Orange Crush settings
Fade to Black settings for Orange Crush
Metallica · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Metallica "Fade to Black" solo tone on a Orange Crush, set Gain 7.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 7, Reverb 1.5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS · updated 2026-04-28
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Orange Crush knobs
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 7
- Reverb
- 1.5
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Maintain a steady hand for smooth, fluid playing to achieve the singing sustain characteristic of the original solo.
- Consider using your guitar's volume knob to roll back slightly for more dynamic control during softer passages.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul · updated 2026-09-27
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Orange Crush knobs
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 7
- Reverb
- 0.5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use aggressive palm muting to achieve a tight and percussive rhythm.
- Pick with a strong attack to enhance note separation and articulation.
- Maintain a dynamic response to your picking to capture the classic Marshall crunch.
The original rig
What Metallica used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Orange Crush actually has.
- Guitar
- Gibson Flying V (black, 1979 model, stock pickups)
- Amp
- Marshall JCM800 (likely 2203 or 2204 head, 1980s, with 4x12 cab)
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 6.5
- Mid
- 5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 1.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Fade to Black 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 Orange Crush settings for Fade to Black?
Set Gain 7.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 7, Reverb 1.5.
Which pickup should I use for Fade to Black?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Metallica use on Fade to Black?
Guitar: Gibson Flying V (black, 1979 model, stock pickups). Amp: Marshall JCM800 (likely 2203 or 2204 head, 1980s, with 4x12 cab).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Fade to Black on other amps
- Fade to Black on Fender Mustang LT25 · 24
- Fade to Black on Boss Katana · 22
- Fade to Black on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 · 7
- Fade to Black on Marshall DSL40CR · 5
- Fade to Black on Fender Frontman 10G · 4
- Fade to Black on Fender Champion II 25 · 4
- Fade to Black on Fender Mustang LT50 · 4
- Fade to Black on Marshall MG30FX · 4
Popular songs on the Orange Crush
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- War Pigs · Black Sabbath
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
- Man in the Box · Alice in Chains
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.