Marshall MG15FX Gold settings
Blackened settings for Marshall MG15FX Gold
Metallica · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Blackened" riff tone on a Marshall MG15FX Gold, set Gain 9, Bass 3, Mid 1, Treble 6, Reverb 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Dean ML 79 Floyd · updated 2026-03-12
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Marshall MG15FX Gold knobs
- Gain
- 9
- Bass
- 3
- Mid
- 1
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting for chugging riffs.
- Use aggressive picking to achieve a percussive attack.
- Maintain a consistent rhythm to emphasize the articulation of notes.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall MG15FX Gold 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 Marshall MG15FX Gold settings for Blackened?
Set Gain 9, Bass 3, Mid 1, Treble 6, Reverb 0.
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 Dean ML 79 Floyd. 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 Marshall MG15FX Gold
All Metallica tones →Popular songs on the Marshall MG15FX Gold
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Layla · Derek & The Dominos
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.