Tone library / Metallica / For Whom the Bell Tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls amp settings — Boss Katana 100 MkII

The Metallica guitar tone for “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, dialed in for a Boss Katana 100 MkII with a Gretsch G2622 Streamliner. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984) — main heavy rhythm riff

Original rig

Electra Flying V copy (bridge humbucker) into Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer (used as clean overdrive boost) into Marshall JMP 2203 100W master-volume head

Mid-tempo 1980s thrash crunch with tight palm-muted low-end, scooped midrange, and cutting pick bite

Amp settings — Boss Katana 100 MkII

CHANNELBROWN amp type

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	7
Mid	4
Treble	7
Presence	6
Reverb	1
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss DS-1 Distortion

BOOST: runs into the front input with Dist rolled nearly off to tighten the low-end thump and push the Katana's BROWN channel, mimicking Hetfield's TS9 boost into a pushed Marshall

Tone 5 · Level 8 · Dist 1

Why these settings

The Katana 100 MkII on the BROWN amp type delivers the tight British-style saturation of the Ride the Lightning era. Your owned Boss DS-1 is set with Dist down and Level up to function as a front-end boost, focusing the transient attack rather than piling on muddy pedal fuzz. The semi-hollow Broad'Tron pickups on the Gretsch G2622 are slightly darker and airier than high-output solid-body humbuckers, so mids are pulled back to 4 with treble and presence pushed to 7 and 6 to maintain that aggressive thrash cut.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm directly over the bridge saddles and execute strict downstrokes for the signature verse riff; the percussive chug of this record comes entirely from tight right-hand muting right at the string break point.

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These settings are for a Boss Katana 100 MkII. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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