Master of puppets amp settings — Blackstar HT5R MkII
The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of puppets”, dialed in for a Blackstar HT5R MkII with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Master of Puppets (1986) - Main rhythm riff
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ slaved into Marshall JCM800 power amp, Jackson King V / Gibson Flying V with high-output humbuckers, Aphex EQF-1 Parametric EQ with aggressive V-curve scoop
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 8 |
| Bass | 7 |
| Mid | 3 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Reverb | 1 |
| Master | 6 |
01Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer
RECOMMENDED — not owned (run in FX loop to replicate Mesa classic 5-band V-curve scoop)
To emulate the Mesa Mark IIC+ scoop on the HT-5R MkII, engage the Overdrive channel Voice switch and set the ISF counter-clockwise around 3 for an American Mesa response rather than British mid-bark. Since the single-coil Strat bridge pickup lacks the low-end heft and output of James Hetfield's humbuckers, amp gain is pushed to 8 with bass up to 7 and the Strat tone rolled slightly to 8 to avoid ice-pick highs. Clean interlude: switch to the Clean channel with Voice out and select the neck pickup.
Get this tone on your amp
These settings are for a Blackstar HT5R MkII. 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.