Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 settings
Back in Black settings for Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40
AC/DC · adapted 5 times on ToneAdapt
To get the AC/DC "Back in Black" riff tone on a Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40, select the Crunch preset, then set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 5, Presence 5, Reverb 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 2026-09-20
- Preset / mode
- Crunch
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 5
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 0
- Boost
- 0
Playing tips
- Focus on palm muting for a tighter attack.
- Use a light touch for dynamic chord strumming.
- Experiment with picking harder for more bite.
Solo settings
Adapted for a ESP LTD EC-1000 Fluence · updated 2026-05-04
- Preset / mode
- Crunch
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 knobs
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6.5
- Boost
- 1
Playing tips
- Use aggressive picking to enhance the attack and sustain.
- Incorporate bends and vibrato for expressive lead lines.
- Maintain a tight palm muting technique for rhythmic sections.
The original rig
What AC/DC used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 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 preset should I use on the Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40 for Back in Black?
Start from the Crunch preset, then set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 5, Presence 5, Reverb 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 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.
Back in Black on other amps
- Back in Black on Fender Mustang LT25 · 295
- Back in Black on Boss Katana · 287
- Back in Black on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 157
- Back in Black on Fender Frontman 10G · 143
- Back in Black on Boss GT-1000 · 107
- Back in Black on Fender Champion 20 · 79
- Back in Black on Fender Tone Master Pro · 75
- Back in Black on Positive Grid Spark · 66
Popular songs on the Hughes & Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Blurry · Puddle of Mudd
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Knockin' On Heaven's Door · Guns N' Roses
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Smoke On the Water · Deep Purple
- Kryptonite · 3 Doors Down
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
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.