Riff Tone

I

Black Sabbath

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson SG Custom (early 1970s, likely with John Birch modifications)

AmpLaney GH100TI (Tony Iommi Signature Head, used on Dehumanizer sessions, 1992)

PickupsJohn Birch custom humbuckers (likely Superflux or P90-style, era-correct for Dehumanizer sessions)

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid7

treble6.5

reverb0

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

boostUnknown Boost pedal (likely Dallas Rangemaster or modern equivalent, but not confirmed for this session)

Notes

Studio recording, 1992 Dehumanizer album. Iommi used his signature Laney GH100TI head and a heavily modified Gibson SG with custom John Birch pickups. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutinghigh-gain saturationfocused midrange puncharticulate low endminimal ambiencemodern metal crunchclear note separationchunky rhythmdry, in-your-face attack

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, fast palm muting and precise rhythm, with aggressive picking and stamina to maintain the heavy, percussive feel throughout.

Sources

Tony Iommi's Guitar Gear - Equipboard How to Sound like Black Sabbath | guitarguitar

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