Fender Bassman settings
Paranoid settings for Fender Bassman
Black Sabbath · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Black Sabbath "Paranoid" clean tone on a Fender Bassman, set Gain 0, Bass 6.5, Mid 5.5, Treble 5, Presence 4, Bright switch 0. Use the p pickup (split-coil, only pickup position) pickup.
Clean settings
Adapted for a Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass · updated 2026-10-16
- Pickup
- P pickup (split-coil, only pickup position)
Fender Bassman knobs
- Gain
- 0
- Bass
- 6.5
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 5
- Presence
- 4
- Bright switch
- 0
Playing tips
- Use your fingers to pluck the strings near the neck for a warmer tone.
- Experiment with your plucking dynamics to achieve a biting attack without distortion.
- Keep your right hand relaxed to maintain a consistent fingerstyle technique.
The original rig
What Black Sabbath used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Bassman actually has.
- Bass
- 1964 Gibson SG Special (aka 'Monkey')
- Amp
- Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL (100-watt head) with Laney 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12-25M speakers likely)
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 3
- Mid
- 8.5
- Treble
- 8
- Presence
- 7.5
- Reverb
- 0
Different bass or pedals? Get Paranoid adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Black Sabbath's tone to your own bass, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Fender Bassman settings for Paranoid?
Set Gain 0, Bass 6.5, Mid 5.5, Treble 5, Presence 4, Bright switch 0.
Which pickup should I use for Paranoid?
P pickup (split-coil, only pickup position).
What gear did Black Sabbath use on Paranoid?
Bass: 1964 Gibson SG Special (aka 'Monkey'). Amp: Laney Supergroup MK1 LA100BL (100-watt head) with Laney 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12-25M speakers likely).
Will these settings work with my bass?
These settings were adapted for a Squier Affinity Series Precision Bass. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact bass, pickups, amp and pedals.
Paranoid on other amps
Popular songs on the Fender Bassman
- For Whom the Bell Tolls · Metallica
- Hysteria · Muse
- Message In a Bottle · The Police
- Feel Good Inc. (feat. David Jolicoeur, Kelvin Mercer & Vincent Mason) · Gorillaz & De La Soul
- Orion · Metallica
- Another One Bites the Dust · Queen
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- My Name Is Mud · Primus
- Money · Pink Floyd
- Come Together · The Beatles
- Chop Suey! · System Of A Down
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.