Tone library / Metallica / For Whom the Bell Tolls

For Whom the Bell Tolls amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 2

The Metallica guitar tone for “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 2 with a ESP LTD KH-202 Kirk Hammett. Live at Day on the Green (1985), Cliff 'Em All era — iconic chromatic rhythm riff

Original rig

Marshall JMP 2203 / Jose-modded Marshall Super Lead, Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, Gibson Flying V / Jackson Randy Rhoads with Seymour Duncan / passive humbuckers

Aggressive British high-gain thrash crunch, tight low-end chug with scooped low-mids and sharp pick bite

Amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 2

CHANNELTreadplate (Mesa Dual Rectifier model) or British 800 (Marshall JCM800 model)BOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Onboard Boost/Drive Block (Tube Drive / TS9 model)

Engaged in front of the amp model to tighten low-end chug like the 1985 live rig

Drive 1 · Tone 6 · Level 8

02Onboard Noise Gate Block

Essential for stopping high-gain hiss between rhythmic staccato stops

Threshold 6 · Decay 3

Why these settings

The Spark 2 emulates the classic Marshall/Mesa live wall of sound, but small speakers lack 4x12 cab low-end heft, so bass is set to 6 while scooping mids to 4 to capture the early Metallica live thrash contour without getting muddy. Your KH-202 has hot passive humbuckers that drive the input hard, so keep amp gain at 7 and let the onboard Tube Drive block act purely as a tight boost (gain low, level high) rather than an extra distortion stage. Reverb is kept nearly dry at 1 to match the tight, dry open-air stadium sound of Day on the Green.

PRO TIPAnchor your picking hand firmly at the bridge saddle for heavy palm muting and execute all the rhythmic low E-string chugs with aggressive, strictly down-picked strokes to match Hetfield and Hammett's tight live attack.

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These settings are for a Positive Grid Spark 2. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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