Tone library / Metallica / Fade to Black

Fade to Black amp settings — Fender Frontman 15G

The Metallica guitar tone for “Fade to Black”, dialed in for a Fender Frontman 15G with a Jackson Pro Series Rhoads. Studio cut, Ride the Lightning (1984) — signature heavy rhythm and outro lead

Original rig

Modified Marshall JCM800 2203 (José Arredondo mod), Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer boost, Gibson Flying V with Seymour Duncan Invader/PAF, Marshall 4x12

Saturated, scooped thrash rhythm with aggressive bite and tight palm-muted low end

Amp settings — Fender Frontman 15G

CHANNELDrive Channel (O.D. Select switch depressed)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	6
Mid	3
Treble	7
Master	4

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; tightens bass flub into the drive channel

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 9

Why these settings

The Frontman 15G drive channel provides the clipping since you own no dirt pedals, but keeping gain at 7 prevents the 8-inch speaker from completely folding under palm mutes. Mid is cut to 3 to simulate the classic early Metallica scoop, while treble is pushed to 7 to compensate for the naturally dark, warm Jackson humbuckers. Clean intro: disengage the Drive switch to Clean and switch your Jackson to the neck pickup.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm flat and tight right against the bridge saddles to prevent the practice amp's low end from farting out on the rapid chugging.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Frontman 15G. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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More tones for the Fender Frontman 15G

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Fender Frontman 15G settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Fade to Black on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Metallica tonesALL SONGS Metallica on the Fender Frontman 15GSAME ARTIST, SAME AMP Jackson Pro Series Rhoads tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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.