Marshall DSL20 settings
Creeping Death settings for Marshall DSL20
Metallica · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Creeping Death" riff tone on a Marshall DSL20, set Gain 8, Bass 5.5, Mid 3, Treble 7, Presence 6, Resonance 6. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Ibanez GRGA120 · updated 2026-09-07
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 8-9
Marshall DSL20 knobs
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Resonance
- 6
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting for chugging riffs.
- Use aggressive pick attack to enhance clarity and articulation.
- Maintain a steady rhythm to emphasize the percussive nature of the riff.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall DSL20 actually has.
- Guitar
- ESP MX220 (custom Explorer-style, white finish, 1984)
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio, 1984)
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Creeping Death 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 Marshall DSL20 settings for Creeping Death?
Set Gain 8, Bass 5.5, Mid 3, Treble 7, Presence 6, Resonance 6.
Which pickup should I use for Creeping Death?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Metallica use on Creeping Death?
Guitar: ESP MX220 (custom Explorer-style, white finish, 1984). Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio, 1984).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Ibanez GRGA120. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Creeping Death on other amps
- Creeping Death on Boss Katana · 25
- Creeping Death on Fender Mustang LT25 · 18
- Creeping Death on Marshall MG15CFX · 8
- Creeping Death on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 · 6
- Creeping Death on Marshall MG30FX · 6
- Creeping Death on Boss Katana 50 MkII · 4
- Creeping Death on Fender Champion 20 · 3
- Creeping Death on Fender Mustang LT50 · 3
Popular songs on the Marshall DSL20
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- War Pigs · Black Sabbath
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Man in the Box · Alice in Chains
- 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.