🎸 Rock · 1970s

T.N.T. by AC/DC (Solo · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by AC/DC · solo

The T.N.T. by AC/DC guitar tone is built on a Marshall Super Lead 1959, dialed in at gain 6.5/10, bass 4.5, mid 5.5, treble 5.5, presence 3.5 (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)

6.5

GAIN

4.5

BASS

5.5

MID

5.5

TREBLE

3.5

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 6.5 sits above the rock average (4.8) — a hotter, more saturated take than most rock tones; mids at 5.5 are right around average (6.2); treble 5.5 is below the 6.5 norm (darker, smoother top end).

Guitar controls

VOLUME

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson SG Standard (early 1970s, likely 1970-1973 model) · Amp: Marshall Super Lead 1959 (100-watt, non-master volume, late 60s/early 70s Plexi)

Studio recording, 1975. Angus Young used his main Gibson SG into a cranked Marshall Super Lead. No pedals or effects except possibly the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System wireless, which acted as a preamp/boost. No evidence of additional pedals or amp effects on the original studio solo.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall Plexi songs & tones →🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ Gibson SG songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Gibson SG Standard (early 1970s, likely 1970-1973 model) → Marshall Super Lead 1959 (100-watt, non-master volume, late 60s/early 70s Plexi)

Effects

Guitar → Schaffer-Vega Diversity System (wireless, acts as preamp/boost) → Marshall Super Lead 1959 → Marshall 4x12 cabinet

Tone character

biting midrange attack, tight, punchy rhythm, raw, open crunch, dynamic pick response, minimal compression, no audible reverb or delay, clear note separation, slight natural amp breakup, aggressive bridge pickup bite, classic British rock crunch

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 T.N.T. sound.

Difficulty

3/5 · Solo

The solo requires solid intermediate technique, including accurate bends, dynamic picking, and quick descending runs, but does not involve advanced shred or complex timing.

Worth knowing

Amp settings are sourced from a live cover (Source 1), but closely match typical Marshall Plexi settings for Angus Young in the studio era.
No direct studio session documentation of exact knob positions for the original 'T.N.T.' solo; settings are best estimates based on era, genre, and available sources.
No evidence of pedals or effects used on the original studio solo; Schaffer-Vega wireless system may have acted as a preamp/boost, but no time-based or modulation effects are audible.
No amp reverb or delay present; Marshall Super Lead does not have built-in effects.
Pickup choice is inferred from tone and Angus Young's known usage patterns.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Angus Young's 'T.N.T.' solo tone is classic Marshall crunch from the mid-'70s: moderate gain, strong mids, and slightly boosted treble for bite, with little to no reverb as was typical for AC/DC's dry, in-your-face sound. These settings reflect his likely JTM or JMP amp setup and the band's production style of the era.

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

🎧 Can you guess the tone?

Recognise famous songs from just the amp dials — a quick 10-round game. Beat your friends. Play free →

🎸 Which guitar legend is your tone twin? Take the quiz & share your result →

T.N.T. guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the T.N.T. guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 6.5, bass 4.5, mid 5.5, treble 5.5, presence 3.5, reverb 0. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the T.N.T. tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Gibson SG Standard (early 1970s, likely 1970-1973 model) · Amp: Marshall Super Lead 1959 (100-watt, non-master volume, late 60s/early 70s Plexi); Guitar → Schaffer-Vega Diversity System (wireless, acts as preamp/boost) → Marshall Super Lead 1959 → Marshall 4x12 cabinet.

Can I get the T.N.T. 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 T.N.T. — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 6.5, bass 4.5, mid 5.5, treble 5.5, presence 3.5, reverb 0), and Guitar → Schaffer-Vega Diversity System (wireless, acts as preamp/boost) → Marshall Super Lead 1959 → Marshall 4x12 cabinet. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

Share this tone

Sources

Free practice tools

🎤 Online guitar tuner → · 🎶 Guitar chords → · 🎸 Guitar tunings → · 🎚️ Tuning chart → · 🎼 Guitar scales → · 🎚️ Chord transposer & capo → · 🥁 Metronome → · 🎶 Song chords → · 🎧 Guess the Tone game → · 🎸 Tone Legend quiz → · 📊 Tone data report →

🔥 The most famous guitar tones of all time → · 🎯 Easy guitar songs to play (with settings) → · 🗂️ Browse tone collections (by genre & language) →

More like this

🎸 How to get AC/DC’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Rock guitar tones → · 🎚️ Marshall Plexi settings → · 🎛️ best rock amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar solos → · 🎚️ Boost tone guide → · 🎯 more tight tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

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