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Welcome Home (Sanitarium) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Metallica
Metallica · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP M-II (1980s, custom for Kirk Hammett)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB (bridge humbucker), SH-2n Jazz (neck humbucker)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Mesa/Boogie 4x12 cabinet
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1985-1986. Used for Master of Puppets sessions. All info specific to the distorted riff sections, not the clean intro.
Amp Settings
Mids4
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1
Treble7.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- scooped mids
- aggressive palm muting
- high-gain saturation
- articulate attack
- chunky low end
- razor-sharp treble
- fast note definition
- metallic bite
- controlled feedback
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source gives exact amp knob settings for the distorted riff section; settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ usage for 1980s Metallica and genre conventions.
- No evidence of distortion/overdrive pedals used for the main riff; all gain from amp.
- Pedal and effect info is for the heavy/distorted riff, not the clean intro.
- No chorus, delay, or modulation effects are audible or cited for the heavy riff section; only amp reverb at low level.
- Some sources mention other amps/pedals for live or later eras; only studio gear from Master of Puppets era included.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Metallica's 'Sanitarium' riff tone is classic mid-80s Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ with high gain, tight bass, heavily scooped mids, bright treble, and boosted presence for clarity; the recording is dry with no audible reverb, matching their typical rhythm tone settings from the 'Master of Puppets' era.