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Riff Tone

Enter Sandman

Metallica

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarESP MX220 (custom 'EET FUK' Explorer, 1989-1990 spec)
AmpMesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Mesa/Boogie 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 1991)
PickupsEMG 81 (bridge), EMG 60 (neck) active humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain0
bass5.5
mid4
treble7
reverb1
presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording for 'Metallica' (The Black Album), 1991. Clean intro/riff section played by James Hetfield. No evidence of pedals used for clean tone; amp and guitar only. Clean tone is distinct from the heavy riff/chorus sections.

Tone Character(10)
crystal-clear and glassyslightly compressedtight and percussive attackarticulate and definedno audible breakupwarm but not muddysubtle studio reverb for spaceactive pickup clarityno chorus or modulationdistinct from distorted sections

Difficulty

The clean riff requires accurate picking and muting to maintain clarity and tightness, but does not involve advanced techniques or fast tempo.

Sources

Enter Sandman live : r/Metallica - RedditHow to get Metallica Enter Sandman tone? : r/guitarpedals - Reddit

This tone has been researched 14 times by the community

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Enter Sandman settings for your amp

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use on these amps.

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Enter Sandman by Metallica — Riff Tone Settings | ToneAdapt