Tone library / Metallica / Fade to black

Fade to black amp settings — Vox VR15

The Metallica guitar tone for “Fade to black”, dialed in for a Vox VR15 with a Jackson JS32 Dinky. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984) — clean arpeggiated intro into heavy distorted rhythm/lead

Original rig

Marshall JCM800 2203 (modded, high gain), Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ for some tracking, Gibson Flying V / ESP Explorer with EMG pickups, no pedals on main rhythm tone, light chorus/flanger on Kirk's leads

Scooped mid-range thrash with tight low-end chug, bright cutting highs, raw 80s aggression — clean intro is glassy and exposed with light shimmer

Amp settings — Vox VR15

CHANNELOverdrive

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	10
Bass	6
Mid	3
Treble	7
Reverb	2
Master	5

Don’t have a Vox VR15? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01High-gain distortion pedal (Boss MT-2, MXR Fullbore Metal, or TC Electronic Dark Matter)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The VR15's overdrive channel cannot reach JCM800 modded high-gain saturation. Run this into the CLEAN channel with amp gain at 2-3 for a tight, defined thrash tone. This is essential for the heavy sections.

Gain/Dist 7 · Level 7 · Low/Bass 6 · High/Treble 7

Why these settings

The Vox VR15 is a 15W hybrid practice amp with British-voiced cleans but limited gain on tap — even maxed, its overdrive channel produces classic rock crunch, not 80s thrash saturation. I've maxed gain for the closest approximation, but you'll hit a ceiling well below the original's aggression. The scooped mids (3) and bright treble (7) capture the Metallica EQ curve; bass at 6 keeps the palm mutes tight on a small speaker. For the clean intro, switch to Clean channel, gain 2, bass 5, mid 5, treble 6, reverb 3 — use neck pickup, tone knob at 6.

PRO TIPFor the clean intro's exposed arpeggios, roll your tone knob to 6 and use the neck pickup with very light pick attack near the fretboard — the Jackson's ceramic humbuckers are bright, so this softens them toward the glassy vulnerability the intro needs. Switch to bridge pickup and dig in hard when the heavy riff enters.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Vox VR15. 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.