Fender Rumble 500 settings
For Whom the Bell Tolls settings for Fender Rumble 500
Metallica · adapted 5 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "For Whom the Bell Tolls" distorted tone on a Fender Rumble 500, set Gain 6.5, Drive 3, Bass 4, Mid 6, Treble 5, Bright 0. Use the bridge pickup favored (70% bridge / 30% neck, growl) pickup.
Distorted settings
Adapted for a Warwick RockBass Corvette Basic 4-String · updated 2026-09-30
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup favored (70% bridge / 30% neck, growl)
Fender Rumble 500 knobs
- Gain
- 6.5
- Drive
- 3
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 5
- Bright
- 0
- Contour
- 0
- Vintage
- 0
- Compression
- 4
Playing tips
- Use fingerstyle to achieve a warm and rounded tone.
- Experiment with the drive control to find the right level of saturation without losing clarity.
- Adjust the pickup blend to favor both pickups for a balanced tone that captures the aggression of the original.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Fender Rumble 500 actually has.
- Bass
- Gibson Explorer (likely 1984 model, stock pickups at time of recording)
- Amp
- Marshall JMP 2203 (modified, 100W head, used in studio for Ride the Lightning 1984)
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 4.5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
Different bass or pedals? Get For Whom the Bell Tolls 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 Rumble 500 settings for For Whom the Bell Tolls?
Set Gain 6.5, Drive 3, Bass 4, Mid 6, Treble 5, Bright 0.
Which pickup should I use for For Whom the Bell Tolls?
Bridge pickup favored (70% bridge / 30% neck, growl).
What gear did Metallica use on For Whom the Bell Tolls?
Bass: Gibson Explorer (likely 1984 model, stock pickups at time of recording). Amp: Marshall JMP 2203 (modified, 100W head, used in studio for Ride the Lightning 1984).
Will these settings work with my bass?
These settings were adapted for a Warwick RockBass Corvette Basic 4-String. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact bass, pickups, amp and pedals.
For Whom the Bell Tolls on other amps
- For Whom the Bell Tolls on Amp · 65
- For Whom the Bell Tolls on Fender Rumble 25 · 54
- For Whom the Bell Tolls on 15W Bass Combo Amplifier by Gear4music · 39
- For Whom the Bell Tolls on Fender Rumble 15 · 37
- For Whom the Bell Tolls on Fender Rumble 40 · 35
- For Whom the Bell Tolls on Fender Rumble 100 · 21
- For Whom the Bell Tolls on Fender Mustang LT25 · 16
- For Whom the Bell Tolls on Fender Rumble LT25 · 12
Popular songs on the Fender Rumble 500
- Schism · TOOL
- Come Together · The Beatles
- Hysteria · Muse
- Money · Pink Floyd
- Paranoid · Black Sabbath
- Chop Suey! · System Of A Down
- Feel Good Inc. (feat. David Jolicoeur, Kelvin Mercer & Vincent Mason) · Gorillaz & De La Soul
- Symphony of Destruction · Megadeth
- Message In a Bottle · The Police
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.