Tone library / Metallica / Enter Sandman

Enter Sandman amp settings — Fender Champion II 50

The Metallica guitar tone for “Enter Sandman”, dialed in for a Fender Champion II 50 with a Ibanez GIO GRG170DX. Studio version, Metallica 'Black Album' (1991)

Original rig

ESP MX-220 (EMG 81 bridge) → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+/Mark IV → Marshall 4x12 cabinet

Tight, percussive rhythm with scooped mids, punchy low end, and aggressive high-gain attack

Amp settings — Fender Champion II 50

CHANNELOverdrive channel (Voice switch: position 2 or 3 for tighter gain)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	4
Mid	3
Treble	6
Presence	0
Reverb	0
Master	5

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

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss DS-1 Distortion or similar

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The Champion 50's overdrive channel lacks the tight high-gain saturation of a Mesa. A DS-1 or Metal Zone (MT-2) stacked into the CLEAN channel will get you closer to that aggressive, defined distortion. If using this pedal, switch amp to CLEAN channel and set amp gain to 2.

Tone 6 · Level 7 · Dist 8

Why these settings

The Fender Champion 50 is a solid-state practice amp with a softer, more Fender-voiced overdrive—it lacks the tight, aggressive midrange punch of a Mesa Mark series. I've dropped bass from the original's 6 to 4 because the Champion's bass response gets flubby under high gain. Mids stay scooped at 3 (original was 4) since the Champion is already mid-shy. Treble pulled back from 9 to 6 because solid-state amps get harsh up top. The amp's overdrive will be mushier than the original—adding a DS-1 or similar into the clean channel is the real fix here.

PRO TIPPalm mute HARD and right near the bridge saddles for that tight, percussive 'chug'—the Black Album tone is defined as much by Hetfield's right-hand precision as the amp settings. Your GRG170DX's Infinity humbuckers are hotter than vintage-output pickups, so you're actually closer to the EMG 81 response than a Les Paul would be.

Get this tone on your amp

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

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

Find your amp

Browse

Enter Sandman on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Metallica tonesALL SONGS Ibanez GIO GRG170DX tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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.