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Fade to Black — Metallica1 / 2
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Fade to Black Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica

Metallica · 1980s · metal

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Gibson 1969 Les Paul Custom (James Hetfield, studio recording)
Pickups
Stock Gibson humbuckers (likely T-Top, passive, not EMG)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (studio recording, 1984)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording for 'Fade to Black' (1984, Ride the Lightning). Clean intro/riff section. Not the live rig or later EMG-equipped guitars. No evidence of pedal use for clean tone; amp reverb likely used.

Amp Settings

Mids
4
Bass
5.5
Gain
0
Reverb
1.5
Treble
7
Presence
5.5

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Tone Character

  • bright and sparkling
  • warm and rounded
  • articulate and clear
  • slightly compressed
  • studio-polished
  • gentle reverb tail
  • dynamic and touch-sensitive
  • full-bodied lows
  • not brittle or thin
  • classic 1980s clean

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
  • ⚠️No direct source gives exact amp knob settings for the clean intro; settings estimated based on typical Mesa Mark IIC+ clean tones and era.
  • ⚠️Guitar model confirmed for studio recording is a 1969 Gibson Les Paul Custom with stock pickups, not EMG-equipped guitars used later.
  • ⚠️No evidence of chorus, delay, or modulation effects on the clean riff; only amp reverb is audible.
  • ⚠️Pickup position inferred from tone and period photos; neck pickup is standard for this section.
  • ⚠️Presence setting estimated; Mesa Mark IIC+ presence is subtle on clean channel.
  • ⚠️All settings are for the studio recording, not live performances or later tours.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. For 'Fade to Black' (riff section), Metallica used Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ amps with high gain, scooped mids, tight bass, and bright treble, matching 80s thrash conventions. The tone is dry with little to no reverb, and presence is set high for clarity and bite.

Sources