Tone library / Metallica / Fade to Black

Fade to Black amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

The Metallica guitar tone for “Fade to Black”, dialed in for a Marshall MG30CFX with a Gibson Flying V. Studio version (lead and heavy rhythm), Ride the Lightning (1984)

Original rig

Modified Marshall JCM800 2203, Ibanez TS9 / ProCo Rat boost, Gibson Flying V with high-output humbuckers

Saturated, biting mid-scooped early thrash crunch with singing lead sustain

Amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

CHANNELCleanBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	7
Mid	4
Treble	7
Reverb	3
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE9 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Behringer HD300 Heavy Distortion

Primary gain source running into the clean channel

Dist 7 · Tone 6 · Bottom 7 · Level 6

Why these settings

Because the Behringer HD300 provides the high-gain thrash saturation, the Marshall MG30CFX is set to its Clean channel with gain dropped to 2 to avoid muddy double-gain stacking. The amp's mid control is pulled back slightly while the HD300 Bottom and amp Bass fill out the tight low-end resonance of the Ride the Lightning mix. For the acoustic/clean verse sections, simply bypass the HD300 pedal.

PRO TIPFlip to the neck pickup with tone on 9 for Kirk's fluid, singing intro solo, then flick to the bridge pickup with tone on 10 when the heavy distorted rhythm kicks in.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall MG30CFX. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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