Vox Valvetronix VT40X settings
Iron Man settings for Vox Valvetronix VT40X
Black Sabbath · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Black Sabbath "Iron Man" riff tone on a Vox Valvetronix VT40X, select the Brit 800 preset, then set Gain 8, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6, Reverb 0, Bias shift 1. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Harley Benton DC-580 CH Vintage Series · updated 2026-10-26
- Preset / mode
- Brit 800
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-10
Vox Valvetronix VT40X knobs
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
- Bias shift
- 1
- Power level
- 9
- Class selector
- 1
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting for chugging riffs.
- Use aggressive picking for a raw attack.
- Experiment with dynamics to enhance the percussive feel of the riffs.
The original rig
What Black Sabbath used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Vox Valvetronix VT40X actually has.
- Guitar
- 1965 Gibson SG Special
- Amp
- Laney Supergroup MK 1 100-watt head with Laney 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12-25M speakers likely)
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 7.5
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5.5
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get Iron Man adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Black Sabbath's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What preset should I use on the Vox Valvetronix VT40X for Iron Man?
Start from the Brit 800 preset, then set Gain 8, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6, Reverb 0, Bias shift 1.
Which pickup should I use for Iron Man?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-10.
What gear did Black Sabbath use on Iron Man?
Guitar: 1965 Gibson SG Special. Amp: Laney Supergroup MK 1 100-watt head with Laney 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12-25M speakers likely).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Harley Benton DC-580 CH Vintage Series. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Iron Man on other amps
Popular songs on the Vox Valvetronix VT40X
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Boys Don't Cry (Single Version) · The Cure
- Walk · Pantera
- The Chain · Fleetwood Mac
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Take It Easy · Eagles
- Teenage Dirtbag · Wheatus
- Johnny B. Goode · Chuck Berry
- Paranoid Android · Radiohead
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.