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Creeping Death — Metallica1 / 2
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Creeping Death Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica

Metallica · 1980s · metal

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
ESP M-II (early 1980s, black, with Floyd Rose)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB (bridge humbucker)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2203 (modded by Jose Arredondo)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1984. Kirk Hammett used his ESP M-II with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge into a modded Marshall JCM800. Effects included a wah pedal and EQ in the signal chain. Pedal and amp settings are estimated based on era, genre, and available sources.

Amp Settings

Mids
4
Bass
6
Gain
8
Reverb
1
Treble
7
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Dunlop Cry Baby Wah · wah
  • Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
  • TC Electronic Dual Parametric Equalizer · eq

ESP M-II → Dunlop Cry Baby Wah → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → TC Electronic Dual Parametric EQ → Marshall JCM800 (modded, slight spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • tight and percussive
  • scooped mids
  • aggressive palm muting
  • high-gain saturation
  • sharp attack
  • articulate lead lines
  • singing sustain
  • wah-inflected phrasing
  • crisp treble response
  • focused low end

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No exact numeric amp settings for 'Creeping Death' solo found; settings estimated based on typical JCM800 usage in 1980s thrash metal and forum consensus.
  • ⚠️Pedal models inferred from era and Equipboard; wah is clearly audible in solo, EQ pedal confirmed as part of Kirk's studio rig.
  • ⚠️No evidence of delay, chorus, or flanger in the solo section; only wah and EQ are confirmed/audible.
  • ⚠️Pickup and guitar model confirmed from multiple interviews and gear rundowns for Ride the Lightning era.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. For 'Creeping Death' (solo), Metallica used high-gain, scooped mids, tight bass, and bright treble typical of 80s thrash; the tone is dry with no reverb, matching their Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ amp settings and production style of Ride the Lightning.

Sources