Boss Katana settings
Master of Puppets settings for Boss Katana
Metallica · adapted 926 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Master of Puppets" riff tone on a Boss Katana, set Gain 8, Bass 5, Mid 3, Treble 7, Reverb 0.5, Fx 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-11-14
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7
- Reverb
- 0.5
- Fx
- 0
- Bst
- 0
- Power control
- 2
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (Spring) · 0.5
Playing tips
- Use tight palm muting for chugging sections.
- Focus on fast alternate picking for the riff.
- Keep the attack aggressive to maintain clarity in the high-gain sound.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Ibanez GIO GRX40 · updated 2026-07-01
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8 · Volume 10
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 9
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0.5
- Solo
- 7
- Contour
- 2
- Power control
- 3
- Cabinet resonance
- 2
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use aggressive palm muting for tight rhythms.
- Focus on articulate picking for lead lines to maintain clarity.
- Engage the solo boost to cut through the mix during solos.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana actually has.
- Guitar
- ESP MX220 (custom, aka 'Eet Fuk')
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (preamp) into Marshall JCM800 (power amp section), Mesa 4x12 cabinet
- Gain
- 9
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 1
Different guitar or pedals? Get Master of Puppets 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 settings for Master of Puppets?
Set Gain 8, Bass 5, Mid 3, Treble 7, Reverb 0.5, Fx 0.
Which pickup should I use for Master of Puppets?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Metallica use on Master of Puppets?
Guitar: ESP MX220 (custom, aka 'Eet Fuk'). Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (preamp) into Marshall JCM800 (power amp section), Mesa 4x12 cabinet.
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Fender Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Master of Puppets on other amps
- Master of Puppets on Fender Mustang LT25 · 1,425
- Master of Puppets on Fender Frontman 10G · 434
- Master of Puppets on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 280
- Master of Puppets on Fender Champion 20 · 218
- Master of Puppets on Fender Frontman 15G · 207
- Master of Puppets on Neural DSP Quad Cortex · 193
- Master of Puppets on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 · 182
More Metallica on the Boss Katana
All Metallica tones →Popular songs on the Boss Katana
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · 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.