Ride the lithing amp settings — Marshall Mg30fx
The Metallica guitar tone for “Ride the lithing”, dialed in for a Marshall Mg30fx with a Esp ldt M-400. Studio version, Ride the Lightning album (1984), recorded at Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen
Marshall JCM800 2203 head into 4x12 cabinet, Gibson Flying V with stock humbuckers (James Hetfield), Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ also used for some rhythm tracks, Ibanez Tube Screamer for boost
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 7 |
| Bass | 4 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Presence | 0 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 6 |
01Joyo Extreme Metal
Use pedal as primary gain source. Set amp to OD1 channel but keep amp gain at 3-4 to avoid mud from double-gain stacking. The Joyo Extreme provides the tight, scooped metal character.
The MG30FX OD channels are voiced darker and fizzier than a real JCM800, so I pushed mids to 7 (vs the original's ~5-6 on a real Marshall) to recover that aggressive bark. Bass dropped to 4 to prevent flub—the MG's solid-state low-end gets muddy fast. The Joyo Extreme pedal handles the tight, gated aggression that Hetfield's JCM800/Mesa rig delivered; without it, the MG alone cannot achieve that compressed thrash chunk.
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These settings are for a Marshall Mg30fx. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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