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A National Acrobat Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath · 1970s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson SG Special 'Monkey'
Pickups
Neck: John Birch custom pickup; Bridge: Gibson P-90 in metal casing
Amp
Laney LA100BL
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1973. Tony Iommi's 'Monkey' SG was used during the recording of 'A National Acrobat' on the 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' album.
Amp Settings
Mids8.5
Bass4
Gain8.5
Reverb0.5
Treble8
Presence7.5
Effects Chain
- Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster (modified) · boost
- Tycobrahe Parapedal Wah · wah
Guitar → Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster (modified) → Tycobrahe Parapedal Wah → Laney LA100BL
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Tone Character
- heavy, saturated distortion
- thick, midrange-focused tone
- aggressive, cutting sound
- sustained, singing leads
- dark, ominous atmosphere
Notes & Caveats
- Exact amp settings are estimated based on typical configurations used by Tony Iommi during the 1970s.
- Specific pedal settings are not documented; estimations are based on common usage patterns.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tony Iommi's tone on 'A National Acrobat' is characterized by a thick, mid-forward crunch typical of early 70s heavy metal. His Laney amps were set to produce a warm, slightly dark tone with a strong low end, and minimal reverb was used to keep the sound tight and focused.