Blackstar HT-5 settings
Highway to Hell settings for Blackstar HT-5
AC/DC · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the AC/DC "Highway to Hell" riff tone on a Blackstar HT-5, set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Isf 7, Clean tone 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Gibson Les Paul · updated 2026-10-18
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Blackstar HT-5 knobs
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Isf
- 7
- Clean tone
- 0
- Clean volume
- 0
- Overdrive bass
- 5
- Overdrive gain
- 5
- Overdrive middle
- 6
- Overdrive select
- 1
- Overdrive treble
- 6
- Overdrive volume
- 6
- Effects level switch
- 0
Playing tips
- Use a strong pick attack for a punchy sound.
- Palm mute for tight, aggressive riffs.
- Keep the picking hand close to the bridge for clarity.
The original rig
What AC/DC used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Blackstar HT-5 actually has.
- Guitar
- Gibson SG Standard (late 1960s, likely 1968-1970, stock humbuckers)
- Amp
- Marshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (plexi, late 1960s/early 1970s, no master volume)
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get Highway to Hell adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts AC/DC's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Blackstar HT-5 settings for Highway to Hell?
Set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Isf 7, Clean tone 0.
Which pickup should I use for Highway to Hell?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did AC/DC use on Highway to Hell?
Guitar: Gibson SG Standard (late 1960s, likely 1968-1970, stock humbuckers). Amp: Marshall Super Lead 1959 100-watt (plexi, late 1960s/early 1970s, no master volume).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Gibson Les Paul. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Highway to Hell on other amps
- Highway to Hell on Fender Mustang LT25 · 202
- Highway to Hell on Boss Katana · 181
- Highway to Hell on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 103
- Highway to Hell on Boss GT-1000 · 59
- Highway to Hell on Neural DSP Quad Cortex · 47
- Highway to Hell on Fender Tone Master Pro · 46
- Highway to Hell on Fender Champion 20 · 41
- Highway to Hell on Positive Grid Spark · 40
Popular songs on the Blackstar HT-5
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Layla · Derek and the Dominos
- War Pigs · Black Sabbath
- Walk · Pantera
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Alive · Pearl Jam
- Plug In Baby · Muse
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Pride and Joy · Stevie Ray Vaughan
Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.