Thunderstruck amp settings — Fender Front man 20g
The AC/DC guitar tone for “Thunderstruck”, dialed in for a Fender Front man 20g with a Ibanez Grx70qa. Studio version, The Razors Edge (1990)
Gibson SG Standard (Angus) / Gretsch Jet Firebird (Malcolm) → Marshall 1959SLP Plexi / Marshall JMP Super Bass → 4x12 with Celestion V30s, no pedals
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 10 |
| Bass | 3 |
| Mid | 8 |
| Treble | 4 |
| Presence | 0 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 7 |
01Overdrive Pedal (TS-style or Boss SD-1)
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The Frontman 20G is a solid-state practice amp with no natural breakup; you need a pedal to generate the gritty crunch. A Boss SD-1 or Joyo Vintage Overdrive (~$30) gets you 80% there. Without this, the tone will be clean and lifeless.
The original Marshall Plexi gets its crunch from power tubes pushed hard—impossible on a solid-state Frontman. Gain is maxed to extract every bit of available grit, but the amp will still sound relatively clean without an OD pedal. Bass dropped from the original's 5 to 3 because the Frontman's EQ is scooped and boomy; mids pushed to 8 (original was 5-7) to compensate for the Fender's mid-scoop. Treble cut to 4 (original 6-7) because your Ibanez's Infinity humbuckers are already bright and the Frontman's treble is harsh at high settings.
Get this tone on your amp
These settings are for a Fender Front man 20g. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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