Tone library / Metallica / Eye of the beholder

Eye of the beholder amp settings — Blackstar Id:X50

The Metallica guitar tone for “Eye of the beholder”, dialed in for a Blackstar Id:X50 with a Epiphone Les Paul Classic. Studio version, ...And Justice for All (1988)

Original rig

Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head, ESP Explorer with EMG 81/60, dual Aphex Aural Exciter + Type C in FX loop, Marshall 1960A cabs with G12T-75 speakers

Tight, scooped thrash rhythm with aggressive pick attack, massive low-end thump, and sizzling high-mids cutting through

Amp settings — Blackstar Id:X50

CHANNELOD2 (ISF set fully clockwise toward British voicing)BRIGHToffBOOSTon

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

Don’t have a Blackstar Id:X50? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss GE-7 Graphic EQ

Run in FX loop to replicate the Aphex mid-scoop and high-frequency excitation — this is critical for the AJFA sound

100Hz 7 · 200Hz 5 · 400Hz 3 · 800Hz 2 · 1.6kHz 4 · 3.2kHz 7 · 6.4kHz 6 · Level 6

Why these settings

Your Epiphone's Alnico Classic pickups are warmer and lower-output than Hetfield's hot EMG 81, so gain is pushed to 8 (vs 6 on a Mark IIC+ with EMGs) and treble raised to compensate for the softer attack. The GE-7 in your loop replicates the dual Aphex processing that defined AJFA's scoop — cut 400-800Hz hard, boost lows and upper-mids. ISF fully British gets closer to the Mark series' aggressive midrange bark.

PRO TIPHetfield's palm mutes on this track sit right at the bridge saddles with heavy downstrokes — anchor your picking hand firmly and strike with the thick part of the pick at a steep angle to get that percussive 'chunk' without flubbing the low end.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Blackstar Id:X50. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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