Tone library / Metallica / For Whom the Bell Tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls amp settings — Fender Mustang LT25

The Metallica guitar tone for “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, dialed in for a Fender Mustang LT25 with a Gibson Flying V. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984)

Original rig

Gibson Flying V → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer (boost mode) → Marshall JCM800 2203

Aggressive mid-scooped thrash with tight palm-muted low end and biting high-mids
Amp settings — Fender Mustang LT25
CHANNELBritish 80s (JCM800 model)
GAIN 8 BASS 5 MID 3 TREBLE 8 PRESENCE 7 REVERB 0 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain8
Bass5
Mid3
Treble8
Presence7
Reverb0
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Use as a clean boost to tighten low end and push the amp's front end. Without this, tone will be looser and less defined on palm mutes.

Drive 2 · Tone 6 · Level 8
Why these settings

The Mustang LT25's British 80s model approximates the JCM800's mid-forward bark. Fender modeling amps tend slightly brighter and looser in the low end than a real JCM800, so I dropped bass from the original's 6 to 5 and pushed treble to 8 to compensate for the modeling's softer high-mid bite. Without a TS9, your palm mutes will sound flabbier — the pedal is doing critical tightening work on the original recording.

PRO TIPLock your picking hand into strict downstrokes just behind the bridge pickup and dig in hard — Hetfield's attack is half the tone. If palm mutes still sound muddy without the TS9, drop the amp's bass to 4 and use the Mustang's built-in noise gate to clean up the stops.

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These settings are for a Fender Mustang LT25. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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