Tone library / Metallica / Seek & Destroy

Seek & Destroy amp settings — Joyo DC-15S

The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek & Destroy”, dialed in for a Joyo DC-15S with a Ibanez GRG131DX-BKF. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1987)

Original rig

James Hetfield: Epiphone Flying V with Seymour Duncan pickups → ProCo Rat distortion pedal → 100W Marshall head modded by Jose Arredondo. Recorded with high gain but precise palm-muting technique.

Tight, aggressive thrash rhythm with scooped mids, chunky palm mutes, and razor-sharp attack

Amp settings — Joyo DC-15S

CHANNELOverdrive

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	0
Bass	6
Mid	4
Treble	7
Reverb	0
Master	6

Don’t have a Joyo DC-15S? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Behringer UM300 ULTRA METAL

This is your primary gain source — the UM300's mid-scoop and tight low end gets close to the modded Marshall + Rat combination. Keep the amp's Overdrive channel OFF or set to minimum gain.

Distortion 7 · Low 6 · High 7 · Level 7 · Mid Freq 5 · Mid Level 4

Why these settings

The Joyo DC-15S is a small practice amp that cannot produce tight thrash gain on its own. Set the amp's Overdrive channel to minimum gain (acting as a clean-ish platform) and let the UM300 provide all distortion — this mimics Hetfield's Rat-into-Marshall setup. The UM300's parametric mid control set to 5/4 gives the characteristic scooped-but-not-hollow thrash tone. Treble pushed to 7 on the amp compensates for the DC-15S's darker voicing vs a bright modded Marshall.

PRO TIPHetfield's precision on this track comes from aggressive downpicking with the pick angled slightly, palm muting right at the bridge saddles — not further back. Keep your fretting hand relaxed on the open-string chugs to let the low E ring with full attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Joyo DC-15S. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

More tones for the Joyo DC-15S

Surfin' U.S.A.The Beach Boys I dont wanna be meType o negative My own summerDeftones N.I.BBlack Sabbath Sultans of SwingDire Straits

Find your amp

Browse

Joyo DC-15S settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP Seek & Destroy on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Metallica tonesALL SONGS Ibanez GRG131DX-BKF tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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.