Song
Back in Black
AC/DC · Back in Black · 1980
Preview and cover from Apple Music
- Amp
- Marshall 50W / 100W Head
- Guitar
- Gibson SG Standard
- Tuning
- E standard
On the record, Angus Young played a Gibson SG Standard through a Marshall 50W / 100W Head; Malcolm Young played a Gretsch Jet through a Marshall 100W Head (Super Bass / Super Lead). It's in E standard.
The original rig
The guitar sound on Back in Black relies on Gibson and Gretsch guitars plugged straight into cranked Marshall tube heads and 4x12 cabinets without conventional distortion pedals. Angus Young's signature bite is augmented by the preamp boost and compression of a Schaffer-Vega Diversity System wireless unit, captured via multi-miked cabinets for natural room depth.
Angus Young · Rhythm and solo
Settings Commonly cited
- Bridge Tone
- 10
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Bridge Volume
- 10
Equipped with stock Gibson humbuckers.
Settings Commonly cited
- Boost / Compander
- Engaged
A wireless system that served as an always-on preamp boost and compander, adding midrange push and subtle saturation into the amplifier.
Settings Estimated
- Presence
- 5
- Bass
- 4
- Middle
- 7
- Treble
- 6
- Volume
- 7
- Channel
- High Treble (Input 1)
Cranked vintage Marshall master/non-master volume head dialed by ear in the room without written recall sheets.
Settings Commonly cited
- Speakers
- Celestion
Loaded with Celestion speakers.
Settings Commonly cited
- Position
- Close on speaker cone
Used in a multi-microphone cabinet arrangement to capture organic room depth without studio reverb units.
Malcolm Young · Rhythm
Settings Commonly cited
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 10
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
Equipped with FilterTron humbuckers.
Settings Estimated
- Channel
- Input 1
- Presence
- 5
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Volume
- 6
Plugged straight into a cranked Marshall amplifier head with no intermediate overdrive or distortion pedals.
Settings Commonly cited
- Speakers
- Celestion
Loaded with Celestion speakers.
Settings Commonly cited
- Position
- Close on speaker cone
Part of a multi-mic spread panned across the stereo field to create wide, natural rhythm tracking.
- 1.sweetwater.com · sweetwater.com · magazine
- 2.premierguitar.com · premierguitar.com · magazine
- 3.ultimate-guitar.com · ultimate-guitar.com · compilation
- 4.bobbyowsinskiblog.com · bobbyowsinskiblog.com · source
- 5.solodallas.com · solodallas.com · source
Have the real gear, or another modeller? Start from these. Studio knob positions are rarely written down; these are a starting point.
Researched Oct 2026 · 5 sources · How ToneSheet researches a song
Tuning
The record is in E standard, low to high: E A D G B E. Tune your guitar the same way, or tell ToneSheet how it's tuned and your device shifts the tone to match.
Questions about the Back in Black guitar tone
What amp did the guitarists use on Back in Black?
Angus Young: a Marshall 50W / 100W Head (an estimate), with Channel High Treble (Input 1), Presence 5, Bass 4, Middle 7, Treble 6, Volume 7 (settings estimated). Malcolm Young: a Marshall 100W Head (Super Bass / Super Lead) (an estimate), with Channel Input 1, Presence 5, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Volume 6 (settings estimated).
What guitar did the guitarists play on Back in Black?
Angus Young: a Gibson SG Standard (commonly cited), with Pickup Selector Bridge, Bridge Volume 10, Bridge Tone 10 (settings commonly cited). Malcolm Young: a Gretsch Jet (commonly cited), with Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 10 (settings commonly cited).
What effects did the guitarists use on Back in Black?
A Schaffer-Vega Diversity System (SVDS) (commonly cited).
What tuning is Back in Black in?
E standard: low to high, E A D G B E.
How do I get the Back in Black guitar tone on an amp modeller?
Start from your modeller's model of the Marshall 50W / 100W Head, set like the original (Presence 5, Bass 4, Middle 7, Treble 6), with a guitar like a Gibson SG Standard, tuned to E standard. Ready presets, with every block's settings: HOTONE Pulze Mini (1).
Presets for Back in Black
Tones players shared for their amp modellers, each with every setting, block by block.
HOTONE Pulze Mini1 version
All Pulze Mini presetsMake it for your guitar
Name your guitar and how it's tuned, and ToneSheet makes the tone for it: the pickup and knob settings, and every block on your device.
Different guitar or tuning? Make your own version (1–2 minutes)Updated