Tone library / Metallica / Ride the Lightning

Ride the Lightning amp settings — line 6

The Metallica guitar tone for “Ride the Lightning”, dialed in for a line 6 with a yamaha rs 320. Studio version, Ride the Lightning album (1984)

Original rig

Marshall JCM800 2203 (Jose Arredondo-modded), Gibson Explorer with Dirty Fingers humbucker, no pedals—straight into amp

Tight, aggressive thrash rhythm with scooped mids, bright attack, and chunky low-end

Amp settings — line 6

CHANNELInsane (closest to hot-rodded JCM800 voicing)BOOSToff

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

Don’t have a line 6? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Noise Gate (Line 6 built-in)

RECOMMENDED — use the onboard gate to keep palm mutes tight and kill hum between riffs; essential for thrash clarity

Threshold 4 · Decay 2

Why these settings

Your Yamaha RS320's Alnico V humbuckers are lower-output and warmer than Hetfield's hot Dirty Fingers, so gain is set at 7 instead of 6 to compensate. Line 6 'Insane' channel approximates a hot-rodded JCM800 but has more compression baked in—mids stay scooped at 3, treble dropped from 8 to 7 because Line 6 high-gain models tend brighter than real Marshalls. Bass pulled to 5 to prevent low-end mud that digital amps can emphasize.

PRO TIPHetfield's iconic 'chug' comes from extremely precise downpicking with the pick angled slightly and planted close to the bridge—practice the main riff at half speed with a metronome, ensuring every note is identically attacked, before adding gain.

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These settings are for a line 6. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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