Tone library / ACDC / Acdc - live wire (live at pavillion de paris, 1979)

Acdc - live wire (live at pavillion de paris, 1979) amp settings — Boss katana 100w mk3

The ACDC guitar tone for “Acdc - live wire (live at pavillion de paris, 1979)”, dialed in for a Boss katana 100w mk3 with a Epiphone SG Standard. Live at Pavillon de Paris, December 9, 1979 (Highway to Hell tour)

Original rig

Marshall JMP 2203 100W Master Volume head, Gibson SG Standard with humbuckers, Schaffer-Vega Diversity System wireless (acting as compressor/boost), no pedals

Aggressive mid-forward crunch with bite and sustain, raw British growl with cutting presence
Amp settings — Boss katana 100w mk3
CHANNELCrunchBRIGHToffBOOSTon
GAIN 5 BASS 4 MID 7 TREBLE 6 PRESENCE 6 REVERB 0 MASTER 7
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain5
Bass4
Mid7
Treble6
Presence6
Reverb0
Master7
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Why these settings

The Katana Crunch channel approximates the JMP 2203 midrange bark. Angus's 1979 live tone was dirtier than studio but still not high-gain by modern standards—gain 5 with the boost engaged gets you there. Mid pushed to 7 compensates for the Katana's slightly more neutral voicing vs the naturally mid-forward Marshall. Bass pulled to 4 keeps it tight like the original. Presence at 6 adds the live cut without fizz.

PRO TIPDig in hard with downstrokes on the low strings and let up on leads—Angus's dynamics came from pick attack, not pedals. The Schaffer system compressed his signal slightly, so the Katana's built-in boost replicates that sustain and push into the front end.

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These settings are for a Boss katana 100w mk3. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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