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Paranoid — Black Sabbath1 / 2
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Paranoid Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath · 1970s · metal

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1965 Gibson SG Special (aka 'Monkey' SG, heavily modified)
Pickups
P-90 single-coil pickups
Amp
Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL (100-watt head) into Laney 4x12 cabinet (likely with Goodmans Audiom 12P speakers)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (three-way toggle in up position for chording/riff)

Studio recording, 1970. Used for the main riff/rhythm section of 'Paranoid'. No evidence of live/tour gear or alternate amps for the riff. Treble booster (Dallas Rangemaster, modded) used for input boost. No evidence of additional pedals or effects on the riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
8.5
Bass
3
Gain
8
Reverb
0
Treble
8.5
Presence
8

Effects Chain

  • Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster (modded) · boost

Guitar → Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster → Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL → Laney 4x12 cabinet

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Tone Character

  • tight and percussive
  • raw British crunch
  • aggressive upper mids
  • dry, immediate attack
  • bright and biting
  • minimal low end
  • focused, cutting rhythm tone
  • classic early metal sound
  • no ambience or reverb
  • slightly fuzzy edge from treble booster

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Exact amp knob settings are from a direct Iommi quote for the Paranoid era, but may vary slightly due to amp tolerances.
  • ⚠️No evidence of any pedals or effects (other than Rangemaster treble booster) used on the riff section; all other effects mentioned in sources are for solos or other songs.
  • ⚠️Pickup position confirmed for riff as 'up' (neck) from interview; bridge used for solos.
  • ⚠️No reverb or time-based effects audible or cited for the riff section.
  • ⚠️Settings are for studio recording, not live.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tony Iommi used a Laney Supergroup amp set for classic British crunch with strong mids and moderate gain; the tone is punchy, mid-forward, and dry, with little to no reverb, matching both the era's production and Sabbath's signature sound.

Sources