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Riff Tone

Hail Caesar

AC/DC

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

AmpMarshall Super Bass 100 (vintage, late 1960s/early 1970s, likely modded to Malcolm's spec)

PickupsGretsch Filter'Tron humbucker (bridge only, neck pickup removed/disabled)

Amp Settings

gain5

bass5.5

mid7.5

treble6.5

reverb0.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording for 'Hail Caesar' (Ballbreaker, 1995). Guitar confirmed via official video and Equipboard. Amp confirmed via multiple rig guides and era-correct interviews. No pedals or effects confirmed for riff section; AC/DC's rhythm tone is famously dry. Pickup selector is always bridge on Malcolm's Jet. No evidence of effects loop or amp-based effects used.

Tone Character(10)

dry and punchymidrange-focused British crunchclear and articulatetight and percussive attackminimal sustainno reverb or delaybright and cuttinguncompressed, dynamic responseraw, unprocessed characteramp-driven overdrive

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, percussive rhythm playing and dynamic control, but uses straightforward chord shapes and no advanced techniques.

Sources

Malcolm Young - Equipboard AC/DC Gear Guide - Sound like Angus & Malcolm Young - YouTube Amp Settings for Hells Bells by AC/DC (guitars and tone) - Guitar Chalk AC/DC Amp Settings | ACDCfans.net

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Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGretsch G6131-MY Malcolm Young Signature Jet

AmpMarshall Super Bass 100 (vintage, late 1960s/early 1970s, likely modded to Malcolm's spec)

PickupsGretsch Filter'Tron humbucker (bridge only, neck pickup removed/disabled)

Amp Settings

gain5

bass5.5

mid7.5

treble6.5

reverb0.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Sources

Malcolm Young - Equipboard AC/DC Gear Guide - Sound like Angus & Malcolm Young - YouTube Amp Settings for Hells Bells by AC/DC (guitars and tone) - Guitar Chalk AC/DC Amp Settings | ACDCfans.net

Notes

Studio recording for 'Hail Caesar' (Ballbreaker, 1995). Guitar confirmed via official video and Equipboard. Amp confirmed via multiple rig guides and era-correct interviews. No pedals or effects confirmed for riff section; AC/DC's rhythm tone is famously dry. Pickup selector is always bridge on Malcolm's Jet. No evidence of effects loop or amp-based effects used.

Tone Character(10)

dry and punchymidrange-focused British crunchclear and articulatetight and percussive attackminimal sustainno reverb or delaybright and cuttinguncompressed, dynamic responseraw, unprocessed characteramp-driven overdrive

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, percussive rhythm playing and dynamic control, but uses straightforward chord shapes and no advanced techniques.

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Hail Caesar by AC/DC — Riff Tone Settings | ToneAdapt