Tone library / Metallica / Master of puppets

Master of puppets amp settings — Glarry GA-20

The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of puppets”, dialed in for a Glarry GA-20 with a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster. Studio version, Master of Puppets album (1986), tuned to E♭ Standard

Original rig

ESP Explorer / Jackson King V 'Kill Bon Jovi' with EMG 81/60 → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (preamp) → Marshall JCM800 100W (power amp) → Marshall 4x12 cab, V-shaped graphic EQ

Tight, aggressive thrash rhythm with scooped mids, razor-sharp pick attack, crushing low end, and extreme note definition under high gain

Amp settings — Glarry GA-20

CHANNELOverdrive channel (if available) or single channel cranked

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Distortion Pedal (Boss DS-1 or similar)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The GA-20 is a practice amp without enough gain for thrash metal. A distortion pedal is essential to reach Master of Puppets territory. A Boss DS-1 ($50) or TC Electronic Dark Matter ($40) will get you there.

Tone 6 · Level 7 · Dist 8

02EQ Pedal (Boss GE-7 or similar)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The V-shaped EQ curve is essential to the Master of Puppets sound. Without this, you cannot replicate the scooped mids. A Donner EQ Seeker ($30) or Boss GE-7 ($100) will work.

100Hz 7 · 200Hz 6 · 400Hz 3 · 800Hz 2 · 1.6kHz 3 · 3.2kHz 6 · 6.4kHz 7 · Level 5

Why these settings

The GA-20 is a 20W solid-state practice amp with limited gain and no graphic EQ — it cannot produce the high-gain scooped thrash tone on its own. I maxed gain and scooped the mid control hard (2) to approximate the Mark IIC+'s V-curve, but without a distortion pedal, you will only get a mild crunch. Your Strat's single coils are significantly brighter and lower-output than Hetfield's EMG 81 humbuckers; I raised bass +1 and kept treble moderate to compensate for the thinness.

PRO TIPHetfield's tone lives in his right hand: aggressive, consistent downpicking with the pick angled slightly and striking close to the bridge. Palm-mute firmly but not completely dead — let some note definition through. The relentless downstroke attack is 50% of this sound; alternate picking will not replicate it.

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These settings are for a Glarry GA-20. 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.