Fender Frontman 20G settings
Blackened settings for Fender Frontman 20G
Metallica · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Blackened" riff tone on a Fender Frontman 20G, set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 3, Treble 7, Drive select 1, Drive volume 8. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a LTD Iron Cross · updated 2026-10-24
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Fender Frontman 20G knobs
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7
- Drive select
- 1
- Drive volume
- 8
- Normal volume
- 0
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting for chugging riffs.
- Use fast downpicking to maintain aggressive attack.
- Ensure articulate note separation for clarity in fast passages.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Frontman 20G actually has.
- Guitar
- ESP MX220 'EET FUK' Explorer
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head (studio recording, 1988)
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get Blackened 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 Fender Frontman 20G settings for Blackened?
Set Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 3, Treble 7, Drive select 1, Drive volume 8.
Which pickup should I use for Blackened?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Metallica use on Blackened?
Guitar: ESP MX220 'EET FUK' Explorer. Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head (studio recording, 1988).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a LTD Iron Cross. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Blackened on other amps
More Metallica on the Fender Frontman 20G
All Metallica tones →Popular songs on the Fender Frontman 20G
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Walk · Pantera
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Creep · Radiohead
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Mr. Brightside · The Killers
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
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.