Tone library / Metallica / Nothing else matters

Nothing else matters amp settings — Fender Mustang 1 v2

The Metallica guitar tone for “Nothing else matters”, dialed in for a Fender Mustang 1 v2 with a Squier Affinity Telecaster. Studio version, Metallica (Black Album, 1991) — iconic clean fingerpicked intro

Original rig

ESP MX-220 or Tom Anderson Strat (EMG 60 neck / single coils) → Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (clean channel, stereo chorus engaged) + MXR DynaComp splitting signal direct to board. Mesa Boogie Mark IIC++ for heavy sections.

Crystalline, shimmering clean with subtle chorus movement and compression — warm but articulate fingerpicked arpeggios with no breakup

Amp settings — Fender Mustang 1 v2

CHANNELClean (Fender '65 Twin Reverb model)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

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

Don’t have a Fender Mustang 1 v2? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME8

Why these settings

Original uses JC-120's transistor clean with built-in chorus; the Mustang's '65 Twin model is the closest clean voicing available. Your Tele's single coils are brighter than Hetfield's EMG 60 neck humbucker, so treble dropped from 7 to 6 and mid pushed +1 to add warmth. Volume knob at 8 mimics the studio technique of rolling back slightly for shimmer without harsh attack. Enable the Mustang's built-in Chorus effect at slow rate/medium depth via Fender FUSE software to approximate the JC-120's stereo chorus — this is essential to the tone.

PRO TIPFingerpick with the fleshy pad of your fingers angled slightly, not your nails — Hetfield's attack on this track is soft and rounded, which is half the tone. Let notes ring and overlap; the compression and chorus do the rest.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Mustang 1 v2. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Fender Mustang 1 v2 settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Nothing else matters on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Metallica tonesALL SONGS Metallica on the Fender Mustang 1 v2SAME ARTIST, SAME AMP Squier Affinity Telecaster 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.