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Back in Black — AC/DC1 / 2
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Back in Black Riff Guitar Tone Settings — AC/DC

AC/DC · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird (aka 'The Beast')
Pickups
Gretsch Filter'Tron bridge humbucker (neck and middle pickups removed)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead (Plexi 1959SLP), likely late 60s/early 70s model
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1980. Malcolm Young's rhythm guitar for the main riff. Guitar plugged straight into amp, no pedals. Pickup selector set to bridge. No effects loop or post-processing pedals. The amp was cranked for natural breakup. Schaffer-Vega wireless system was used by Angus, not Malcolm. Malcolm's signal was direct.

Amp Settings

Mids
5.5
Bass
7
Gain
4
Reverb
0
Treble
6.5
Presence
6

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Tone Character

  • tight and percussive
  • clear midrange punch
  • dry, uncompressed
  • open and dynamic
  • articulate pick attack
  • minimal sustain
  • classic British crunch
  • no pedal coloration
  • natural amp breakup
  • immediate response

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️All sources agree Malcolm Young used his 1963 Gretsch Jet Firebird with only the bridge Filter'Tron pickup for the main riff.
  • ⚠️Amp settings are directly cited from Ultimate Guitar (Source 1), which matches the classic Marshall Super Lead setup for Malcolm.
  • ⚠️No pedals or effects were used in the signal chain for the riff; all sources confirm straight guitar-to-amp.
  • ⚠️Presence setting is estimated (typical for Plexi at this volume and era); reverb is set to 0 as Marshall Plexis have no built-in reverb.
  • ⚠️If you are seeking Angus Young's lead/solo tone, gear and settings differ.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Malcolm and Angus Young used Marshall amps set for classic British crunch, with moderate gain, strong mids, and a tight, punchy low end. The tone is dry (no reverb), bright but not harsh, and forward in the mids, matching the iconic AC/DC hard rock sound of the era.

Sources