Paranoid — solo
Same rig with the wah rocked for the solo's nasal midrange.
- Guitar
- SG, bridge pickup
- Guitar volume
- 10
- Treble booster
- On
- Wah
- Rocked forward
- Amp — Volume
- 8
- Amp — Mid
- 7
- Amp — Treble
- 7
All musicians
TI
Black Sabbath
Tony Iommi
Heavy Metal1968–presentUK
Down-tuned to ease the pain of lost fingertips, Iommi invented heavy metal's low, doom-laden guitar sound with an SG and a Laney.
Known for: Iron Man, Paranoid, Black Sabbath
7
gear entries
7
with sources
Rig rundown
Pedals
3Tycobrahe Parachute Wah
PedalThe wah he has used live for decades.
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
PedalBoosts the Laney into that thick, grinding crunch.
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
PedalThe booster that pushes his SG into the amps.
Amps
2Laney Supergroup LA100BL
AmpCustom-modified heads — the sound of early Sabbath.
Laney Amplifiers
AmpHis long-standing amp partnership with Laney.
Guitars
2Gibson SG 'Monkey'
GuitarHis main SG, fitted with John Birch pickups.
Gibson SG Special
GuitarThe SG at the heart of the Black Sabbath sound.
Dial-in specs
What to dial in to chase Tony Iommi's signature sounds — knob positions, pickup choice and amp EQ as documented.
Iron Man
Down-tuned, treble-boosted and thick — the riff carries the weight.
- Tuning
- C# standard
- Guitar
- SG, neck pickup
- Guitar volume
- 10
- Guitar tone
- 7
- Treble booster
- On
- Amp — Volume
- 8
- Amp — Bass
- 7
- Amp — Mid
- 6
- Amp — Treble
- 6