Bassist4-stringroundwound

Justin Chancellor's bass strings: the Tool rig, sourced

Documented bass-string gauges, brands, and tunings Justin Chancellor uses with Tool since 1995. Rotosound Swing Bass 66 documented use, Wal Mark II + Mark III basses, Demeter / Mesa Boogie heads, pedal-heavy signal chain. With citations.

Tool · reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team · 2026-04-29

Justin Gunner Chancellor (born November 19, 1971, Manchester, England) has been Tool's bassist since 1995, replacing original bassist Paul D'Amour during sessions for Ænima. Documented Rotosound artist with Swing Bass 66 (.045-.105) as the canonical string set across Tool's catalog. Plays Wal Mark II + Mark III basses through Demeter + Mesa Boogie heads + Bag End cabs; the Wal-into-Demeter signal chain produces the mid-forward, harmonically dense bass tone that Tool's progressive-rock arrangements depend on. Multiple Grammy Awards with Tool. Pre-Tool: Peach (1991-1995, British band whose tour with Tool led to his hire).

Progressive rock Progressive metal Rock Metal Post-metalDrop D (4-string)D Standard (4-string)bass-c-standardEb Standard (4-string)E Standard (4-string)

Strings Justin Chancellor plays

Documented use · last verified 2026-04-29 · Affiliate links

All bassists →

Justin's set

Rotosound

Swing Bass 66

.45 – .105

Price tier: $$

E StandardRockClassic rock

View on Amazon Full review →

Affiliate links: we earn commission on qualifying Amazon purchases. See our full disclosure.

At a glance

Role

Bassist

Active

1991–present

Based

Los Angeles, California (later years); Manchester, England (origin)

Genres

Affiliations

Notable credits

Tool, Ænima (1996, his first Tool record)
Tool, Lateralus (2001)
Tool, 10,000 Days (2006)
Tool, Fear Inoculum (2019)
Peach, Giving Birth to a Stone (1994)

Sourcing5 citations · reviewed 2026-04-29· by Change Your Strings editorial team

Who Justin Chancellor is

Justin Gunner Chancellor, born November 19, 1971, in Manchester, England, has been Tool's bassist since 1995, replacing Paul D'Amour during sessions for Ænima. Across the band's catalog (Ænima, 1996, through Fear Inoculum, 2019), his Wal-into-Demeter signal chain produces the mid-forward + harmonically dense bass tone that Tool's progressive-rock arrangements depend on.

Pre-Tool: Peach (1991-1995, British band whose 1993 tour with Tool led to his eventual hire).

Documented Rotosound artist with Swing Bass 66 as the canonical string set across the Tool catalog.

Style signatures

Three things across the Tool catalog you can identify as Chancellor's:

Mid-forward Wal-into-Demeter tone. The signature bass voice in Tool's mix; sits inside the arrangement as a distinct voice rather than a foundation.
Pedal-heavy signal chain. Envelope filters + distortion + modulation across an extensive pedalboard; unusual for metal-bass contexts + central to Tool's textural identity.
Odd-time-signature navigation. Tool's catalog runs through 7/8, 5/8, 11/8, 13/8 + polymetric phrasings; Chancellor's bass parts navigate these cleanly + provide the rhythmic anchor for Maynard James Keenan + Adam Jones + Danny Carey.

Documented strings. Rotosound Swing Bass 66 (.045-.105) as the documented production set.

Bandmates. Danny Carey (drummer, Tool). Maynard James Keenan + Adam Jones profiles pending.

Bassist hub. Bassists index. Progressive-rock + progressive-metal canon parallel: Geddy Lee (Rush), Tony Levin (King Crimson; profile pending). Rotosound triangle: Cliff Burton, Lemmy Kilmister.

Frequently asked questions

What strings does Justin Chancellor play?

Documented Rotosound artist with Swing Bass 66 (.045-.105) as the canonical string set. Rotosound's artist roster lists Chancellor as a signature artist; Premier Guitar Rig Rundowns + Bass Player Magazine features document the Swing Bass 66 across multiple Tool tours.

The .045-.105 gauge is the standard production gauge that suits Tool's E-standard / Drop-D / D-standard / C-standard tuning range. The mid-forward + harmonically dense Swing Bass 66 stainless-steel roundwound tone is what Tool's progressive-rock arrangements depend on.

What basses does Chancellor play?

Wal basses, primarily Mark II + Mark III models. Wal is a small-batch British custom builder (Electric Wood, founded by Pete Stevens + Ian Waller); the Mark II + Mark III are the canonical Wal bass models. Chancellor's Wal basses have multiple humbucker pickup configurations + the Wal active-preamp electronics that produce the harmonically dense + mid-forward tone. The Wal-into-Demeter / Mesa Boogie signal chain is the canonical Tool bass tone.

When did Chancellor join Tool?

1995. He replaced Paul D'Amour, Tool's original bassist (1990-1995), during sessions for Ænima. Chancellor had been Peach's bassist (the British band toured with Tool in 1993); when D'Amour left Tool to focus on guitar work, Chancellor was the band's first call. His first Tool record is Ænima (1996), which broke the band into mainstream alt-metal. He has been Tool's bassist continuously since.

What's Chancellor's signal chain?

Wal Mark II / Mark III bass into Demeter or Mesa Boogie heads (specific head model varies by tour) into Bag End cabs, with an extensive pedalboard between the bass + the amp. Chancellor is one of the most pedal-heavy bassists in modern rock; his board includes envelope filters (Mu-Tron III replicas), distortion (various), modulation, and signal-chain effects unusual in metal-bass contexts. Specific pedal models across tours are documented in Premier Guitar Rig Rundowns.

What's Chancellor's playing style?

Mid-forward progressive-rock + progressive-metal pocket with extensive pedal vocabulary + odd-time-signature awareness. Three identifiable signatures: (1) Pick + fingerstyle hybrid technique that adapts to song arrangement; pick on heavier passages, fingerstyle on the band's quieter sections. (2) Mid-forward Wal-into-Demeter tone that sits inside the band's mix as a distinct voice rather than a foundation. (3) Odd-time-signature navigation; Tool's catalog runs through 7/8, 5/8, 11/8, 13/8 + various polymetric phrasings, and Chancellor's bass parts navigate these cleanly.

What's Peach?

The British band Chancellor played in 1991-1995 before joining Tool. Peach toured with Tool in 1993; the connection led directly to Chancellor's Tool hire when Paul D'Amour left in 1995. Giving Birth to a Stone (1994) is Peach's primary record. The band is most-cited in modern Tool press as the band that brought Chancellor to Los Angeles.