Angus Young
Angus Young has been the sole lead guitarist of AC/DC since 1973, playing essentially the same rig in the same schoolboy uniform for over 50 years. His simplicity is his genius — a Gibson SG into a cranked Marshall produces a tone so recognisable that a single note from him is unmistakeable. Few guitarists have extracted so much from so little.
Gibson SG into cranked Marshall — raw, mid-heavy crunch with a bite in the upper mids that cuts through everything. The SG's mahogany body and short scale give extra warmth; the Marshall power tubes at full breakup provide natural compression and sag.
Guitars
Gibson SG Standard
Primary guitar throughout entire career. Standard SG with stop bar tailpiece.
Full specs & buy →Gibson SG Custom (White)
Used on many recordings and live shows — 3-pickup custom version.
Full specs & buy →Jaydee SG (Custom)
Custom-built SG replica by UK luthier John Diggins — slightly different spec to Gibson.
Gibson SG Angus Young Signature
Devil horns inlays, aged finish. Closest production guitar to his stage instruments.
Full specs & buy →Amplifiers
Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead 100W
1975–presentPrimary amp — four of them stacked for live shows. All controls at full for natural power tube saturation.
Marshall AFD100 "Appetite for Destruction"
Contemporary use — captures the Plexi character with modern reliability.
Effects Pedals
No pedals
Angus Young uses no effects pedals whatsoever. Guitar → cable → Marshall. The purest possible signal chain.
Key Albums & Tone
Raw, live-sounding SG into Marshalls — the template for every AC/DC record.
Robert John "Mutt" Lange production — tighter, punchier, the most commercial AC/DC sound.
First album with Brian Johnson — definitive rock production and Angus's most iconic solo album.
Biggest-sounding AC/DC production — walls of Marshall stack.
"Thunderstruck" intro — open E on high strings, solo at max Marshall crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What guitar does Angus Young use?
Gibson SG Standard and Gibson SG Custom (White). Primary guitar throughout entire career. Standard SG with stop bar tailpiece.
What amp does Angus Young use?
Marshall 1959SLP Super Lead 100W and Marshall AFD100 "Appetite for Destruction". Primary amp — four of them stacked for live shows. All controls at full for natural power tube saturation.
What pedals does Angus Young use?
Angus Young uses No pedals.
What is Angus Young's signature sound?
Gibson SG into cranked Marshall — raw, mid-heavy crunch with a bite in the upper mids that cuts through everything. The SG's mahogany body and short scale give extra warmth; the Marshall power tubes at full breakup provide natural compression and sag.