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Nothing Else Matters amp settings — Vox Da20

The Metallica guitar tone for “Nothing Else Matters”, dialed in for a Vox Da20 with a Gibson Les Paul Modern. Studio version, Metallica (The Black Album, 1991) — iconic clean fingerpicked intro

Original rig

Roland JC-120 and Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ clean channel, ESP Explorer with active EMG 60 in neck position, studio rack reverb

Pristine, warm, round clean tone with gentle presence and lush studio hall space

Amp settings — Vox Da20

CHANNELClean 2 amp style

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

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE8 VOLUME9

Why these settings

The Vox DA20 features a Clean 2 voice that provides the neutral, high-headroom platform needed to replicate the Roland JC-120 sound. The DA20 faceplate has a simplified tone stack with only Gain, Tone, and Master knobs alongside onboard Effects, so mid and presence are omitted to match your physical panel. Backing the tone knob slightly to 8 on your Les Paul Modern neck humbucker softens the high-end attack to closely simulate the rounded response of Hetfield's EMG 60 neck pickup. Heavy solo section: switch the amp style to Higain 2 with gain at 7.

PRO TIPPluck the open strings cleanly with bare fingers rather than a pick, keeping the plucking hand positioned right over the neck pickup for maximum body and warmth.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Vox Da20. 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.