Marshall G15RCD settings
Ride the Lightning settings for Marshall G15RCD
Metallica · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Ride the Lightning" riff tone on a Marshall G15RCD, set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Treble 7, Reverb 0, Contour 6. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7 and volume on 6-7.
Riff settings
updated 2026-05-19
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7 · Volume 6-7
Marshall G15RCD knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 5
- Treble
- 7
- Reverb
- 0
- Contour
- 6
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Keep your picking dynamics light to maintain clarity in the clean riff.
- Experiment with fingerstyle for a softer attack, if desired.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall G15RCD actually has.
- Guitar
- Gibson Flying V (early 80s, likely 1981-1982 model, used by James Hetfield for rhythm on studio recording)
- Amp
- Marshall JCM800 2203 (borrowed European model, studio recording, 1984)
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 3.5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
Different guitar or pedals? Get Ride the Lightning 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 G15RCD settings for Ride the Lightning?
Set Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Treble 7, Reverb 0, Contour 6.
Which pickup should I use for Ride the Lightning?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7 and volume at 6-7.
What gear did Metallica use on Ride the Lightning?
Guitar: Gibson Flying V (early 80s, likely 1981-1982 model, used by James Hetfield for rhythm on studio recording). Amp: Marshall JCM800 2203 (borrowed European model, studio recording, 1984).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Ride the Lightning on other amps
- Ride the Lightning on Fender Mustang LT25 · 20
- Ride the Lightning on Boss Katana · 10
- Ride the Lightning on Marshall DSL100HR · 4
- Ride the Lightning on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 · 3
- Ride the Lightning on Marshall MG30FX · 3
- Ride the Lightning on Boss Katana Mini · 3
- Ride the Lightning on Marshall MG15FX · 3
- Ride the Lightning on Fender Frontman 10G · 2
More Metallica on the Marshall G15RCD
All Metallica tones →Popular songs on the Marshall G15RCD
- Walk · Pantera
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Seven Nation Army · The White Stripes
- Creep · Radiohead
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Like a Stone · Audioslave
- Pardon Me · Incubus
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.