Tone library / Metallica / Seek and destroy

Seek and destroy amp settings — Blackstar ID:Core 20 V3

The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek and destroy”, dialed in for a Blackstar ID:Core 20 V3 with a Cort Kx100. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983)

Original rig

Gibson Flying V with stock humbuckers → Marshall JMP 2203 (hot-rodded, cascading gain mod) → Boss DS-1 as boost; dry, no reverb

Tight and percussive thrash rhythm, scooped mids, aggressive palm muting, sharp biting treble, chunky low end, dry and compressed

Amp settings — Blackstar ID:Core 20 V3

CHANNELOD2BOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Blackstar ID:Core has no presence knob so that value is null. OD2 voice gets closest to the hot-rodded Marshall saturation. The ISF control should be set fully clockwise (British voicing) to match Marshall's mid-forward bark. Mids are scooped to 3 because the original tone has a characteristic thrash midscoop around 400-800Hz, but the ID:Core's OD2 is already slightly mid-heavy so we cut harder than the original's 2.5 setting.

PRO TIPHetfield's palm-mute attack on this track is extremely tight and close to the bridge saddles — anchor your picking hand firmly and mute aggressively to get that percussive chunk rather than a flabby chug.

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These settings are for a Blackstar ID:Core 20 V3. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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