Tone library / Metallica / Master of Puppets

Master of Puppets amp settings — Stranger CUBE80E

The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of Puppets”, dialed in for a Stranger CUBE80E with a Juarez Stratocaster. Studio version, Master of Puppets (1986) - Main iconic rhythm track

Original rig

Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ slaved into Marshall JCM800 2203 power amp + Marshall 4x12 cab, Jackson King V / Gibson Explorer with high-output humbuckers

Aggressive, tight, high-gain thrash rhythm with deeply scooped mids and punchy low-end
Amp settings — Stranger CUBE80E
CHANNELClean Channel (High input)BRIGHToffBOOSToff
GAIN 2 BASS 6 MID 4 TREBLE 5 REVERB 0 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain2
Bass6
Mid4
Treble5
Reverb0
Master5
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Zoom G1X FOUR (ZNR - Noise Gate Block)

Essential to clamp high-gain noise between rapid staccato chugs

Threshold 6 · Detect 5 · Level 10

02Zoom G1X FOUR (TS Drive Block)

Clean boost mode to tighten low-end response before the amp model

Gain 1 · Tone 6 · Level 8

03Zoom G1X FOUR (BG MK3 / Mark III Amp Model Block)

Mesa Mark amp emulation running into the Stranger CUBE80E clean channel

Gain 7 · Bass 7 · Middle 2 · Treble 7 · Volume 6

04Zoom G1X FOUR (Graphic EQ Block)

Recreates the Mesa Mark IIC+ iconic 'V-Curve' graphic EQ

160Hz 7 · 400Hz 4 · 800Hz 2 · 3.2kHz 7 · 6.4kHz 6
Why these settings

The Stranger CUBE80E is kept completely clean so the Zoom G1X FOUR handles the Mark IIC+ preamp saturation and V-curve EQ shaping. Because the Juarez Stratocaster uses lower-output single coils instead of James Hetfield's humbuckers, the TS Drive boost block pushes extra input gain while the EQ compensates for single-coil thinness. The tone remains bone-dry with zero reverb to preserve the fast downpicked articulation.

PRO TIPStrictly downpick all eighth-note rhythm sections and palm-mute firmly right against the bridge saddles to get the razor-sharp mechanical percussive 'chug'.

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These settings are for a Stranger CUBE80E. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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