GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Sweet Leaf Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath · 1970s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1965 Gibson SG Special
Pickups
Gibson P90 single-coil
Amp
Laney Supergroup LA100BL
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1971. Guitar World confirms P90-loaded SG and Laney head for riff tone. Settings are for studio, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass7
Gain6
Reverb1.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster (or similar treble boost pedal) · boost
Guitar → Treble Booster → Laney Supergroup LA100BL (with spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- snarling and overdriven
- weighty and thick
- midrange punch
- tight and percussive attack
- saturated riff sound
- single-coil clarity with humbucker-like power
- classic heavy metal rhythm
- aggressive and biting
- slightly compressed
- full-bodied low end
Notes & Caveats
- Amp settings (gain, bass, mid, treble, reverb) are directly from Guitar World lesson for Iommi's classic riff tone and match the era and gear.
- Presence setting is estimated (Laney Supergroup has a presence knob; typical setting for this genre/era is 5).
- Guitar knob settings are estimated based on typical Iommi usage and era.
- No evidence of time-based or modulation effects (delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, etc.) in the riff section; only treble boost pedal is confirmed.
- No evidence of effects loop use or additional pedals beyond treble booster.
- If alternate gear/settings are found in other sources, they are not tied specifically to the 'Sweet Leaf' studio riff section and are omitted.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tony Iommi's 'Sweet Leaf' tone is classic early 70s British crunch: moderate gain, thick bass, strong mids, and restrained treble for warmth, using a Laney Supergroup amp with no reverb. The settings reflect his preference for a fat, mid-forward, doomy sound with a dry, punchy production.