ToneAdapt

Loading...

Riff Tone

Blackend

Metallica

Guitarmetal1980s

Original Gear

GuitarESP MX220 'Eet Fuk' (James Hetfield's main guitar on ...And Justice for All)
AmpMesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Mesa 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 1988)
PickupsEMG 81 (bridge), EMG 60 (neck) active humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain8.5
bass5.5
mid3
treble7
reverb0
presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1988. Riff section. Guitar: ESP MX220 'Eet Fuk' with EMG 81 bridge pickup. Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (no evidence of Jose-modded Marshall or Wizard for this era/album).

Tone Character(10)
tight and percussivescooped midsrazor-sharp attackdry and immediatehigh-gain saturationcrisp note separationarticulate rhythmminimal ambienceaggressive palm mutingfast, staccato riffing

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, precise alternate picking, aggressive palm muting, and tight right/left hand synchronization at high speed, making it very challenging even for advanced players.

Sources

Interview: Metallica's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett on ...AJFA guitar tone is peak : r/Metallica

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account

Blackend settings for your amp

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use on these amps.

More Metallica tones

Metallica gear & all tones →