Marshall DSL40CR settings
Highway to Hell settings for Marshall DSL40CR
AC/DC · adapted 32 times on ToneAdapt
To get the AC/DC "Highway to Hell" riff tone on a Marshall DSL40CR, set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7, Presence 6, 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 SG · updated 2026-11-09
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall DSL40CR knobs
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Resonance
- 5
- Reverb
- 0
- Tone shift
- 0
- Output power
- 1
Playing tips
- Use a strong pick attack for clarity and punch.
- Keep palm muting in mind for tight rhythms.
- Focus on consistent strumming for the riff.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Gibson SG Standard Gold Series Limited Edition · updated 2026-07-01
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Marshall DSL40CR knobs
- Gain
- 5.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Resonance
- 5
- Reverb
- 0.5
- Tone shift
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (room) · 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level to recreate the slight room ambience of the original tone.
- Ensure the gain is set to 5.5 to maintain the classic British crunch characteristic of the original solo.
- Play with a dynamic touch to achieve the articulate, mid-forward presence that Angus Young's style demands.
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 (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 Marshall DSL40CR settings for Highway to Hell?
Set Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7, Presence 6, Resonance 5.
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 SG. 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
More AC/DC on the Marshall DSL40CR
All AC/DC tones →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.