For whom the bell tolls amp settings — Harley Benton HB-10G
The Metallica guitar tone for “For whom the bell tolls”, dialed in for a Harley Benton HB-10G with a Harley Benton DC-200LH. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984)
Gibson Flying V (bridge humbucker) → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer (boost mode) → Marshall JCM800 2203
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 10 |
| Bass | 6 |
| Mid | 4 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Presence | 0 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 5 |
01Tube Screamer style overdrive (TS9 / TS808 clone)
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Used as a clean boost to tighten low-end and add pick attack. Without this pedal, the HB-10G's gain will be looser and fuzzier than the original; a cheap TS clone (Joyo Vintage Overdrive, Behringer TO800) gets you 80% there for under $30.
The HB-10G is a small solid-state practice amp with limited headroom and a darker, boxier voicing than a JCM800. I maxed gain because this amp won't reach JCM800 saturation levels—it will sound more fuzzy than tight. Bass raised +2 vs original to compensate for the small speaker's lack of low-end thump, mids dropped slightly to approximate the 80s thrash scoop. Without a TS-style boost pedal in front, you will not achieve the tight palm-mute definition Hetfield gets; the pedal is critical to this tone.
Get this tone on your amp
These settings are for a Harley Benton HB-10G. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
Get ToneAdapt on Google PlaySong, 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.