Blackened amp settings — Blackstar Silverline Deluxe

The Metallica guitar tone for “Blackened”, dialed in for a Blackstar Silverline Deluxe with a Epiphone Explorer 80s. Studio version, ...And Justice for All (1988)

Original rig

Gibson Explorer with EMG 81 → Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ with Aphex Aural Exciter in loop → Marshall 1960A cabs with Celestion G12T-75 speakers

Tight, scooped thrash with aggressive pick attack, dry and cutting with massive low-end thump and sharp high-mids

Amp settings — Blackstar Silverline Deluxe

CHANNELOD2 (high gain channel)BRIGHToffBOOSTon

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	7
Mid	4
Treble	7
Presence	6
Reverb	0
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Used as a clean boost to tighten low-end and add pick attack, essential for Justice-era tightness. Set drive to 0, level high.

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 7

Why these settings

The Blackstar's ISF should be set fully counter-clockwise (American voicing) to approximate the Mark IIC+'s tighter, more focused low-end versus British sag. Mid at 4 recreates the Aphex-induced scoop — the original used outboard gear to cut mids around 800Hz. Your Epiphone's passive ProBuckers have less compression than Hetfield's active EMG 81s, so gain is pushed to 7 to compensate for the lower output and achieve similar saturation.

PRO TIPPalm mute directly over the bridge saddles, not further up the strings — Hetfield's Justice-era tightness comes from extremely precise muting position combined with downpicking every note, no alternate picking on the main riff.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Blackstar Silverline Deluxe. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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