War Pigs amp settings — Vox VT40+

The Black Sabbath guitar tone for “War Pigs”, dialed in for a Vox VT40+ with a Epiphone SG Standard. Studio version, Paranoid (1970)

Original rig

Gibson SG Special with P-90 pickups → Dallas Rangemaster treble booster → Laney LA100BL Supergroup head

Thick, mid-forward crunch with tight low end and aggressive upper-mid bite

Amp settings — Vox VT40+

CHANNELUK Modern (Nu Metal) or UK RockBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	4
Mid	7
Treble	5
Presence	7
Reverb	0
Master	5

Don’t have a Vox VT40+? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The VT40+ UK Rock or Nu Metal models approximate the Laney's thick British voicing better than the AC30-style models. Bass is pulled to 4 (vs original's 5-6) because the Vox modeling tends to flub out on low end. Mid pushed to 7 and presence to 7 compensates for the Rangemaster's treble boost that Iommi used—your Epiphone humbuckers are darker than his P-90s, so presence adds the cut he got naturally.

PRO TIPDig in hard with your picking hand near the bridge and let the notes breathe—Iommi's attack is deliberate and percussive, not fast. The weight comes from timing, not gain.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Vox VT40+. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

More tones for the Vox VT40+

Best of youFoo Fighters FuneralopolisElectric Wizard Dragging Cracked Knuckles (feat. PeelingFlesh)Gamma Sector

Find your amp

Browse

Vox VT40+ settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP War Pigs on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Black Sabbath tonesALL SONGS Epiphone SG Standard tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.