Tone library / AC/DC / Higway the hell

Higway the hell amp settings — Meteoro FWG-50

The AC/DC guitar tone for “Higway the hell”, dialed in for a Meteoro FWG-50 with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Highway to Hell album (1979)

Original rig

Marshall Super Lead 1959 Plexi (non-master volume, cranked), Gibson SG Standard with T-Top humbuckers, bridge pickup, no pedals

Crunchy mid-forward British rock tone with bite and dynamic touch sensitivity
Amp settings — Meteoro FWG-50
CHANNELOverdrive channel (if available) or drive channelBRIGHTonBOOSToff
GAIN 6 BASS 4 MID 7 TREBLE 5 PRESENCE 5 REVERB 0 MASTER 7
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain6
Bass4
Mid7
Treble5
Presence5
Reverb0
Master7
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Tube Screamer style overdrive (RECOMMENDED — not currently owned)

RECOMMENDED — Your Meteoro lacks the natural tube saturation of a Plexi; a TS-style pedal into a cleaner amp setting will get you closer to that pushed-amp crunch. If using this pedal, drop amp gain to 3.

Drive 3 · Tone 6 · Level 7
Why these settings

Your Strat's single coils are brighter and lower output than Angus's SG humbuckers, so I cut treble from the original's 6-7 down to 5 and pushed mids to 7 to compensate for the Strat's natural mid-scoop. The Meteoro is a solid-state amp that won't break up like a cranked Plexi, so gain is set higher than the original's volume-derived saturation. A TS-style pedal would bridge the gap significantly.

PRO TIPAngus gets his dynamics by digging in hard with the pick on downstrokes and letting the amp respond—practice aggressive alternate picking with your wrist locked and you'll get that percussive chunk even through single coils.

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These settings are for a Meteoro FWG-50. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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