Seek & Destroy amp settings — Blackstar Stereo 40
The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek & Destroy”, dialed in for a Blackstar Stereo 40 with a Harley Benton ST20-20HSS. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983) - Main Riff
Marshall 1959 SLP (Jose Arredondo modded) / JCM800 2203 boosted with Ibanez TS9 / ProCo Rat, Gibson Flying V copy with Seymour Duncan Invader humbucker
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 7 |
| Bass | 5 |
| Mid | 6 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 6 |
01Tube Screamer (TS9 / Overdrive Boost)
RECOMMENDED — not owned. Use in front of the amp to tighten bass and push front-end saturation
On the Blackstar ID:Core Stereo 40, select the Super Crunch voice and set the ISF fully clockwise to 10 for the authentic British Marshall bark. Keep mids at 6 rather than fully scooping them, as Kill 'Em All relied on raw Marshall midrange bite rather than the extreme V-curve of later records. If you acquire a TS9-style boost pedal, engage it with Drive at 0 and Level cranked to tighten the HSS bridge pickup's low-end attack.
Get this tone on your amp
These settings are for a Blackstar Stereo 40. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
Get ToneAdapt on Google PlaySong, 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.