GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Black Diamond Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Kiss
Kiss · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard (early 1970s, likely 1973-74, Ace Frehley)
Pickups
Stock Gibson humbuckers (PAF-style, likely T-Top)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 100 (Plexi, early 1970s, likely JMP 1959 model)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1973-1974. Gear confirmed for debut album era by multiple sources. No evidence of pedals or effects used for riff section; distortion from cranked Marshall amp. No evidence of live/touring substitutions for studio recording.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5.5
Gain6
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence6
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- classic British crunch
- aggressive bridge pickup attack
- tight palm-muted power chords
- raw, uncompressed overdrive
- midrange punch
- bright and cutting top end
- slight natural compression from amp
- percussive rhythm feel
- open, dynamic response
- no audible modulation or time-based effects
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio documentation of amp knob settings for 'Black Diamond' riff section; settings estimated based on era, amp model, and genre.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; all distortion from amp.
- Guitar and amp models confirmed for debut album era, but pickup specifics inferred from typical Les Pauls of the period.
- Settings are averaged from user guides and typical Marshall Plexi usage for classic rock (see Ultimate Guitar).
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley used Marshalls with moderate gain for a crunchy, classic 70s hard rock sound; the tone is mid-forward, punchy, and not overly scooped, with balanced bass and treble, and only subtle studio reverb typical of early Kiss recordings.