Blackened Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica
Metallica · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Studio recording for '...And Justice for All' (1988). Kirk Hammett's solo tone was achieved with his ESP KH-2 loaded with EMG 81 pickups into a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head. Wah pedal is clearly audible in the solo. No evidence of additional pedals or rack effects for this solo beyond wah. No chorus, delay, or reverb effects are audible or documented for the solo section.
Amp Settings
Effects Chain
- Dunlop Cry Baby Wah (model unknown, likely GCB95 or 535Q) · wah
ESP KH-2 (EMG 81 bridge) → Dunlop Cry Baby Wah → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head → cabinet
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- scooped mids
- aggressive palm muting
- singing sustain
- sharp, biting treble
- articulate note separation
- high-gain saturation
- wah sweep in solo
- fast attack
- focused low end
Playing Technique
- Pick with a tight, even stroke · difficulty 3/5Use a firm pick angle and keep the fast notes close to the string. The Mark-style gain should add sustain, not disguise loose timing.
- Palm-mute the approach, open the lead · difficulty 3/5Keep the riff pocket tight before the solo, then release the mute as the lead enters. The contrast makes the solo sound larger without adding more gain.
- Make bends speak before the wah moves · difficulty 4/5Center the pitch first, then sweep the wah as a phrase color. If the wah moves constantly, the bend loses its vocal focus.
- Keep the lead dry and forward · difficulty 2/5Use only the smallest room ambience. A long delay makes this late-80s thrash recreation too polished and pushes the lead behind the rhythm wall.
Sources
Tone Story / Why This Tone Works
- Justice-era thrashBlackened comes from Metallica’s late-1980s thrash period and the dry, aggressive ...And Justice for All production.
- Kirk Hammett’s voiceHammett combines fast articulation with blues-rooted bends and wah phrasing that cuts through the rhythm wall.
- ESP and Mark-style gainAn EMG 81 bridge voice into a Mark IIC+-style amp supplies tight lows, saturation, and singing sustain.
- Why it worksThe dry, focused lead stays intelligible over precise rhythm guitars and turns the wah into a vocal accent.
What Fans Are Saying About This Tone?
That’s it for the M72 world tour YouTube videos now. This is the last one, what a tour it’s been, still absolutely in their prime especially James’s voice
Vote your takeIt's a shame they don't play the full version of the solo. The way it transitions into the main riff at the end is pure bliss
Vote your takeHoly shit! Listen to Lars! Fuck yeah 🤘
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