Tone library / Metallica / Seek and destroy

Seek and destroy amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek and destroy”, dialed in for a Marshall MG30CFX with a Psd Super stratocaster. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983) - Main Riff

Original rig

Jose Arredondo-modded Marshall 1959 Super Lead 100W, ProCo Rat, Epiphone Flying V with Seymour Duncan Invader pickup

Aggressive early thrash crunch with prominent bite, tight low-end, and boosted upper-mids

Amp settings — Marshall MG30CFX

CHANNELCleanBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	6
Mid	5
Treble	7
Reverb	1
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Behringer Ultra Metal UM300

GAIN SOURCE: run into the amp front input. Sets the aggressive early 80s thrash distortion.

Dist 6 · High 7 · Low 6 · Middle 6 · Mid Freq 7 · Level 6

Why these settings

Because the Behringer UM300 provides the high-gain distortion stage, the MG30CFX is set to its Clean channel with gain kept down at 2 to avoid muddy double-gain stacking. The UM300's semi-parametric Mid Freq is set to 7 to target the characteristic 1-2kHz upper-mid attack of James Hetfield's modded Marshall. The MG30CFX lacks a physical presence control, so top-end bite is balanced via the pedal's High knob and amp Treble.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm firmly on the bridge saddles to get tight, percussive chugs, and use strict downpicking on the main riff to capture Hetfield's signature percussive attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall MG30CFX. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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