GuitarCleanSolo
One Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica
Metallica · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP MX220 (custom, black finish, likely with EMG 81 bridge pickup)
Pickups
EMG 81 active humbucker (bridge position, likely for clean intro/verse)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (studio recording, 1988)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for '...And Justice for All' (1988). Clean sections likely used the EMG 81 bridge pickup on the ESP MX220 through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ amp. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for the clean section. Settings and effects are based on forum-reported attempts to match the studio tone and audible effects in the recording.
Amp Settings
Mids3.5
Bass6
Gain0
Reverb2.5
Treble8.5
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Line 6 Compressor (model unknown) · compression
- Chorus pedal (model unknown, Sine Chorus in forum example) · chorus
- Analog Delay pedal (model unknown) · delay
ESP MX220 (EMG 81 bridge) → Compressor → Chorus → Analog Delay → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (hall reverb)
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Tone Character
- crystal-clear and pristine
- bright and articulate
- slightly scooped mids
- chorus shimmer
- large hall reverb tail
- tight, noise-free attack
- bell-like note separation
- active pickup clarity
- studio-polished clean
- no breakup or overdrive