Tone library / Metallica / Master of puppets

Master of puppets amp settings — Boss katana 50 gen 3 Tf

The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of puppets”, dialed in for a Boss katana 50 gen 3 Tf with a ESP LTD KH-202 Kirk Hammett. Studio version, Master of Puppets album (1986), Sweet Silence Studios Copenhagen

Original rig

Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ (preamp) slaved into modified Marshall JCM800 100W (power amp), Jackson King V with EMG 81/60, quad-tracked rhythms

Aggressive scooped thrash rhythm with tight low end, cut mids, and biting high-end presence — the canonical 80s thrash tone

Amp settings — Boss katana 50 gen 3 Tf

CHANNELBrown — this is the Katana's Marshall-derived high-gain voice, closest to the JCM800 power section characterBRIGHToffBOOSTon

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	7
Mid	2
Treble	7
Presence	6
Reverb	0
Master	5

Don’t have a Boss katana 50 gen 3 Tf? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Katana Onboard Graphic EQ (access via Boss Tone Studio)

This V-shape EQ curve is essential — without it you will not get the Master of Puppets scoop. Set this in Boss Tone Studio's effects chain, position it post-preamp

80Hz 8 · 240Hz 3 · 750Hz 1 · 2.2kHz 8 · 6.6kHz 7

02Noise Gate (Katana onboard)

Tight gate required for clean palm-mute stops — thrash demands silence between stabs

Threshold 4 · Release 3

Why these settings

Your KH-202 has passive pickups vs the original's EMG 81 actives, so I added +1 gain to compensate for lower output. The Katana's Brown channel approximates the JCM800 power section grind; the onboard graphic EQ recreates the Mark IIC+'s signature V-curve that defines this tone. Mids are set to 2 (vs a typical 4-5) because the 750Hz scoop is non-negotiable for this sound.

PRO TIPDownpick everything and anchor your palm heavily on the bridge — the mechanical consistency of Hetfield's picking hand is 60% of this tone. If you hybrid-pick or alternate-pick the main riff, it will never sound right regardless of amp settings.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Boss katana 50 gen 3 Tf. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, 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.