Enter sandman solo estudio amp settings — NUX MG-30
The Metallica guitar tone for “Enter sandman solo estudio”, dialed in for a NUX MG-30 with a Gibson Flying V. Studio version solo, Metallica (The Black Album, 1991)
ESP KH-2 (EMG 81 bridge) -> Dunlop Cry Baby Wah -> Mesa Boogie Mark IIC++ (slaved into Marshall power amps / 4x12 cabs) with outboard Aphex EQ and Eventide H3000 pitch detune
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 8 |
| Bass | 5 |
| Mid | 4 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Presence | 6 |
| Reverb | 2 |
| Master | 7 |
01Touch Wah / Wah Block
Set expression pedal to Wah (Kirk Hammett signature sweep)
02EFX Block (Katana Boost)
Onboard clean boost to tighten tracking and push front end saturation
03EQ Block (10-Band)
Post-amp block cut around 1-1.2kHz to match the studio outboard Aphex scoop
04MOD Block (Detune)
Replicates the studio Eventide H3000 pitch widening on Kirk's lead track
05DLY Block (Digital Delay)
Set to roughly 320ms for subtle studio solo depth
Your Gibson Flying V passive humbuckers lack the built-in active compression of Kirk's EMG 81, so the amp model gain is set up to 8 with the onboard Katana Boost block engaged to compensate. Mesa Mark preamp lead tone relies on keeping the pre-gain bass modest (5) while using the NUX 10-Band EQ block post-amp to pull 1.2kHz down for the authentic Black Album scoop. Reverb is kept subtle at 2 because the stereo detune and delay blocks provide the studio solo's spatial width. Clean intro switch: bypass the wah, boost, and delay blocks and switch to the Clean amp model on neck pickup.
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These settings are for a NUX MG-30. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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