stone Temple Pilots song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

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