Tone library / Metallica / Ride the lightning

Ride the lightning amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

The Metallica guitar tone for “Ride the lightning”, dialed in for a Boss Katana 50 MkII with a Jackson Pro Series Rhoads. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984) - main rhythm track

Original rig

Modified Marshall JCM800 2203, Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, Gibson Flying V / Explorer with high-output humbuckers

Aggressive, bright British thrash crunch with tight low-end and scooped 750Hz midrange

Amp settings — Boss Katana 50 MkII

CHANNELBrown amp typeBOOSTon

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Onboard Booster (TS-style / Screamer)

Engage Katana onboard Booster (set to Screamer/TS model in Tone Studio or via green booster button)

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Bottom 5 · Effect Level 8

Why these settings

The Katana 50 MkII lacks a physical presence knob, so upper-end bite is shaped directly via the treble control at 7. Using the Brown amp type replicates Hetfield's hot-rodded Marshall 2203, with the mids pulled back to 3 to emulate the aggressive console mid-scoop on the 1984 masters. Engaging the onboard Screamer boost with Drive at 0 cuts flubby bass and tightens up the fast palm-muted gallops. Clean interlude: switch Amp Type to Clean, boost off.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm firmly against the bridge saddles and execute strict downpicking with a heavy 1.14mm+ pick angled slightly forward to capture Hetfield's percussive attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Boss Katana 50 MkII. 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.