🎸 Rock · 1980s

Flick of the Switch by AC/DC (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by AC/DC · riff

The Flick of the Switch by AC/DC guitar tone is built on a Marshall Super Bass 100, dialed in at gain 6/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

GAIN

BASS

MID

TREBLE

PRESENCE

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 6 sits above the rock average (4.8) — a hotter, more saturated take than most rock tones; mids at 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Gretsch G6131MY Malcolm Young Signature (original '63 Jet Firebird modded, bridge pickup only, neck/middle removed) · Amp: Marshall Super Bass 100 (model 1992, late 60s/early 70s, cranked, no master volume)

Studio recording, 1983; rhythm guitar for riff section. Malcolm Young's stripped Gretsch Jet Firebird with only the bridge Filter'Tron pickup, into a Marshall Super Bass 100 head and 4x12 cabinet. No pedals or effects, pure amp drive. Angus Young played lead/solos, but the main riff is Malcolm's part. No evidence of pedals or amp effects used in the studio for this section.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Gretsch hollowbody songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Gretsch G6131MY Malcolm Young Signature (original '63 Jet Firebird modded, bridge pickup only, neck/middle removed) → Marshall Super Bass 100 (model 1992, late 60s/early 70s, cranked, no master volume)

Effects

Gretsch G6131MY Malcolm Young Signature (bridge pickup) → Marshall Super Bass 100 head → Marshall 4x12 cabinet

Tone character

dry and percussive, tight and punchy, gritty midrange, articulate attack, British crunch, raw, aggressive energy, clear note separation, no reverb or ambience, focused low end, slightly compressed from amp drive

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · crunch distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Flick of the Switch sound.

Difficulty

2.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires tight, percussive palm muting and precise timing to maintain the song's drive and clarity, but uses straightforward chord shapes and moderate tempo, making it accessible to intermediate players.

Worth knowing

No direct numeric amp settings for 'Flick of the Switch' found; settings estimated based on typical Marshall Super Bass usage for AC/DC in early 1980s and genre conventions.
No evidence of any pedals or effects used on the studio riff section; all sources and audio point to pure amp drive.
Pickup configuration confirmed as bridge Filter'Tron only; neck and middle pickups removed from Malcolm's Gretsch.
Settings are for studio recording, not live performance.
No amp reverb or effects loop on the Marshall Super Bass; reverb set to 0.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. AC/DC's 'Flick of the Switch' riff features a classic Marshall crunch with strong midrange, moderate bass, and bright but not harsh treble, typical of Angus Young's tone in the early '80s. The recording is very dry (no reverb), and the amp settings favor punch and clarity for the hard rock genre.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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Flick of the Switch guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Flick of the Switch guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 6, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6, reverb 0. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Flick of the Switch tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Gretsch G6131MY Malcolm Young Signature (original '63 Jet Firebird modded, bridge pickup only, neck/middle removed) · Amp: Marshall Super Bass 100 (model 1992, late 60s/early 70s, cranked, no master volume); Gretsch G6131MY Malcolm Young Signature (bridge pickup) → Marshall Super Bass 100 head → Marshall 4x12 cabinet.

Can I get the Flick of the Switch tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like AC/DC on Flick of the Switch — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 6, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6, reverb 0), and Gretsch G6131MY Malcolm Young Signature (bridge pickup) → Marshall Super Bass 100 head → Marshall 4x12 cabinet. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com