Tone library / Metallica / Enter Sandman

Enter Sandman amp settings — Laney LH50

The Metallica guitar tone for “Enter Sandman”, dialed in for a Laney LH50 with a Jackson JS22 Dinky. Studio version, Metallica (The Black Album), 1991

Original rig

ESP MX-220/MX-250 (EMG 81 bridge) → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+/Mark IV → Marshall 4x12 (layered for mids)

Tight, scooped, percussive high-gain rhythm with controlled low end and aggressive pick attack

Amp settings — Laney LH50

CHANNELLead / High Gain channelBRIGHToff

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

Don’t have a Laney LH50? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Tube Screamer (TS9 or clone)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Used as a clean boost to tighten low end and add pick definition. Drive at 0, Level pushing the amp front end.

Drive 0 · Tone 5 · Level 7

Why these settings

The Laney LH50 is a British-voiced EL34 amp with more natural midrange presence than the original Mesa Mark series, which is inherently scooped. Mids dropped to 3 to replicate the Mesa scoop, but the Laney won't go as hollow — this is a feature, not a bug, as it keeps the riff defined in a live mix. Gain at 7 instead of the Mesa's 8 because the LH50's preamp saturates earlier. Your Jackson's passive humbuckers are lower output than Hetfield's active EMGs, so gain stays higher than it would with actives; the tone will be slightly less compressed and more dynamic.

PRO TIPPalm mute hard and close to the bridge — Hetfield's right hand is doing half the work on this tone. The 'chunk' comes from aggressive, consistent palm pressure, not just amp settings. If the low end feels loose without a Tube Screamer, try rolling bass down to 4 and picking even closer to the bridge.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Laney LH50. 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.