Riff Tone

Paranoid

Unknown Artist

Guitarmetal1970s

Original Gear

Guitar1965 Gibson SG Special (heavily modified, P-90 pickups, right-handed model strung lefty)

AmpLaney LA100BL (100-watt tube head, late 1960s/early 1970s model)

PickupsGibson P-90 single-coil

Amp Settings

gain7

bass3

mid8.5

treble8

reverb0

presence7.5

Effects & Signal Chain

boostDallas Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster (modified)

Notes

Studio recording, 1970. Tony Iommi used his main SG Special with P-90s into a Laney LA100BL head and Laney 4x12 cabinet. A Dallas Rangemaster treble booster (modified) was used in front of the amp. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section. Settings and gear confirmed for the studio recording, not live.

Tone Character(10)

aggressive and bitingraw midrange saturationtight, percussive attackbright and cutting top endvery little low end (bass at 0)classic British crunchdry, immediate responseno ambience or reverbslight treble boost edgedistinct, doomy riff clarity

Difficulty

The riff is fast and requires tight alternate picking and muting, but uses simple power chords and straightforward rhythm, making it accessible to most players with some experience.

Sources

Black Sabbath – Paranoid - Gear & Equipment Used on the Single | Equipboard Tony Iommi's gear per album? : r/blacksabbath - Reddit

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account