Riff Tone

Fade to black

Metallica

Guitarmetal1980s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Explorer (1980s, stock pickups)

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 (borrowed European model, studio recording)

PickupsGibson Dirty Fingers humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass5.5

mid5

treble7.5

reverb1

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording for 'Fade to Black' (1984, Ride the Lightning). James Hetfield used a Gibson Explorer with stock Dirty Fingers pickups into a borrowed Marshall JCM800 2203 head. No evidence of pedals for the riff section; distortion is amp-based. No evidence of effects loop or additional rack gear for the rhythm/riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivecrunchy, mid-forwardslightly scooped upper-midsclear note separationaggressive palm mutingarticulate attackclassic Marshall crunchwarm but not muddydynamic response to pickingfocused low end

Difficulty

The riff requires tight palm muting, precise alternate picking, and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation at a moderate tempo. While not technically extreme, the classic Metallica rhythm style demands accuracy and stamina.

Sources

Any clue why Ride The Lightning's guitar tone sounds so cold and ...James Hetfield's Guitar Gear, Amps & Pedalboard | Equipboard

This tone has been researched 71 times by the community

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