Tone library / Metallica / Master of puppets

Master of puppets amp settings — Peavey Audition

The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of puppets”, dialed in for a Peavey Audition with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Master of Puppets (1986) — signature main rhythm riff

Original rig

Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ (preamp with graphic EQ V-curve) slaved into Marshall JCM800 2203 power amp into Marshall 4x12 cabinets; Jackson King V Custom ('Kill Bon Jovi') with high-output Seymour Duncan Invader humbuckers

Aggressive, tight thrash rhythm with scooped 750Hz mids, heavy low-end chunk, and sharp pick attack

Amp settings — Peavey Audition

CHANNELLead (Gain switch IN / Saturation active)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	6
Mid	3
Treble	7
Reverb	0
Master	5

Don’t have a Peavey Audition? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01ProCo Rat 2

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; essential to achieve true Mark IIC+ thrash saturation on this small practice amp

Distortion 7 · Filter 6 · Volume 7

Why these settings

The Peavey Audition is a small solid-state practice amp with limited low-end and a 2-knob/3-knob vintage voicing, so drive the Saturation/Gain hard to emulate the cascading preamp gain of the Mark IIC+. Roll your Strat bridge tone knob back to 8 and keep the amp treble at 7 to prevent single-coil shrillness while retaining Hetfield's sharp attack. Clean interlude: disengage amp gain/saturation switch and switch to neck+middle pickup.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm firmly against the bridge saddles and execute strict, aggressive downpicking with a heavy 1.0mm+ tortex pick to get the signature percussive chug.

Get this tone on your amp

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

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

Find your amp

Browse

Master of puppets on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Metallica tonesALL SONGS Fender Player Stratocaster tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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.