One amp settings — M-Vave Blackbox

The Metallica guitar tone for “One”, dialed in for a M-Vave Blackbox with a Ibanez RG550. Studio version, ...And Justice for All (1988), fast outro solo

Original rig

Kirk Hammett: ESP custom ST / Fernandes Strat copy with EMG 81, Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (Graphic EQ 'V' scoop), Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, Dunlop Cry Baby GCB95, TC Electronic Dual Parametric EQ

Aggressive, razor-sharp thrash lead with tight low end, scooped lower mids, cutting 2-3kHz bite, and vocal wah

Amp settings — M-Vave Blackbox

CHANNELMesa Mark / High-Gain Lead amp block with 4x12 V30 cab IRBRIGHTonBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	5
Mid	3
Treble	7
Presence	6
Reverb	2
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Jim Dunlop Cry Baby GCB95

Rock pedal rhythmically during fast shred passages for the signature vocal sweep

02M-Vave Blackbox TS Drive Block

Clean boost mode before the amp block to tighten lows and add upper-mid bite; keep other parameters default

Drive 1 · Tone 7 · Level 8

03M-Vave Blackbox Delay Block

Post-amp/FX position — subtle slapback/short studio delay to widen the fast lead runs

Time 4 · Feedback 3 · Mix 3

Why these settings

Kirk's recording used an EMG 81 pushing a boosted Mesa Mark IIC+ with an aggressive V-scooped graphic EQ. On the Ibanez RG550's passive V8 humbucker, amp gain is set slightly higher and the TS-style block pushes level 8 to replicate the compression and output of active EMGs. The 5-band EQ on the M-Vave should scoop around 750Hz while keeping 2.2kHz flat to give thrash cut without harshness. Clean intro/verse: switch amp model to Clean Twin, bypass TS block, and select neck pickup.

PRO TIPKirk anchors his right hand hard against the bridge for aggressive palm mutes during the rapid-fire sextuplet bursts, and rocks the wah heel-down to toe-down in sync with the primary accent beats rather than every picked note.

Get this tone on your amp

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

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