Tone library / Metallica / Enter sandman

Enter sandman amp settings — Radio Vieja

The Metallica guitar tone for “Enter sandman”, dialed in for a Radio Vieja with a Ibanez Rg Gio. Studio version, Metallica / The Black Album (1991) — iconic heavy rhythm riff

Original rig

ESP MX-250 Explorer (EMG 81 pickups) into blended Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++ (scooped 5-band EQ) and modded Marshall JCM800 with Aphex parametric EQ

Massive, tight, percussive high-gain rhythm crunch with deeply scooped midrange and razor-sharp palm-mute attack

Amp settings — Radio Vieja

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	7
Treble	7
Reverb	0
Master	5

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

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01High-Gain Distortion Pedal (e.g. Boss MT-2 Metal Zone or ProCo Rat)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; necessary to recreate the saturated Mesa/Marshall dual-amp crunch

Distortion 8 · Level 7 · Tone 4

Why these settings

The 'Radio Vieja' is an unrecognized amplifier with unknown faceplate controls, so only universal parameters are dialed while specific EQ/presence knobs are set to null. Gain and treble are pushed high to approximate the aggression of James Hetfield's EMG 81 bridge pickup into saturated tube preamps. A dedicated high-gain distortion pedal is strongly recommended because an unidentified or vintage-style radio/amp circuit cannot naturally deliver modern cascading metal saturation. Clean intro: roll your guitar volume knob down to around 3 or pick very lightly with a soft touch.

PRO TIPDig in with aggressive, downward palm muting directly over the bridge saddles using a rigid, heavy pick (1.0mm+) to emulate Hetfield's signature percussive chug.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Radio Vieja. 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.