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Welcome Home (Sanitarium) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica

Metallica · 1980s · metal

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
ESP M-II (early 80s, likely black finish, stock for Kirk Hammett)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB (bridge), Seymour Duncan SH-1 59 (neck), passive humbuckers
Amp
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (for clean tone, studio recording, 1986)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (or neck + middle position for added warmth)

Studio recording for 'Master of Puppets' (1986). Clean riff sections were tracked with the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus, using its built-in chorus effect. Guitar is Kirk Hammett's ESP M-II with passive Seymour Duncan pickups. No evidence of additional pedals for clean tone; chorus and reverb from amp. Pickup choice is likely neck or neck+middle for warmth. Settings estimated based on amp type and era.

Amp Settings

Mids
4.5
Bass
6
Gain
0
Reverb
2.5
Treble
7
Presence
5.5

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Tone Character

  • lush and shimmery
  • crystal-clear cleans
  • spacious and dimensional
  • warm and rounded
  • slightly scooped mids
  • chorus shimmer
  • subtle reverb ambience
  • no breakup or grit
  • soft attack
  • haunting, melancholy mood

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
  • ⚠️No official studio knob settings found; amp and effect settings estimated based on Roland JC-120 typical usage and genre/era.
  • ⚠️Pedal models not specified; chorus and reverb are from amp's built-in effects per multiple sources.
  • ⚠️Pickup position inferred from tone and typical Metallica clean setup; not explicitly confirmed in sources.
  • ⚠️Some forum posts reference live rigs or later gear, but this is strictly the studio clean tone per 1986 recording.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Metallica's 'Sanitarium' riff tone is classic mid-80s scooped metal: high gain from a modded Marshall or Mesa, tight but not boomy bass, heavily scooped mids, bright treble, and boosted presence for clarity, with a very dry, reverb-free production typical of the era and genre.

Sources