Tone library / Metallica / enter sandman

enter sandman amp settings — Fender Champion 50XL

The Metallica guitar tone for “enter sandman”, dialed in for a Fender Champion 50XL with a Squier Affinity Stratocaster. Studio version, Metallica (The Black Album, 1991) — Main rhythm riff

Original rig

ESP MX-250 (EMG 81 bridge) into Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++ blended with Jose-modded Marshall JCM800, ADA MP-1, outboard API 550A/Aphex EQs (1.2kHz mid-scoop), 4x12 cabs

Thick, punchy high-gain metal rhythm with aggressively scooped mids, tight low-end chug, and crisp top-end bite

Amp settings — Fender Champion 50XL

CHANNELChannel 2 (Metal voice)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	8
Treble	6
Reverb	1
Master	5

Don’t have a Fender Champion 50XL? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE9 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Overdrive (TS-style clean boost)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 9

Why these settings

The Champion 50XL Metal voice delivers the high-gain preamp saturation and built-in mid scoop of the Mark IIC++, but because the Champion XL series lacks a dedicated physical mid knob, mid contouring is handled entirely by the voice model. To compensate for the Squier Strat's lower-output, brighter single-coil bridge pickup compared to Hetfield's active EMG 81, gain is pushed to 8 and bass to 8 to restore low-end palm-muted chunk. Intro clean switch: toggle to Channel 1 Clean with guitar volume at 8.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm firmly on the bridge saddles and execute heavy, precise downstrokes right above the bridge pickup to emulate Hetfield's percussive attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Champion 50XL. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.