

But you will also find a tube screamer on his board for that extra kick! Ride The lightning Amp Settingsĭuring the ride the lightning album era, the band was using modified Marshall JCM 800 amps. Kirk uses a Dunlop Wah pedal, which is a huge part of his sound. Things were different between the two guitarists when it came to pedals. Otherwise, the settings are similar across the board. Hammet would use a bit more midrange for certain lead lines to fill out the parts. They changed them up periodically, but the same brands were used. Kirk used the same amps as James in the early days. And in a few crucial areas, his strategy differs from Hetfield’s. Hammett has used different amps and settings over the years to achieve his signature sound. All of which have become a crucial part of Metallica’s sound. Kirk Hammett’s guitar tone is known by his soaring lead lines and searing solos. And finally, a chorus pedal to add depth and dimension to both dirty and clean tones. Then a good noise gate to reduce unwanted artifacts. This is one of the main devices and is used by many metal players. He has used a Tube Screamer to boost his amp’s signal. In addition to his amps, Hetfield has also used a variety of pedals and other equipment to shape his tone. This has included brands like Mesa Boogie, Marshall, and Randall. Hetfield has also used a variety of different amps over the years. Giving his tone a more aggressive, punchy character. His sound is achieved by using lots of distortion and turning the mids down. There is a heavy emphasis on the lows and highs. Hetfield’s tone is known for its scooped midrange. Metallica amp control explanation diagram. If it does not have presence or depth controls, you can ignore them. Your amplifier will need to be able to pull off a saturated sound for these settings to work. The best amp settings to sound like Metallica are: We will touch on some of the gear I recommend to help get you there! You will also need guitars suitable for the role, as they play a big part as well. If you want to recreate Metallica’s sound, you’ll need an amp that can produce an aggressive tone. These are not classic rock amps by any means. They are designed to produce a lot of distortion. One of the things that makes Metallica’s guitar tone so unique is their use of certain amplifiers. But they’ve always been associated with a powerful, aggressive tone. Their mid scooped sound was easily recognizable in the early days. However, the band’s sound has evolved over the years. The Metallica guitar tone is saturated high gain with a tailored midrange. You have come to the right article! What is Metallica’s Sound? Whether you’re a fan of Metallica or just interested in learning more about guitar tone. We’ll also provide tips for guitarists looking to recreate their sound. In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into Metallica’s amp settings.


From here, you should have a good starting point. Treble and bass should be set to 6 and midrange to 3. If your amp can provide thick, saturated distortion, set the gain relatively high to around 8. One primary factor is their use of high gain amps and the right settings. James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett’s distinctive guitar sounds have helped to establish the band’s sound. Both in their early thrash metal days and even more recently. The crushing guitar tone of Metallica has become legendary in the heavy metal world.
