GuitarDistortedRiff
The God That Failed Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica
Metallica · 1990s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP MX220 'Eet Fuk' Explorer
Pickups
EMG 81 (bridge, active humbucker)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Simul-Class
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1991. Rhythm guitar for 'The God That Failed' riff section. Guitar is tuned to Eb standard. No evidence of pedals used for rhythm tone; distortion from amp. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and amp model. No evidence of effects loop or additional rack gear for this section.
Amp Settings
Mids4
Bass6
Gain7.5
Reverb0
Treble7
Presence6
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- scooped mids
- aggressive palm muting
- high-gain saturation
- chunky low end
- articulate pick attack
- dry, minimal ambience
- clear note separation
- modern metal rhythm
- thick, heavy distortion