GuitarDistortedRiff
72 Seasons Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica
Metallica · 2010s+ · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP Snakebyte (James Hetfield signature, likely custom shop, used for rhythm tracking on 72 Seasons)
Pickups
EMG JH Het Set (active humbuckers, custom for Hetfield: JH-N neck, JH-B bridge)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 100-Watt Head (late-60s/early-70s, José Arredondo-modded), blended with Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (studio recording)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2022-2023. Rhythm guitars tracked primarily with the José-modded Marshall Super Lead and Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ in parallel. Wizard 100-watt and Diezel heads also available but not primary for this song's riff. No evidence of pedal distortion; all gain from amps. No evidence of live rig or Axe-Fx for studio album.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb0
Treble7.5
Presence6.5
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- chunky palm-muted chugs
- aggressive midrange
- smooth but saturated distortion
- British-style crunch blended with American high-gain
- articulate pick attack
- focused low end (not boomy)
- wide, modern stereo image
- not abrasive or fizzy
- warm yet punchy