GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Heaven and Hell Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
John Birch Custom SG (24-fret, custom pickups, used by Tony Iommi on Heaven and Hell studio recording)
Pickups
John Birch custom humbuckers (likely Superflux or P-90 style, high output, ceramic magnet)
Amp
Modified Marshall Super Lead 1959 (modded by John 'Dawk' Stillwell, extra tube and master gain control)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1980. Guitar is the John Birch Custom SG, not the Gibson SG used on earlier Sabbath albums. Amp is a Marshall Super Lead 1959, heavily modified for higher gain, used specifically for the Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules albums. No evidence of Laney amps or other guitars for this riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb0.5
Treble7
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- crushing, saturated distortion
- articulate, mid-forward
- chunky palm-muted riffing
- clear note separation under gain
- aggressive, modern metal edge
- focused low end
- ceramic pickup bite
- no ambient effects
- dry, in-your-face rhythm
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found for Heaven and Hell studio session; settings estimated based on amp model, genre, and era.
- All effects information is based on both source review and critical listening; no pedals or amp effects are audible or cited for the riff section.
- Guitar and amp models are confirmed for the studio recording, but pickup model is inferred from era and known John Birch specs.
- No evidence of Laney amps or Gibson SG for this specific recording; do not confuse with earlier Sabbath albums.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tony Iommi on 'Heaven and Hell' used a crunchy, mid-forward British tone typical of late 70s/early 80s Sabbath, likely with a Laney amp set for strong mids, moderate bass, and clear but not harsh treble. The gain is high enough for saturated riffing but not modern metal levels, and the recording is quite dry with little reverb.