Tone library / Metallica / Creeping death

Creeping death amp settings — Marshall mg30gfx

The Metallica guitar tone for “Creeping death”, dialed in for a Marshall mg30gfx with a Ibanez gio grgr131ex bkf. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984) - Main rhythm riff

Original rig

Modified Marshall JCM800 2203 + Ibanez TS9 / ProCo Rat boost + Gibson Flying V (Seymour Duncan Invader) / Jackson RR Custom (EMG 81)

Aggressive, scooped, high-gain thrash rhythm with sharp top-end bite and tight palm-muted low end

Amp settings — Marshall mg30gfx

CHANNELOD-2

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	7
Mid	3
Treble	7
Reverb	0
Master	5

Don’t have a Marshall mg30gfx? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (use as clean boost into front input to tighten palm mutes)

Drive 0 · Tone 7 · Level 9

Why these settings

The MG30GFX lacks a separate presence control, so treble is boosted to 7 to recreate the aggressive bite of James Hetfield's boosted JCM800. Mids are scooped to 3 while keeping the solid-state OD-2 gain at 8 to provide adequate thrash saturation without an overdrive pedal. If you add a TS-style overdrive pedal later, drop amp gain to 6 and use the pedal as a tight level boost.

PRO TIPAnchor the fleshy heel of your picking hand firmly across the bridge saddles to keep 16th-note downstrokes razor-tight, and use a heavy 1.0mm+ pick angled slightly downward for maximum attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall mg30gfx. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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