Back In Black (AC/DC) guitar tone and amp settings
Back In Black guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Crunch amp type, low gain (Gain 4.5), forward mids (Middle 7.5), bright top (Treble 6.5), bridge pickup.
Settings for your amp
The song has distinct sounds: Solo. Each rig below lists what to change for them.
Back In Black settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every songAmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Variation
- Off
- Amp Type
- Crunch
- Gain
- 4.5
- Volume
- 6
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 7.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Booster
- 0
- Mod
- 0
- FX
- 0
- Delay Color
- Green
- Delay
- 1.5
- Reverb
- 0
- Master
- Set to your room
- Power Control
- Set to your room
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
Back In Black settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40
Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every songAmpPositive Grid Spark 40
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Type
- Crunch
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Mod
- 0
- Delay
- 0.8
- Reverb
- 0
- Output
- Set to your room
- App Amp Model
- Plexiglas
- App Drive
- Off
- App Comp/Wah
- Off
- App Mod/EQ
- Off
- App Delay
- Digital Delay
- App Reverb
- Off
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
Back In Black settings on a Fender Mustang LT25
Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every songThese settings play the solo.
AmpFender Mustang LT25
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Model
- 70S ROCK
- Gain
- 5
- Volume
- 6
- Treble
- 6.5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 6.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- None
- Mod
- None
- Delay
- DELAY
- Reverb
- None
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
Back In Black settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 5.5
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 6.5
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
Song parts
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
Solo:
Amp Type Pushed, Gain 5
.Use the bridge pickup and let notes ring.
Song parts
Positive Grid Spark 40
Solo:
Gain 5.2
.Add a little gain for the lead, keeping the attack clear.
Song parts
Any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Solo:
Gain 6.2
.Lean into the solo with slightly more amp drive
Why it sounds like that
Angus Young played lead and Malcolm Young played rhythm, and the two guitars basically play in unison from different positions. Angus used 100-watt Super Leads, the old-style ones without those preamp things. Malcolm Young thought Angus went to a smaller 50-watt Marshall for his solos. Malcolm played a modified Marshall bass head and a Gretsch Jet Firebird with one FilterTron in the bridge position. Both guitars went through Marshall 4x12 cabinets with G12-65 speakers. A wireless unit added quite an edge in the middle, and a tiny bit of delay in the mix spread the guitars even further.
- Play the rhythm and lead parts basically in unison, with the two guitars in different positions.
What amp did Malcolm Young use on Back In Black?
Malcolm Young
- Pickup
- FilterTron (bridge position)[1]
Player not named
- Amp
- Marshall 1959 Super Lead (100-watt)[2]
- Angus Young said Malcolm Young's cassette demo included the main riff for Back in Black. (on this song)[1]
- Guitar.com reports Angus Young used a 1971 Gibson SG Standard in cherry red on Back In Black. (on the album Back In Black)[2]
- Angus Young used 100-watt Super Leads, the old-style ones without those preamp things, on Back in Black. (on the album Back In Black)[1][2]
- Guitar.com reports Angus Young also used a Marshall JTM50 on Back In Black. (on the album Back In Black)[2]
- Guitar.com reports Ken Schaffer installed an SVDS wireless transmitter in the back of Angus Young's 1971 SG. (on the album Back In Black)[2]
- Guitar.com reports one of Angus Young's SGs, a 1967 model, has been used on every AC/DC record, Back In Black included. (on the album Back In Black)[2]
- Malcolm Young used his 1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird on pretty much every recording. (on the album Back In Black)[2][1]
- Guitar World reports Malcolm Young's Gretsch had one FilterTron, in the bridge position. (on the album Back In Black)[1]
- Malcolm Young used a modified Marshall bass head, a 1971 Marshall Super Bass, on Back in Black. (on the album Back In Black)[1][2]
- Guitar.com reports Angus Young and Malcolm Young both played through Marshall 4×12 cabinets with G12-65 speakers. (on the album Back In Black)[2]
- Solo: Malcolm Young thought Angus Young used a smaller 50-watt Marshall for his solos on Back in Black. (on the album Back In Black)[1]
- Tony Platt said all the songs were tracked with Angus Young on lead guitar and Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar. (on the album Back in Black)[3]
- Tony Platt said Angus and Malcolm basically play in unison, just in different positions. (on the album Back in Black)[3]
- Tony Platt said a tiny bit of delay was used in the mix to spread the guitars even further. (on the album Back in Black)[3]
- Tony Platt said the wireless has filtering in it and added quite an edge in the middle area. (on the album Back in Black)[3]
Questions
What amp did Malcolm Young use on Back In Black?
The sources on this page document Malcolm Young's gear on Back In Black by AC/DC: guitar, 1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird, nicknamed The Beast [2][1]; pickup, FilterTron (bridge position) [1]; amp, Modified Marshall bass head (1971 Marshall Super Bass) [2][1]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Back In Black settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the Back In Black guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 4.5, Volume 6, Bass 4.5, Middle 7.5, Treble 6.5, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay Color Green, Delay 1.5, Reverb 0; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master and Power Control to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Back In Black settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the Back In Black guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 4.5, Bass 4.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0.8, Reverb 0, App Amp Model Plexiglas, App Delay Digital Delay; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Back In Black settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the Back In Black guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 70S ROCK, Gain 5, Volume 6, Treble 6.5, Bass 4.5, Middle 6.5, Stomp None, Mod None, Delay DELAY, Reverb None; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master to your room. These settings play the solo. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Back In Black tone on my own amp?
Yes. The settings above cover 3 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for Back In Black, using only the controls your gear has.
Get it for your exact rig
KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for this song.
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