Riff Tone

Cure (Remastered)

Metallica

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarESP LTD James Hetfield Snakebyte

AmpMesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (studio recording, Load era, 1996)

PickupsEMG 81/60 active humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass6

mid4

treble6.5

reverb0

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

overdriveIbanez Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

noise_gateUnknown Noise Gate (model unknown)

Notes

Studio recording, 1996 Load sessions. Guitar and amp confirmed for this era and album. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps used for the riff section of 'Cure (Remastered)'.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivescooped midsaggressive palm mutinghigh-gain saturationchunky low enddry, punchy soundcompressed, focused distortionarticulate attackminimal ambiencedense, modern metal rhythm

Difficulty

The riff requires tight palm muting, precise down-picking, and rhythmic accuracy to maintain clarity and punch, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

Amp Settings for Sad But True by Metallica (gear and tone tips) - Guitar Chalk Metallica Amp Settings (2026): James Hetfield Tone and EQ Guide - Guitar Chalk James Hetfield's guitar tone on Metallica's Sad But True: secrets behind the sound | Guitar World

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account