Tone library / Metallica / Master of Puppets

Master of Puppets amp settings — Boss Katana mini

The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of Puppets”, dialed in for a Boss Katana mini with a HONEY JOY 6 String guitar. Studio version, Master of Puppets album (1986), rhythm guitar tone

Original rig

Jackson King V with Seymour Duncan Invaders → Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ (as preamp) → Marshall JCM800 power amp → Marshall 4x12

Tight, scooped thrash rhythm with aggressive palm-mute definition, boosted lows, cut mids, bright attack

Amp settings — Boss Katana mini

CHANNELBrown

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	7
Mid	2
Treble	7
Presence	0
Reverb	0
Master	7

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Katana Mini lacks a presence knob and 5-band EQ, so the iconic Hetfield scoop is achieved by dropping mid to 2 while pushing bass and treble to 7. Brown amp type approximates the Mark IIC+ preamp saturation. Your budget guitar likely has lower-output pickups than Hetfield's hot Invaders, so gain is pushed to 8 to compensate for the output difference.

PRO TIPHetfield's tone lives in his picking hand—strict downstrokes with the pick angled slightly and palm muting right at the bridge saddles. Without that tight right-hand technique, no settings will sound like the record.

Get this tone on your amp

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

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More tones for the Boss Katana mini

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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.