Tone library / Black Label Society / Farewell Ballad

Farewell Ballad amp settings — Roland Cube 40GX

The Black Label Society guitar tone for “Farewell Ballad”, dialed in for a Roland Cube 40GX with a Epiphone SG Standard. Studio version, Doom Crew Inc. (2021) — also referenced original Book of Shadows era (1996) and JamTrackCentral session (2010)

Original rig

Wylde Audio Nomad (EMG 81/85) or Gibson Les Paul Custom (EMG 81/85) → Boss SD-1 (as clean boost) → Marshall JCM800 2203 / Wylde Audio Master 100

Singing, sustained lead tone with creamy compression; warm yet articulate with controlled saturation and operatic vibrato

Amp settings — Roland Cube 40GX

CHANNELLEAD channel — JC CLEAN model provides the cleanest platform; the Cube's LEAD voicing approximates Marshall-style saturationBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	5
Mid	7
Treble	6
Presence	5
Reverb	2
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Cube Baby (used as SD-1 style boost)

Run into Cube 40GX input; low gain acts as a clean boost pushing the front end for sustain and compression without mud — mimics Zakk's SD-1 usage

Gain 2 · Tone 6 · Volume 7

Why these settings

Your SG Standard has passive Alnico Classic Pro humbuckers vs Zakk's hot active EMGs — compensate by raising amp gain +1 and boosting with the Cube Baby to replicate the compressed, saturated sustain. The Cube 40GX's LEAD channel is voiced brighter than a JCM800, so mid is pushed to 7 and treble pulled to 6 to avoid ice-pick highs. Neck pickup with tone rolled to 7 recreates the creamy vocal quality Zakk gets from his EMG-85 neck position.

PRO TIPZakk's ballad tone relies on wide, slow finger vibrato applied immediately after each note — not delayed. Practice a half-step bend vibrato at approximately one cycle per second; this creates the 'crying' sustain that defines the Farewell Ballad lead sound more than any gear choice.

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