Tone library / Metallica / Enter sandman

Enter sandman amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

The Metallica guitar tone for “Enter sandman”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 40 with a Yamaha Pacifica 112V. 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, 4x12 cabs

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

Amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 40

CHANNELTreadplate (Mesa Dual Rectifier model) or InsaneBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	8
Mid	3
Treble	7
Reverb	2
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Spark Onboard Noise Gate

Essential to keep tight palm-muted chugs silent between stabs

Threshold 6 · Decay 3

02Spark Onboard Parametric EQ Block

Deep V-curve mid cut around 1.2kHz

Gain 3 · Freq 4 · Q 6

Why these settings

The Yamaha Pacifica 112V bridge humbucker has lower output than James Hetfield's active EMG 81, so amp gain is bumped to 7 for proper saturation. The Spark 40's Treadplate amp model replicates the Mesa low-end punch, paired with a heavy mid-cut (3 on the amp faceplate plus onboard EQ scoop) to nail the Black Album production sound. Clean intro switch: switch to the 'Black Duo' clean model with volume rolled back to 7 and light chorus.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm firmly against the bridge saddles and pick aggressively with heavy downstrokes near the bridge pickup to emulate James Hetfield's surgical percussive attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Positive Grid Spark 40. 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.