GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Whole Lotta Rosie Riff Guitar Tone Settings — AC/DC
AC/DC · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson SG Standard (early 1970s, likely 1968-1971 model, stock)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (likely patent sticker or early T-Top, stock)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 1959 (100-watt, non-master volume, late 60s/early 70s, into Marshall 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12M Greenbacks)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1977. No evidence of pedals in the riff section. Angus Young's signal chain at this time was guitar straight into amp, possibly with Schaffer-Vega Diversity System wireless (which acted as a boost/compander), but no stompboxes. No amp reverb or effects used in the riff. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and typical Marshall usage for AC/DC in studio.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb0
Treble7
Presence6.5
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- classic British crunch
- tight and percussive attack
- bright and biting upper mids
- open and dynamic response
- raw and uncompressed sound
- clear note separation
- punchy low end
- minimal compression
- no audible reverb or delay
- aggressive bridge pickup
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for 'Whole Lotta Rosie' studio riff found in sources; settings estimated based on Marshall Super Lead usage for AC/DC in 1977.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used in the riff section; Schaffer-Vega Diversity System may have been used as a wireless/boost but not confirmed for riff section.
- All effects settings are based on listening and typical AC/DC studio practices; no reverb, delay, or modulation audible in the riff.
- Pickup choice inferred from tone and historical usage; Angus almost always used bridge pickup for rhythm/lead.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Malcolm and Angus Young used Marshall amps set for a crunchy, mid-forward British rock tone with little to no reverb; the sound is punchy, bright, and raw, with moderate gain and strong mids typical of late 70s AC/DC recordings.