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The Thing That Should Not Be Bass Tone Settings — Metallica
Metallica · 1980s · Thrash metal / Heavy metal
Original Recording
Bass
Modded Rickenbacker (Cliff Burton’s modded Ric bass)
Pickups
Mudbucker in the neck position
Amp
Mesa/Boogie D‑180 heads (paired with Mesa cabinets)
Pickup Position
neck
Cliff Burton used a modded Rickenbacker with a mudbucker in the neck, and ran dual Mesa/Boogie D‑180 heads (one for clean, one for effects) into Mesa cabinets for his heavy tone.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass5
Gain0
Treble5
Presence4
compression4
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Tone Character
- fuzzy
- blown‑out
- messy
- heavy
Playing Technique
- fingerstyle
Notes & Caveats
- Bass tone settings derived from AI knowledge of the artist and genre conventions.