Boss Katana settings
Back in Black settings for Boss Katana
AC/DC · adapted 287 times on ToneAdapt
To get the AC/DC "Back in Black" riff tone on a Boss Katana, set Gain 4, Bass 4, Mid 6.5, Treble 5, Fx 0, Bst 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Charvel · updated 2026-11-14
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 5
- Fx
- 0
- Bst
- 0
- Power control
- 2
Playing tips
- Use a tight picking attack for a percussive sound.
- Focus on palm muting for added definition on lower strings.
- Experiment with dynamics; pick harder for more bite.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335 · updated 2026-07-20
- Pickup
- Neck pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-10 · Volume 10
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 0
- Solo
- 5
- Contour
- 0
- Power control
- 3
- Cabinet resonance
- 1
Playing tips
- Use a percussive attack to emphasize the clarity of each note.
- Maintain a steady picking hand to keep the tone bright and cutting.
- Focus on precise finger placement to avoid unwanted noise.
The original rig
What AC/DC used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana actually has.
- Guitar
- Gibson SG Standard (1970s, likely '69-'73, stock humbuckers)
- Amp
- Marshall 1959 Super Lead 100-watt Plexi (1970s, 4-input, non-master volume, into Marshall 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12M Greenback speakers)
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 4.5
- Presence
- 5.5
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get Back in Black 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 Boss Katana settings for Back in Black?
Set Gain 4, Bass 4, Mid 6.5, Treble 5, Fx 0, Bst 0.
Which pickup should I use for Back in Black?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did AC/DC use on Back in Black?
Guitar: Gibson SG Standard (1970s, likely '69-'73, stock humbuckers). Amp: Marshall 1959 Super Lead 100-watt Plexi (1970s, 4-input, non-master volume, into Marshall 4x12 cabinet with Celestion G12M Greenback speakers).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Charvel. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Back in Black on other amps
Popular songs on the Boss Katana
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
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.