Tone library / Metallica / Master of Puppets

Master of Puppets amp settings — Peavey 5150

The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of Puppets”, dialed in for a Peavey 5150 with a Jackson Pro Series King V. Studio version, Master of Puppets (1986)

Original rig

Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ preamp slaved into Marshall JCM800 power amp, Jackson King V 'Kill Bon Jovi' with Seymour Duncan Invader humbuckers, 5-band graphic EQ with V-curve

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

Amp settings — Peavey 5150

CHANNELLeadBRIGHToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	6
Mid	3
Treble	7
Presence	5
Reverb	0
Master	4

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The 5150 is a near-ideal match for this tone — both are tight, high-gain amps with aggressive upper mids. The 5150's mids are voiced slightly higher than the Mark IIC+, so mid is dropped to 3 to achieve the scooped V-curve Hetfield used. Your Jackson King V is the same model as the original recording; no guitar compensation needed.

PRO TIPHetfield's relentless all-downstroke picking is 50% of this tone — the attack and uniformity create that machine-gun tightness. Palm mute firmly right at the bridge saddles, not further back toward the soundhole area.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Peavey 5150. 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.