Master of puppets amp settings — Valeton GP-5
The Metallica guitar tone for “Master of puppets”, dialed in for a Valeton GP-5 with a Thomson St1m. Studio version, Master of Puppets (1986) — main rhythm riff
Jackson Custom Shop King V (Seymour Duncan Invader) -> Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (slaved into Marshall JCM800 power amp) with built-in 5-band graphic EQ V-curve
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 7 |
| Bass | 7 |
| Mid | 3 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Presence | 6 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 7 |
01Graphic EQ Block (Post-Amp / FX Loop)
Set to classic Mesa 'V-curve' post-amp to carve out 750Hz boxiness
02Noise Gate Block
Essential in front of the amp model to keep fast downpicked palm mutes tight
The Valeton GP-5 modeling engine replicates the Mesa Mark preamp response, so the pre-gain mids should stay moderate while the post-amp EQ block carves the iconic 750Hz 'V-curve'. Single-coil or entry-level humbucker pickups on the Thomson ST1M need extra bass and low-mid support to match the high-output Seymour Duncan Invaders used on the record. Clean interlude: switch to a clean amp model with light chorus and delay.
Get this tone on your amp
These settings are for a Valeton GP-5. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
Get ToneAdapt on Google PlaySong, 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.