Tone library / Metallica / Enter Sandman

Enter Sandman amp settings — NUX MG-300

The Metallica guitar tone for “Enter Sandman”, dialed in for a NUX MG-300 with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio album cut, 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 — NUX MG-300

CHANNELCALI 2C+ amp model (Mesa IIC+) + V30 4x12 Cab IRBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	7
Mid	3
Treble	7
Presence	6
Reverb	1
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Noise Gate Block (NUX MG-300 NG)

Tightens up palm-muted stops and kills high-gain hiss

Threshold 6 · Decay 4

02Tube Screamer Block (NUX MG-300 TS Drive)

Clean boost in front of the CALI 2C+ model to tighten low-end attack

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 8

036-Band EQ Block (NUX MG-300)

Recreates the iconic Mesa graphic 'V' and studio Aphex EQ scoop at 1.2kHz

100Hz 6 · 250Hz 5 · 630Hz 4 · 1.2kHz 2 · 3.2kHz 7 · 6.4kHz 6

Why these settings

The NUX MG-300's CALI 2C+ model nails the Black Album Mesa Mark IIC+ foundation, paired with the TS block as a clean boost to tighten the flubby low end. Because single-coil Strat pickups are thinner and brighter than James Hetfield's active EMG 81 humbuckers, tone is pulled to 8 and the EQ block reinforces 100Hz thump while cutting 1.2kHz to achieve the signature studio scoop. Clean intro: bypass TS and EQ blocks, switch amp model to JAZZ 22 with mild chorus.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm mute firmly across the bridge saddles and execute aggressive, all-downstroke picking on the main E-string riff to recreate Hetfield's signature percussive tightness.

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