Tone library / Metallica / Fade to black

Fade to black amp settings — Amplificador PG-15 20W

The Metallica guitar tone for “Fade to black”, dialed in for a Amplificador PG-15 20W with a Stratocaster fender HSS. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984) — heavy rhythm section, not the acoustic intro

Original rig

Gibson Flying V (Hetfield) / ESP 400 Series (Hammett) → Boss DS-1 → Marshall JCM800 2203, Dunlop Cry Baby for solos

Tight, aggressive 80s thrash crunch with scooped mids and cutting high-end bite

Amp settings — Amplificador PG-15 20W

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	4
Mid	4
Treble	6
Presence	0
Reverb	0
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Mooer GE100 — Distortion Block (DS-1 model or 'US Metal')

Select the DS-1 or closest high-gain distortion model. This is your primary gain source — amp stays clean to avoid mud. Run guitar → GE100 → amp input.

Gain/Dist 7 · Tone 6 · Level 7

02Mooer GE100 — Wah Block (for Hammett solo sections)

Engage only for the lead solo sections. Cry Baby style. Expression pedal sweep if available; otherwise use auto-wah with slow rate.

Type 0 · Position 5

03Mooer GE100 — Noise Gate

Essential for tight thrash palm mutes — kills fizz between riffs

Threshold 4 · Decay 3

Why these settings

The PG-15 is a basic solid-state practice amp with limited headroom and no channel switching — it cannot produce JCM800 crunch on its own. All gain comes from the GE100's distortion block; amp gain is set low (3) to stay clean and let the pedal do the work. Your Strat's HSS bridge humbucker approximates the Flying V output, but single-coil hum may require the noise gate. Treble pushed to 6 compensates for the PG-15's darker voicing vs a Marshall's natural bite.

PRO TIPTune to E♭ Standard (half-step down) to match the original recording — this also loosens string tension for easier palm-mute chug on the Strat's 25.5" scale.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Amplificador PG-15 20W. 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.