Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 settings
Ride the Lightning settings for Boss Katana 50 Gen 3
Metallica · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Ride the Lightning" riff tone on a Boss Katana 50 Gen 3, set Gain 7.5, Bass 5, Mid 4.5, Treble 7, Reverb 0, Contour 1. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 8-10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Harley Benton SC-550 II · updated 2026-06-20
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8-10 · Volume 10
Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 knobs
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 4.5
- Treble
- 7
- Reverb
- 0
- Contour
- 1
- Gain control
- 7.5
- Master volume
- 7
- Power control
- 3
- Volume control
- 8
- Variation button
- 0
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting for chugging riffs.
- Use aggressive pick attack to enhance note articulation.
- Maintain a steady rhythm to capture the percussive nature of the riff.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 actually has.
- Guitar
- Gibson Flying V (early 80s, likely 1981-1982 model, used by James Hetfield for rhythm on studio recording)
- Amp
- Marshall JCM800 2203 (borrowed European model, studio recording, 1984)
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 3.5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get Ride the Lightning adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Metallica's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for Ride the Lightning?
Set Gain 7.5, Bass 5, Mid 4.5, Treble 7, Reverb 0, Contour 1.
Which pickup should I use for Ride the Lightning?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 8-10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Metallica use on Ride the Lightning?
Guitar: Gibson Flying V (early 80s, likely 1981-1982 model, used by James Hetfield for rhythm on studio recording). Amp: Marshall JCM800 2203 (borrowed European model, studio recording, 1984).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Harley Benton SC-550 II. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Ride the Lightning on other amps
More Metallica on the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3
All Metallica tones →Popular songs on the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3
- Walk · Pantera
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Sultans of Swing · Dire Straits
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Back in Black · AC/DC
Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.