Tone library / Black Sabbath / Paranoid

Paranoid amp settings — Harley benton HB-15GXD jambox

The Black Sabbath guitar tone for “Paranoid”, dialed in for a Harley benton HB-15GXD jambox with a Harley Benton Harley Benton ST-20 BK Standard Series. Studio version, Paranoid album (1970), Regent Sound Studios

Original rig

Gibson SG Standard → Dallas Rangemaster treble booster → Laney LA100BL (normal channel, inputs overloaded). Presence/Mid/Treble all at 10, Bass at 0.

Aggressive, biting mid-forward crunch with searing treble cut and no low-end mud — raw, compressed British valve saturation
Amp settings — Harley benton HB-15GXD jambox
CHANNELOverdrive channel (OD)
GAIN 8 BASS 1 MID 9 TREBLE 8 PRESENCE 0 REVERB 0 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain8
Bass1
Mid9
Treble8
Presence0
Reverb0
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Why these settings

Your HB-15GXD is a small solid-state practice amp with digital modeling — it lacks the valve compression and input-stage saturation Iommi got from overloading his Laney. Compensate by maxing the mid control and keeping bass near zero to replicate his scooped-bass, mid-heavy attack. The original Rangemaster boosted upper-mids before the amp; without a treble booster pedal, push gain higher on the OD channel to approximate that aggressive edge. Dropped treble slightly from Iommi's 10 because solid-state amps get harsh faster than valves.

PRO TIPIommi's tone relies heavily on his aggressive right-hand attack near the bridge and downstroke-heavy picking — dig in hard with your pick angled slightly and you'll get closer to that percussive bark even on modest gear.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Harley benton HB-15GXD jambox. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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