GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Shake a Leg Riff Guitar Tone Settings — AC/DC
AC/DC · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson SG Standard (late 1960s/early 1970s, likely 1970-1971, Angus Young's main studio guitar for Back In Black)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (likely original T-Top or early patent sticker humbuckers)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (non-master volume, late 60s/early 70s, used in Back In Black sessions)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1980. No evidence of pedals or additional effects for the riff section. Angus Young's rig for Back In Black was extremely stripped down: guitar straight into Marshall Super Lead, no pedals, no amp reverb. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and amp model. All sources agree the AC/DC rhythm tone is dry and direct.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5.5
Reverb0
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- classic British crunch
- bright and articulate
- punchy mids
- raw and uncompressed
- dynamic response
- focused low end
- slight natural amp breakup
- no reverb or delay
- aggressive pick attack
Notes & Caveats
- No specific numeric amp settings for 'Shake a Leg' riff found in sources; settings estimated based on Marshall Super Lead usage in Back In Black sessions and classic rock conventions.
- No evidence of pedals or amp effects used for the riff section; all sources and listening confirm a dry, direct amp tone.
- Pickup and amp model confirmed for Back In Black album, but not for every individual song; high probability this setup was used for 'Shake a Leg' riff.
- Pedal and effect chain is empty due to explicit evidence of no effects in this section.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Malcolm and Angus Young used Marshall amps set for classic British crunch with strong mids and tight bass, and the Back in Black album is famously dry with no reverb. The tone is punchy, mid-forward, and articulate, reflecting typical late-70s/early-80s AC/DC settings.