GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
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
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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
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source provides exact amp knob settings for this song; values estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ settings for Metallica's Black Album rhythm tone.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used on the rhythm guitar for this section; all distortion is from the amp.
- No evidence of amp reverb or other amp effects used; the tone is dry and tight.
- Pickup and amp model confirmed by multiple interviews and features, but not all sources specify the exact pickup selector position (bridge inferred from tone and Hetfield's known setup).
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The Black Album era Metallica tone is high gain but not maxed, with tight, punchy lows, heavily scooped mids, bright but not harsh treble, and a dry, in-your-face sound—matching the band's Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ and Triaxis settings and Bob Rock's production approach.