Back in Black
DistortedRiff1980s
Dry punchy Gretsch-and-Marshall crunch.
Start at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 6, Reverb 2, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- Gibson SG, Gretsch Jet Firebird
- Amp
- Marshall Super Lead, Super Bass
Reviewed
AC/DC amp settings and guitar tones
3 songs, each with a starting point and the rig from its sources
What amp settings do you need for AC/DC?
Tonelify's library has 3 AC/DC songs, each with the rig reported in interviews and articles and a reference starting point on a generic five-knob amp. There is no single AC/DC setting. Every one of them starts at Gain 6, so the differences are in the EQ, the pickup and the effects.
The numbers below are the same ones each song page gives. The rig for each song is on its own page with the sources it comes from.
AC/DC songs and their starting points
Thunderstruck
DistortedRiff1990s
Rapid hammer-on intro with crisp, dry Marshall crunch.
Start at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 6, Reverb 2, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- Gibson SG
- Amp
- Marshall stacks, Schaffer-Vega wireless
Highway to Hell
DistortedRiff1970s
Open-chord riff with a dry, edge-of-breakup Marshall crunch.
Start at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 6, Reverb 2, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- 1971 Gibson SG Standard, 1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird
- Amp
- Marshall heads, Schaffer-Vega wireless
These are positions on a generic five-knob amp with gain, bass, middle, treble and presence, each running 0 to 10. They are a starting point, not the settings used on the record, and they will not transfer unchanged to an amp with a different gain structure or EQ voicing.
What gear did AC/DC use?
| Song | Guitar and amp |
|---|---|
| Back in Black | Gibson SG, Gretsch Jet FirebirdMarshall Super Lead, Super Bass |
| Thunderstruck | Gibson SGMarshall stacks, Schaffer-Vega wireless |
| Highway to Hell | 1971 Gibson SG Standard, 1963 Gretsch Jet FirebirdMarshall heads, Schaffer-Vega wireless |
Tonelify reads each of these chains and translates it to the amp and guitar you already own. Adapt one to your gear →
AC/DC tone questions
What amp settings do you need for AC/DC?
It depends on the song. On a generic five-knob amp, Back in Black starts at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 6, Reverb 2; Thunderstruck starts at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 6, Reverb 2; Highway to Hell starts at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 6, Reverb 2. These are starting points, not the settings used on the records.
What gear did AC/DC use on these songs?
Back in Black: Gibson SG, Gretsch Jet Firebird; Marshall Super Lead, Super Bass. Thunderstruck: Gibson SG; Marshall stacks, Schaffer-Vega wireless. Highway to Hell: 1971 Gibson SG Standard, 1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird; Marshall heads, Schaffer-Vega wireless. Each song page lists the sources behind its rig.
Can you get the AC/DC tone without the original gear?
Yes. What carries these sounds is the gain structure, the EQ curve, the pickup position and the order of the effects, and all four can be rebuilt on other equipment. Tonelify rewrites each starting point for the amp and guitar you own.