Iron Man (Black Sabbath) bass tone and bass amp settings
Iron Man bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3: medium gain (Gain 6), light drive (Drive 4.5), forward low-mids (Low Mid 2), neck P pickup.
Settings for your amp
Iron Man settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3
Fender Rumble 40 V3 settings for every songAmpFender Rumble 40 V3
BassPassive P/J bass
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 6
- Bright
- Off
- Contour
- Off
- Vintage
- On
- Overdrive
- On
- Drive
- 4.5
- Level
- 5
- Bass
- +1
- Low Mid
- +2
- High Mid
- +2
- Treble
- -1
- Master
- Set to your room
Passive P/J bass
- Neck Volume (P)
- 10
- Bridge Volume (J)
- 0
- Tone
- 6
Iron Man settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108
Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108 settings for every songAmpAmpeg Rocket Bass RB-108
BassPassive P/J bass
The same settings in text
Amp
- SGT
- On
- Volume
- Set to your room
- Bass
- +2
- Midrange
- +3
- Treble
- +1
Passive P/J bass
- Neck Volume (P)
- 10
- Bridge Volume (J)
- 0
- Tone
- 6
Iron Man settings on any bass amp with Bass, Mid, Treble, Drive
Amp
BassPassive P/J bass
The same settings in text
Amp
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 5
- Drive
- 4
Passive P/J bass
- Neck Volume (P)
- 10
- Bridge Volume (J)
- 0
- Tone
- 6
Why it sounds like that
Geezer Butler played Iron Man on a 1968 Fender Precision, his second P-Bass, the same bass that recorded the rest of Paranoid and Master of Reality. He is also pictured holding that same bass. The sound starts with his right hand. He plucked the Precision over the fingerboard and hammered hard, so much of the sound comes from that attack.
- Pluck over the fingerboard and attack hard with your right hand.
What bass did Geezer Butler use on Iron Man?
Geezer Butler
- Bass
- 1968 Fender Precision[1]
- Butler said his second P-Bass, a 1968 Precision, played Iron Man and the rest of Paranoid and Master of Reality. (on this song)[1]
- Spin's photo caption shows Butler holding the bass he used on the Paranoid and Master of Reality albums. (on the album Paranoid)[2]
- Guitar World says Butler plucked his Fender Precision over the fingerboard and hammered hard. (on the album Paranoid)[3]
Questions
What bass did Geezer Butler use on Iron Man?
The sources on this page document Geezer Butler's gear on Iron Man by Black Sabbath: bass, 1968 Fender Precision [1]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Iron Man settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3?
For the Iron Man bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3, set Gain 6, Vintage On, Overdrive On, Drive 4.5, Level 5, Bass +1, Low Mid +2, High Mid +2, Treble -1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 10, Bridge Volume (J) 0, Tone 6. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Iron Man settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108?
For the Iron Man bass tone on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108, set SGT On, Bass +2, Midrange +3, Treble +1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 10, Bridge Volume (J) 0, Tone 6. Set Volume to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Iron Man tone on my own amp?
Yes. The settings above cover 2 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, bass and pedals for Iron Man, using only the controls your gear has.
Get it for your exact rig
KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, bass and pedals for this song.
Download KnobMaster on the App Store