Marshall JCM2000 settings
Creeping Death settings for Marshall JCM2000
Metallica · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Creeping Death" riff tone on a Marshall JCM2000, set Gain 8, Bass 5.5, Mid 2, Treble 7, Presence 6, Reverb 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Gibson Les Paul Studio · updated 2026-08-22
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 8-9
Marshall JCM2000 knobs
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 2
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
- Fx mix
- 0
- Tone shift
- 1
- Deep switch
- 1
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting for chugging riffs.
- Use aggressive pick attack to enhance articulation.
- Maintain a steady rhythm to achieve percussive clarity.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul · updated 2026-05-10
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8-10 · Volume 10
Marshall JCM2000 knobs
- Gain
- 8.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
- Fx mix
- 0
- Tone shift
- 1
- Deep switch
- 1
Playing tips
- Use aggressive picking for clarity and attack.
- Incorporate palm muting for tight chugging sections.
- Focus on alternate picking for fast runs and solos.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall JCM2000 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 JCM2000 settings for Creeping Death?
Set Gain 8, Bass 5.5, Mid 2, Treble 7, Presence 6, Reverb 0.
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 Gibson Les Paul Studio. 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
More Metallica on the Marshall JCM2000
All Metallica tones →Popular songs on the Marshall JCM2000
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Wanted Dead or Alive · Bon Jovi
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Comfortably Numb · Pink Floyd
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Paradise City · Guns N' Roses
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.