GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
The Four Horsemen Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica
Metallica · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1980 Gibson Flying V (white, used by James Hetfield)
Pickups
Stock Gibson humbuckers (likely Dirty Fingers or T-Top, passive)
Amp
Marshall JMP 2203 (modded, 100W head, used in studio for Kill 'Em All)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1983. Rhythm guitar for riff section. No evidence of live/touring gear or alternate guitars/amps for this part. No evidence of effects loop or rack gear. Kirk Hammett also used the same amp for leads, but this is the rhythm/riff tone.
Amp Settings
Mids2.5
Bass7
Gain8
Reverb0
Treble8.5
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- scooped mids
- aggressive palm muting
- razor-sharp treble
- chunky low end
- dry, in-your-face sound
- minimal ambience
- classic thrash rhythm
- high-gain saturation
- fast attack
Notes & Caveats
- Amp settings are sourced from a forum post referencing 'Kill Em All' and may not be official, but match typical 1980s thrash tones.
- No direct evidence of pedal use for rhythm/riff section; most sources and isolated tracks indicate amp-only distortion.
- No evidence of time-based or modulation effects (delay, chorus, flanger, etc.) on the riff section; tone is dry and direct.
- Presence setting is estimated based on typical Marshall JMP usage for this genre/era.
- Guitar volume and tone knob settings are inferred from typical Hetfield usage and genre conventions.
- If more official studio documentation emerges, settings may need revision.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The Four Horsemen was recorded with a scooped mid, high-gain Marshall amp (likely a modded Marshall or Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+), tight bass, and bright treble for clarity, with little to no reverb as per early Metallica production. These settings reflect the classic 80s thrash tone and James Hetfield's preferences at the time.