Tone library / Metallica / Seek & Destroy

Seek & Destroy amp settings — NUX MG-300

The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek & Destroy”, dialed in for a NUX MG-300 with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983) — main rhythm riff

Original rig

Jose Arredondo-modded Marshall JCM800/1959 Super Lead + Ibanez TS9/ProCo Rat boost + Gibson Flying V with Seymour Duncan Invader humbucker

Aggressive, raw early thrash bite with tight low end and sharp upper-mid punch

Amp settings — NUX MG-300

CHANNELBrit 800 (JCM800) + 1960A 4x12 IRBOOSToff

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

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01TS9 (Tube Screamer block)

Used strictly as a clean boost to tighten the low-end flub before the Marshall preamp

Drive 0 · Tone 6 · Level 9

Why these settings

To compensate for your Stratocaster's lower-output single coils against Hetfield's hot Invader humbucker, push the TS9 Level to 9 and keep the Brit 800 gain around 7. We run the TS9 block with zero drive and high level into the JCM800 model to replicate how they tightened the vintage Marshall front-end on Kill 'Em All. Keep the mids forward at 7 rather than scooping, which gives this early-era tone its distinctive raw, cutting bite.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm firmly on the bridge saddles to get that aggressive, percussive chug, and pick every note with a heavy downward attack right next to the bridge pickup.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a NUX MG-300. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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