Tone library / Metallica / Fade to black

Fade to black amp settings — M-VAVE MK20

The Metallica guitar tone for “Fade to black”, dialed in for a M-VAVE MK20 with a Fender Eric Clapton Stratocaster. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984)

Original rig

Marshall JCM800 2203 modded by Jose Arredondo, Gibson Flying V with EMG pickups (Hetfield), Gibson Flying V with EMG 81/SA (Hammett), Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ for leads, Roland JC-120 for cleans, chorus/flanger for lead sections

Scooped mid-heavy thrash with tight low-end chug, transitioning from fragile clean arpeggios to singing lead tone with light modulation

Amp settings — M-VAVE MK20

CHANNELOD1 or OD2 (Marshall-voiced high-gain channel)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	6
Mid	2
Treble	7
Presence	5
Reverb	2
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01M-VAVE MK20 Chorus Block

Enable for lead/solo sections only - adds the shimmering modulation on Hammett's leads. Bypass for rhythm parts.

Rate 4 · Depth 3 · Level 5

Why these settings

Your Clapton Strat has Lace Sensor Gold pickups - lower output and warmer than Metallica's active EMGs. Compensate by keeping gain at 6 (not higher - MK20 runs hot) and treble at 7 for the attack EMGs naturally provide. The mid scoop at 2 is critical for that Ride the Lightning thrash character. The MK20's Marshall-style OD channels approximate the modded JCM800 reasonably well, but won't have the Jose-mod's extra saturation depth.

PRO TIPFor the clean intro arpeggios, switch to the MK20's clean channel with gain 2, bass 6, mid 5, treble 6, and use neck+middle pickup position on the Strat - the Clapton's TBX tone circuit rolled to 6 gives that fragile, vulnerable clean the song opens with.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a M-VAVE MK20. 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.