Tone library / Metallica / Fade to Black

Fade to Black amp settings — Roland Cube 15

The Metallica guitar tone for “Fade to Black”, dialed in for a Roland Cube 15 with a Cort X2. Studio cut, Ride the Lightning (1984) — matching the iconic intro lead and main heavy rhythm tone

Original rig

Modified Marshall JCM800 2203, Ibanez TS9 / ProCo Rat boost, Gibson Flying V / Fernandes Strat copy with high-output bridge humbucker

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

Amp settings — Roland Cube 15

CHANNELLead channel (Metal Stack / Metal mode)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	7
Mid	3
Treble	7
Master	5

Don’t have a Roland Cube 15? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (tightens bass attack and pushes lead sustain)

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 9

Why these settings

The Roland Cube 15's Lead channel on 'Metal Stack' provides the necessary modified-Marshall saturation without external pedals. The mids are pulled back to 3 to recreate the classic Ride the Lightning scoop while keeping treble high at 7 for pick attack and cut. Clean intro acoustic/clean parts: switch to the Clean channel with bass at 5, mid at 6, and treble at 6.

PRO TIPFor Kirk Hammett's intro solo phrasing, switch to the neck pickup with volume at 10 to smooth out the high-end bite, then flip down to the bridge pickup for the heavy rhythm riffs.

Get this tone on your amp

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

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

Find your amp

Browse

Fade to Black on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Metallica tonesALL SONGS Cort X2 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.