Marshall DSL40CR settings
Back in Black settings for Marshall DSL40CR
AC/DC · adapted 49 times on ToneAdapt
To get the AC/DC "Back in Black" riff tone on a Marshall DSL40CR, set Gain 4, Bass 4, Mid 7.5, Treble 4.5, Presence 5.5, Resonance 5. 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 2026-11-09
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall DSL40CR knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 4.5
- Presence
- 5.5
- Resonance
- 5
- Reverb
- 0
- Tone shift
- 0
- Output power
- 1
Playing tips
- Use a strong, aggressive picking attack to emphasize the percussive nature of the riff.
- Palm mute the lower strings for added tightness and clarity in the rhythm.
- Focus on dynamic playing to capture the raw, uncompressed feel of the original tone.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Ibanez RGRT421 · updated 2026-04-26
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall DSL40CR knobs
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6.5
- Resonance
- 5
- Reverb
- 0
- Tone shift
- 0
Playing tips
- Focus on a percussive attack to enhance note separation.
- Use finger vibrato for expressive sustain.
- Employ dynamic picking to emphasize the punchy character of the tone.
The original rig
What AC/DC used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall DSL40CR 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 Marshall DSL40CR settings for Back in Black?
Set Gain 4, Bass 4, Mid 7.5, Treble 4.5, Presence 5.5, Resonance 5.
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
More AC/DC on the Marshall DSL40CR
- Highway to Hell
- Shoot to Thrill
- Hells Bells
- You Shook Me All Night Long
- T.N.T.
- Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Popular songs on the Marshall DSL40CR
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Walk · Pantera
- Welcome To The Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- 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.