TonesMatch
Paranoid — Black Sabbath1 / 2
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GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence

Paranoid Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath · 1970s · metal

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1965 Gibson SG Special
Pickups
P-90 single-coil
Amp
Laney Supergroup MK1 100-watt head with Laney 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12-25M speakers likely)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1970. Tony Iommi used the bridge (treble) pickup for the solo. A Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster treble booster was used before the amp. Some sources mention occasional use of a Fender amp for solos, but for 'Paranoid' the Laney is most consistently cited.

Amp Settings

Mids
8.5
Bass
3
Gain
7.5
Reverb
0
Treble
8.5
Presence
8

Effects Chain

  • Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster Treble Booster (modded) · boost
  • Wah pedal (model unknown, likely Vox or Colorsound) · wah

Guitar → Rangemaster Treble Booster → Wah pedal → Laney Supergroup MK1 head → Laney 4x12 cab

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Tone Character

  • fuzzy and raspy
  • singing sustain
  • aggressive, biting treble
  • tight, focused mids
  • raw, saturated distortion
  • cutting lead tone
  • no bass in amp EQ
  • classic British crunch
  • bridge pickup clarity
  • high output, compressed attack

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Amp settings (presence, mid, treble at 10, bass at 0) are directly quoted from Tony Iommi in Source 1.
  • ⚠️No specific numeric gain value is given; estimated as 9 due to amp being cranked for distortion and use of treble booster.
  • ⚠️No reverb is mentioned or audible; Laney Supergroup has no built-in reverb.
  • ⚠️Pedal chain is based on direct interview statements and audible effects; no studio photos exist.
  • ⚠️Some sources mention occasional Fender amp use for solos, but Laney is most consistently cited for 'Paranoid'.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tony Iommi used a Laney Supergroup amp with moderate gain for a crunchy, mid-forward British rock tone; the solo is punchy but not overly saturated, with pronounced mids and a dry, in-your-face sound typical of early Sabbath and late '60s/early '70s production.

Sources