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Nothing Else Matters amp settings — Harley Benton HB-20B

The Metallica guitar tone for “Nothing Else Matters”, dialed in for a Harley Benton HB-20B with a Harley Benton PB-20 SBK. Studio version, Metallica (Black Album, 1991) — iconic clean fingerpicked intro

Original rig

Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (clean), Tom Anderson ProAM Strat (borrowed from Kirk Hammett) with single coils, MXR DynaComp compressor direct to board, dual clean signals blended

Pristine, shimmering clean with subtle compression and stereo chorus shimmer — delicate fingerpicked arpeggios with crystalline clarity

Amp settings — Harley Benton HB-20B

BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	5
Treble	6
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The HB-20B is a basic bass practice amp with only Gain, Bass, Treble, and Master — no mid, presence, or reverb controls. The original JC-120 clean is impossibly pristine; this amp cannot replicate the stereo chorus shimmer or compression. Kept gain minimal (2) for cleanest possible signal. Bass at 5 prevents mud, treble at 6 adds fingerpicked string definition without harshness. Rolling tone knob to 7 softens the P-bass's inherent darkness to approximate the original's Strat single-coil clarity.

PRO TIPThis tone lives in the fingers — use the flesh of your fingertips near the neck pickup, pluck gently and let notes ring into each other. The original's magic is dynamics and sustain, not gear. A compressor pedal (even a cheap Donner or Joyo) would get you 60% closer to that studio polish than any amp tweak.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Harley Benton HB-20B. 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.