TonesMatch
Fade to Black — Metallica1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedSolo60% confidence

Fade to Black Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica

Metallica · 1980s · metal

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
ESP 400 Series Strat (modded, likely with Seymour Duncan or EMG pickups, but pre-EMG era for Kirk Hammett)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB (bridge humbucker, likely), or stock single-coil in neck; pre-EMG era
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2203 head
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (for main solo melody, as per tone and forum consensus)

Studio recording, 1984. Gear based on period interviews, photos, and Metallica's known studio setup for Ride the Lightning. No evidence of Mesa/Boogie or modern ESPs/EMGs on this album. Wah and delay are clearly audible in the solo. No evidence of chorus or flanger in the solo section.

Amp Settings

Mids
4.5
Bass
6.5
Gain
7.5
Reverb
1.5
Treble
7
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Wah pedal (model unknown, likely Cry Baby or Vox) · wah
  • Delay pedal (model unknown, likely analog or early digital) · delay
  • Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer (possible, as boost into Marshall) · overdrive

Guitar → Wah pedal → Delay pedal → (possible TS9 Tube Screamer) → Marshall JCM800 2203

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Tone Character

  • singing sustain
  • creamy lead tone
  • wah-filtered phrasing
  • fluid legato runs
  • tight and articulate attack
  • smooth, vocal-like bends
  • slight delay trails
  • focused midrange
  • not overly scooped
  • high-gain saturation

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct studio documentation of exact pedal models/settings for the original 1984 recording; gear and settings are inferred from period-correct interviews, forum consensus, and audible effects.
  • ⚠️Pickup model is estimated based on Kirk's known pre-EMG era guitars and typical mods; some sources suggest Seymour Duncan JB in bridge, but neck pickup is likely used for the solo.
  • ⚠️Amp settings are estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 tones for 1980s metal and forum advice.
  • ⚠️Delay and wah are clearly audible in the solo, but exact pedal models are not confirmed for the studio recording.
  • ⚠️No evidence of chorus or flanger in the solo section; some forum posts mention chorus for the intro clean, but not for the solo.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. For the 'Fade to Black' solo, Metallica used a high-gain, scooped-mid tone typical of their 80s era, likely with a Mesa/Boogie Mark series amp. The sound is saturated but articulate, with tight bass, scooped mids, bright treble, moderate presence, and almost no reverb, matching the production and genre conventions of the time.

Sources