Tone library / Metallica / Master of puppets

Master of puppets amp settings — Donner DA-10B

The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of puppets”, dialed in for a Donner DA-10B with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Master of Puppets (1986) — Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen

Original rig

ESP Explorer with EMG active humbuckers → Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ → Marshall JCM 800 4x12 cabs with Celestion G12T-75 speakers

Tight, aggressive, scooped-mid thrash rhythm with razor-sharp pick attack and crushing low end

Amp settings — Donner DA-10B

CHANNELOD (Overdrive channel)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	7
Mid	2
Treble	7
Presence	0
Reverb	0
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Donner DA-10B is a solid-state practice amp with less gain saturation and thinner low-end than the Mark IIC+. Cranking gain to 8 compensates for lower output from your Strat's single coils vs Hetfield's hot EMGs. Bass pushed to 7 adds bottom-end weight the small speaker lacks. Mids scooped to 2 replicates the signature thrash V-curve. Your Strat's bridge single coil will be brighter and thinner than a humbucker — roll tone to 8 to tame ice-pick highs.

PRO TIPThe entire Master of Puppets tone lives in the picking hand: strict downstrokes only, palm muted directly over the bridge saddles with consistent attack angle. Without this technique, no amp setting will sound right. Tune to E♭ Standard to match the album.

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These settings are for a Donner DA-10B. 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.