Tone library / Metallica / Seek and destroy

Seek and destroy amp settings — Fender Champion 2 50

The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek and destroy”, dialed in for a Fender Champion 2 50 with a Squier Affinity Stratocaster. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983) — Main riff and rhythm tone

Original rig

Marshall 1959 Super Lead (Jose Arredondo mod) + ProCo Rat distortion + Electra Flying V (Seymour Duncan Invader humbucker)

Aggressive, raw early-thrash bite with tight low-end crunch and prominent upper-mid rasp

Amp settings — Fender Champion 2 50

CHANNELMetal voice (Voice selector on 2000s/Metal 2)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	7
Treble	7
Reverb	0
Master	4

Don’t have a Fender Champion 2 50? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01ProCo Rat 2

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; with pedal, switch amp to Clean voice and gain 2

Distortion 6 · Filter 5 · Volume 7

Why these settings

The Champion 2 50 lacks a dedicated mid knob, so dial the Voice control to the aggressive British/Metal model and push Bass to 7 to compensate for your Strat's thinner single-coil bridge pickup. Gain is set to 8 on the amp's high-gain voice to replicate the saturated modded Marshall and Rat combo without needing external pedals today. Keep Reverb at 0 to match the dry, upfront bite of the 1983 record.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm firmly against the bridge saddles and execute aggressive, all-downstroke picking to get the tight, chugging percussive attack characteristic of early Hetfield rhythm tracks.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Champion 2 50. 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.