Tone library / Metallica / Seek & Destroy

Seek & Destroy amp settings — Roland Cube 40GX

The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek & Destroy”, dialed in for a Roland Cube 40GX with a Squier Bullet Stratocaster. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983)

Original rig

Marshall JMP 2203 (hot-rodded/cascading gain mod), 1981 Gibson Flying V with stock humbuckers, no pedals on main rhythm tone

Bright, aggressive early-thrash crunch with scooped mids and biting treble attack

Amp settings — Roland Cube 40GX

CHANNELLEAD channel (JC CLEAN won't get you there)BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	6
Mid	4
Treble	7
Presence	5
Reverb	0
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

Original used humbuckers into a hot-rodded Marshall with scooped mids (2.5-3 range). Your Strat's single coils are thinner and brighter, so I raised mids from 2-3 to 4 to compensate for the missing low-mid body, and pulled treble back from 8 to 7 to avoid ice-pick harshness. The Cube's LEAD channel is solid-state clean into digital modeling—it won't sag like a cranked Marshall, so the attack will be tighter and less dynamic.

PRO TIPPalm-mute harder than you think and pick directly over the bridge pickup pole pieces for that tight, percussive 'chug'—the original tone's aggression comes as much from Hetfield's right-hand attack as the amp settings.

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These settings are for a Roland Cube 40GX. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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