Iron Man
DistortedRiff1970s
Slow, crushing riff with a treble-boosted, fuzzy bite.
Start at Gain 7, Bass 6, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- 1965 Gibson SG Special
- Amp
- Laney head, Rangemaster treble booster
Reviewed
Black Sabbath 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 Black Sabbath?
Tonelify's library has 3 Black Sabbath 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 Black Sabbath setting. Every one of them starts at Gain 7, 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.
Black Sabbath songs and their starting points
Paranoid
DistortedRiff1970s
Fast, driving riff with raw treble-boosted grit.
Start at Gain 7, Bass 6, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- Gibson SG
- Amp
- Laney head, Rangemaster treble booster
War Pigs
DistortedRiff1970s
Slow, doom-laden riff with a treble-boosted, boxy midrange.
Start at Gain 7, Bass 6, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- 1965 Gibson SG Special "Monkey"
- Amp
- 100-watt Laney head, Rangemaster treble booster
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 Black Sabbath use?
| Song | Guitar and amp |
|---|---|
| Iron Man | 1965 Gibson SG SpecialLaney head, Rangemaster treble booster |
| Paranoid | Gibson SGLaney head, Rangemaster treble booster |
| War Pigs | 1965 Gibson SG Special "Monkey"100-watt Laney head, Rangemaster treble booster |
Tonelify reads each of these chains and translates it to the amp and guitar you already own. Adapt one to your gear →
Black Sabbath tone questions
What amp settings do you need for Black Sabbath?
It depends on the song. On a generic five-knob amp, Iron Man starts at Gain 7, Bass 6, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1; Paranoid starts at Gain 7, Bass 6, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1; War Pigs starts at Gain 7, Bass 6, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1. These are starting points, not the settings used on the records.
What gear did Black Sabbath use on these songs?
Iron Man: 1965 Gibson SG Special; Laney head, Rangemaster treble booster. Paranoid: Gibson SG; Laney head, Rangemaster treble booster. War Pigs: 1965 Gibson SG Special "Monkey"; 100-watt Laney head, Rangemaster treble booster. Each song page lists the sources behind its rig.
Can you get the Black Sabbath 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.