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Blackened Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica
Metallica · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP MX220 (aka 'Eet Fuk') Explorer-style
Pickups
EMG 81 (bridge), EMG 60 (neck) active humbuckers
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (studio recording, 1988)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (EMG 60)
Studio recording for '...And Justice for All' (1988). Clean intro/riff likely used the neck pickup (EMG 60) for a glassy, articulate clean. No evidence of pedal use for clean section; all effects from amp or post-processing.
Amp Settings
Mids4.5
Bass5.5
Gain0
Reverb1.5
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- glassy and pristine
- articulate and bright
- tight and percussive attack
- slight reverb ambience
- high headroom
- active pickup clarity
- no audible breakup
- studio-polished clean
- no modulation or delay
- focused and clear
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct source gives exact amp knob settings for the clean intro of 'Blackened'; settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ clean tones and Metallica's known studio gear for 1988.
- No evidence of pedal use for the clean section; all effects likely from amp or post-processing.
- Pickup choice inferred from typical Metallica clean tone and EMG 60 neck pickup clarity.
- No official rig rundown or studio notes for the clean section found in available sources.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. For 'Blackened,' Metallica used high-gain Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ amps with a notably scooped midrange, tight bass, and biting treble/presence for clarity and aggression. The tone is extremely dry and tight, with almost no reverb, matching their late 80s thrash production style.