Fender Bassman settings
Orion settings for Fender Bassman
Metallica · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Orion" clean tone on a Fender Bassman, set Gain 0, Bass 4.5, Mid 5, Treble 6.5, Presence 4, Bright switch 1. Use the both pickup.
Clean settings
updated 2026-09-03
- Pickup
- both
Fender Bassman knobs
- Gain
- 0
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 4
- Bright switch
- 1
Playing tips
- Use fingerstyle to achieve a warm, rounded attack while maintaining clarity.
- Experiment with the bright switch to enhance high frequencies and articulation.
- Focus on dynamic playing to emphasize the midrange clank characteristic of the tone.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Bassman actually has.
- Bass
- ESP MX220 'Eet Fuk' (James Hetfield's main guitar for Master of Puppets era, likely used for rhythm on 'Orion')
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 3.5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
Different bass or pedals? Get Orion adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Metallica's tone to your own bass, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Fender Bassman settings for Orion?
Set Gain 0, Bass 4.5, Mid 5, Treble 6.5, Presence 4, Bright switch 1.
Which pickup should I use for Orion?
both.
What gear did Metallica use on Orion?
Bass: ESP MX220 'Eet Fuk' (James Hetfield's main guitar for Master of Puppets era, likely used for rhythm on 'Orion'). Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head.
Will these settings work with my bass?
Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact bass, pickups, amp and pedals.
Orion on other amps
Popular songs on the Fender Bassman
- Hysteria · Muse
- Message In a Bottle · The Police
- Feel Good Inc. (feat. David Jolicoeur, Kelvin Mercer & Vincent Mason) · Gorillaz & De La Soul
- Another One Bites the Dust · Queen
- Paranoid · Black Sabbath
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- My Name Is Mud · Primus
- Money · Pink Floyd
- Come Together · The Beatles
- Chop Suey! · System Of A Down
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.