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Sabbra Cadabra — Black Sabbath1 / 2
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Sabbra Cadabra Riff 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 MK I 100-watt head with Laney 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12-25M speakers likely)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1973, Volume 4 sessions. Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster treble booster (modified) used as main pedal. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section. All sources point to this classic rig for the studio recording.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6.5
Gain
5
Reverb
0
Treble
6.5
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster (modified) · boost

Guitar → Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster (modified) → Laney Supergroup MK I head → Laney 4x12 cabinet

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Tone Character

  • treble-boosted rawness
  • thick, saturated distortion
  • tight and percussive
  • aggressive attack
  • mid-heavy punch
  • classic British crunch
  • singing sustain
  • articulate note separation
  • vintage fuzz edge
  • no time-based or modulation effects

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct amp knob settings for Sabbra Cadabra found; amp settings estimated based on typical Laney Supergroup MK I usage in early 1970s Sabbath recordings and genre conventions.
  • ⚠️Pedal settings for the Dallas-Arbiter Rangemaster are based on Guitar World recommendations for matching the original effect.
  • ⚠️No evidence of reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, or other modulation/time-based effects used on the riff section; only treble booster confirmed.
  • ⚠️Pickup choice inferred from typical Iommi usage for riff sections and tonal characteristics.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tony Iommi's 'Sabbra Cadabra' tone is classic early-70s British crunch: mid-forward, thick, and punchy, using a Laney Supergroup with moderate gain (not modern high gain), boosted mids, and little to no reverb. The bass is strong but not boomy, treble is present but not harsh, and presence is neutral due to the amp's natural darkness.

Sources