How to Dial In "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" by Ozzy Osbourne - Guitar Tone Settings
What Ozzy Osbourne Actually Used on "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll"
Original Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
These are the numbers on the record. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
A track from Diary of a Madman, Ozzy Osbourne's second album, released in October 1981 and the last with Randy Rhoads before his death in a plane crash in March 1982. Rhoads' main and most recognisable guitar was a 1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom in Alpine White, and he may also have used a 1957 Les Paul Black Beauty for some rhythm parts on this album. His amplifiers aren't documented in the sources available here, so no amp is listed. Play it with a tight, high-gain bridge-humbucker tone, precise down-picked riffing and plenty of sustain on the lead lines. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" Tone
What guitar did Ozzy Osbourne use on "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll"?
Ozzy Osbourne tracked "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" on a Gibson Les Paul Custom (released 1981). Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" need?
On the original amp: Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 7, Volume 7.5. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale; match them on your amp first, then nudge to taste. ToneMirror can translate these positions for whatever amp you actually own.
Can I play "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" tone on a Katana, a Helix, a tube combo, or anything else. The translation accounts for EQ curve, gain structure, and pickup type so the result actually sounds like the record, not just the same knob numbers on different gear.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" by Ozzy Osbourne are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.