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Solo Tone

Blackened

Metallica

Guitarmetal1980s

Original Gear

GuitarESP M-II (1987-88, custom, likely black finish, used by Kirk Hammett)
AmpMesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head
PickupsEMG 81 Active Ceramic Humbucker (bridge position)

Amp Settings

gain8
bass6
mid4
treble7.5
reverb0
presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1988. Kirk Hammett's solo tone on 'Blackened' from ...And Justice for All. No evidence of live/touring rig or later amp models for this recording. No evidence of other guitars or amps for the solo section.

Tone Character(10)
tight and percussivescooped midshigh-gain saturationaggressive palm mutingarticulate note separationrazor-sharp attacksinging sustaincrisp, cutting highsminimal ambience (dry)focused, compressed lead tone

Difficulty

The 'Blackened' solo demands advanced alternate picking speed, precise palm muting, and complex phrasing, making it challenging even for experienced players.

Sources

Metallica – ...And Justice for All (Remastered) - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | EquipboardKirk Hammett's Guitars, Gear, Wah & Amps | EquipboardWhat Amp settings should i use for a thrash Metallica type sound?Blackened tone help : r/Metallica - Reddit

This tone has been researched 2 times by the community

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Blackened settings for your amp

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use on these amps.

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Blackened by Metallica — Solo Tone Settings | ToneAdapt