Tone Comparison
Angus Young vs Keith Richards
Side-by-side rig comparison at every budget — signal chains, gear lists, and total cost for each tier.
At a Glance
Angus Young
SG through a Marshall Super Lead at maximum volume — Angus's raw, punchy crunch is all about the humbucker meeting a pushed amp with zero pedals.
Keith Richards
Open-G tuned 5-string Telecaster through a small Fender amp — Richards' Stones rhythm riffs are instantly recognisable.
Angus Young vs Keith Richards: SG through a Marshall Super Lead at maximum volume — Angus's raw, punchy crunch is all about the humbucker meeting a pushed amp with zero pedals. Open-G tuned 5-string Telecaster through a small Fender amp — Richards' Stones rhythm riffs are instantly recognisable. Angus Young operates in heavier, higher-gain territory; Keith Richards is cleaner and more touch-sensitive. Use the budget tiers below to compare complete signal chains at £200, £500, £1,000, and £2,500.
Angus Young
1970s · Hard Rock, Blues-Rock
SG through a Marshall Super Lead at maximum volume — Angus's raw, punchy crunch is all about the humbucker meeting a pushed amp with zero pedals. Pure, simple, devastating.
Keith Richards
1960s · Rock, Blues-Rock
Open-G tuned 5-string Telecaster through a small Fender amp — Richards' Stones rhythm riffs are instantly recognisable. No unnecessary notes: every riff locks in perfectly with the drums.
Angus Young- Joyo Vintage OverdriveOverdrive
- Boss Katana 50 MkIIAmp
- GuitarEpiphone SG Special
- BoostXotic EP Booster
- AmpBoss Katana 100 MkII
- Squier Classic Vibe 60s TelecasterGuitar
- Boss SD-1 Super OverdriveOverdrive
- Boss Katana 50 MkIIAmp
- GuitarEpiphone SG Standard
- AmpMarshall DSL40CR
- EQMXR M108S 10-Band EQ
- Fender Player TelecasterGuitar
- Boss Katana 100 MkIIAmp
- GuitarGibson SG Junior
- BoostPaul Cochrane Timmy
- EQBoss GE-7 Graphic EQ
- AmpMarshall DSL100H
- Fender Player TelecasterGuitar
- Fulltone OCD OverdriveOverdrive
- Fender '65 Twin ReverbAmp
Start with the £500 sweet spot
The £500 tier is where the signal chain logic starts to work properly — a real valve amp, the key overdrive pedal, and a complete rig that captures the essential character of the tone.
Hear The Difference — Songs to Compare
Listen to these tracks to understand the tonal difference before choosing an approach. Each song highlights a different characteristic.
Angus Young
♪ Back in BlackBack in Black
SG into Marshall Plexi — the defining hard rock rhythm tone, almost entirely amp-driven.
♪ ThunderstruckThe Razors Edge
Tapping intro into heavy rhythm — hear the single-coil character of the SG bridge pickup.
Keith Richards
♪ Jumping Jack FlashSingle (1968)
Open G tuning on a 5-string Telecaster into Marshall — the quintessential Stones rhythm guitar tone.
♪ Start Me UpTattoo You
The most-identified Stones riff — humbuckers through Marshall, 5-string open G, shows how tuning defines the sound.
FAQ
Angus Young vs Keith Richards — Common Questions
Angus Young: SG through a Marshall Super Lead at maximum volume — Angus's raw, punchy crunch is all about the humbucker meeting a pushed amp with zero pedals. Keith Richards: Open-G tuned 5-string Telecaster through a small Fender amp — Richards' Stones rhythm riffs are instantly recognisable. The key difference is in genre, era, and gear — compare their signal chains at each budget tier below.
Yes — both Angus Young and Keith Richards share Blues-Rock influences. Their gear approaches differ significantly however.
Both tones are achievable on a budget. The key is matching the guitar family and amp voicing correctly — not buying the exact same brand. Review the £500 rigs below for the most cost-effective entry point for each style.
At £500: Angus Young's rig totals ~£487, Keith Richards's rig totals ~£497. Both are achievable from £200 with entry-level gear, up to £2,500 for professional-grade setups.
Final Verdict — Angus Young vs Keith Richards
Angus Young is a Hard Rock/Blues-Rock player — natural amp saturation, built around sg guitars into british crunch-voiced amplifiers.
Keith Richards brings Rock/Blues-Rock — clean — no distortion, with tele instruments and clean fender amp character.
Both rigs cost roughly the same to build at the £500 level — ~£487 versus ~£497.
Best for beginners
Keith Richards
Keith Richards's Rock/Blues-Rock style uses clean — no distortion — the techniques are widely documented and the gear is forgiving at lower budgets.
Best for metal tones
Angus Young
Angus Young's natural amp saturation approach and Hard Rock/Blues-Rock roots provide the gain structure and technique library closest to metal playing.
Best value to recreate
Angus Young
Angus Young's £500 rig totals ~£487 — roughly equal to the ~£497 alternative. Both deliver authentic character at this tier.
At a Glance
| Angus Young | Keith Richards | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1970s | 1960s |
| Genre | Hard Rock, Blues-Rock | Rock, Blues-Rock |
| Gain structure | natural amp saturation | clean — no distortion |
| Guitar type | sg | tele |
| Amp voicing | british crunch | clean fender |
| £500 rig total | ~£487 | ~£497 |