Marshall Valvestate VS100 settings
Master of Puppets settings for Marshall Valvestate VS100
Metallica · adapted 18 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Master of Puppets" riff tone on a Marshall Valvestate VS100, set Gain 9, Bass 5, Mid 2, Treble 7, Reverb 0, Fx mix 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul · updated 2026-11-10
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Marshall Valvestate VS100 knobs
- Gain
- 9
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 2
- Treble
- 7
- Reverb
- 0
- Fx mix
- 0
- Contour
- 6
- Od reverb
- 0
- Mid booster
- 0
- Clean reverb
- 0
- Power dimension
- 1
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Use tight palm muting for chugging riffs to achieve a percussive attack.
- Focus on fast alternate picking to maintain clarity and articulation in your playing.
- Experiment with the contour control to find the right mid-scooping for your tone.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Marshall Valvestate VS100 actually has.
- Guitar
- ESP MX220 (custom, aka 'Eet Fuk')
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (preamp) into Marshall JCM800 (power amp section), Mesa 4x12 cabinet
- Gain
- 9
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 3
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 1
Different guitar or pedals? Get Master of Puppets 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 Valvestate VS100 settings for Master of Puppets?
Set Gain 9, Bass 5, Mid 2, Treble 7, Reverb 0, Fx mix 0.
Which pickup should I use for Master of Puppets?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Metallica use on Master of Puppets?
Guitar: ESP MX220 (custom, aka 'Eet Fuk'). Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (preamp) into Marshall JCM800 (power amp section), Mesa 4x12 cabinet.
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Master of Puppets on other amps
- Master of Puppets on Fender Mustang LT25 · 1,425
- Master of Puppets on Boss Katana · 926
- Master of Puppets on Fender Frontman 10G · 434
- Master of Puppets on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 280
- Master of Puppets on Fender Champion 20 · 218
- Master of Puppets on Fender Frontman 15G · 207
- Master of Puppets on Neural DSP Quad Cortex · 193
- Master of Puppets on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 · 182
Popular songs on the Marshall Valvestate VS100
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Killing in the Name · Rage Against the Machine
- King of the Night Time World · Kiss
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Creatures Of The Night (2022 Remastered) · Kiss
- Smoke on the Water · Deep Purple
- X-Ray Eyes · Kiss
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.