Song Rig
Heaven and Hell
Tony Iommi · Heaven and Hell · 1980
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
The Dio era Iommi tone — brighter and more articulate than the Ozzy years, partly by Dio's demand for more clarity in the arrangements. Iommi shifted toward the Laney GH100L which has more midrange definition than the Super Bass. The riff is complex enough that it needed a cleaner tone than the thick Ozzy-era sludge to be intelligible.
Signal Chain
- 1Jaydee SG-style guitar (custom, C# standard)
- 2Laney GH100L
- 3MXR Distortion+ (boost)
Amp Settings
More midrange than the Master of Reality settings — the Dio-era Sabbath required more chord definition for the complex vocal arrangements. Presence up slightly versus the Ozzy material. MXR Distortion+ before the amp adds harmonic sustain without raising the noise floor.
Technique
How to Play It
The Heaven and Hell main riff is partly fingerpicked using the thimble tips on adjacent strings — this creates a lute-like attack on the arpeggiated section that a flat-picked approach cannot replicate.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
SG or Les Paul into a Marshall DSL at 8 gain, mids at 7. Tune down to C# with 12-gauge strings minimum. MXR Distortion+ in front of the amp at 50% distortion, 70% output.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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