Fade to black amp settings — Fender Frontman
The Metallica guitar tone for “Fade to black”, dialed in for a Fender Frontman with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984), E♭ Standard tuning
Gibson Flying V (Hetfield) / Gibson Explorer, Marshall JCM800 2203, Boss DS-1 for boost
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 3 |
| Bass | 4 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 5 |
| Presence | 0 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 6 |
01Boss DS-1 Distortion
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. This is non-negotiable for this tone; the Frontman's clean platform cannot produce JCM800 gain on its own. A DS-1 or clone runs $30-50 used and gets you 85% there.
The Frontman is a solid-state clean platform with scooped mids and bright treble — the opposite of a mid-punchy JCM800. I pushed mid to 7 to compensate for the Fender scoop, dropped treble to 5 (JCM800's 7 treble would be ice-pick harsh here), and cut bass to 4 because your Strat's single coils are brighter and thinner than Hetfield's Flying V humbuckers. Without a distortion pedal, this tone is unobtainable — the amp gain at 3 is just to add slight grit behind the DS-1.
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These settings are for a Fender Frontman. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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