Boss Katana settings
That Was Just Your Life settings for Boss Katana
Metallica · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "That Was Just Your Life" riff tone on a Boss Katana, set Gain 8.5, Bass 5, Mid 3, Treble 7, Presence 6, Reverb 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Jackson Dinky · updated 2026-08-18
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 8.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
- Solo
- 0
- Contour
- 2
- Power control
- 3
- Cabinet resonance
- 2
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting for chugging riffs.
- Use aggressive pick attack to enhance clarity and 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 actually has.
- Guitar
- ESP MX-220 (Hetfield's custom model, black finish)
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (studio), Mesa/Boogie Mark IV (possible layering), Diezel VH4 (likely used on Death Magnetic era), Marshall JCM800 (possible layering)
- Gain
- 8.5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 4
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get That Was Just Your Life 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 That Was Just Your Life?
Set Gain 8.5, Bass 5, Mid 3, Treble 7, Presence 6, Reverb 0.
Which pickup should I use for That Was Just Your Life?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Metallica use on That Was Just Your Life?
Guitar: ESP MX-220 (Hetfield's custom model, black finish). Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (studio), Mesa/Boogie Mark IV (possible layering), Diezel VH4 (likely used on Death Magnetic era), Marshall JCM800 (possible layering).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Jackson Dinky. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
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.