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Seek and destroy amp settings — Zoom B1X Four

The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek and destroy”, dialed in for a Zoom B1X Four with a Ibanez GSR180. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983)

Original rig

Rickenbacker 4001 bass → Electro Harmonix Big Muff (for distorted sections) → Morley Power Wah Boost → Mesa Boogie 4x12 and 1x15 cabinets. Cliff Burton used aggressive fingerstyle with the Big Muff engaged for the main riff's grinding distortion.

Aggressive mid-forward grind with fuzz-like distortion, prominent attack, and cutting presence that sits above the guitars in the mix

Amp settings — Zoom B1X Four

CHANNELSVT model (Ampeg SVT simulation) with SansAmp BDDI or Big Muff distortion block

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	6
Mid	8
Treble	7
Master	8

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01ZNR (Noise Reduction)

First in chain to control noise from high-gain effects

Threshold 3

02Comp (Compressor)

Evens out dynamics for consistent attack

Sense 5 · Attack 4 · Level 6

03Big Muff (Bass Big Muff simulation)

Core of the Cliff Burton grind — engage for main riff and verse, bypass for cleaner intro arpeggios

Sustain 7 · Tone 6 · Volume 7

04Bass PreAmp (SVT model)

Ampeg SVT voicing — keep gain moderate since Big Muff provides the dirt

Lo 6 · Mid 8 · Hi 7 · Gain 5 · Level 7

05Graphic EQ

Boost mids for cut-through; slight low-mid bump at 250Hz for body

125Hz 5 · 250Hz 6 · 500Hz 7 · 1kHz 7 · 4kHz 6

Why these settings

The Ibanez GSR180 has lower-output passive pickups vs Cliff's hot Rickenbacker, so gain on the Big Muff block is pushed to 7 to compensate. Mid is boosted to 8 because Cliff's tone cut through two guitars — the B1X Four's amp models are naturally flatter than a real SVT's mid-forward grind. SVT preamp gain stays at 5 since the Big Muff is the primary dirt source; stacking two high-gain stages would create mud.

PRO TIPCliff played with an aggressive fingerstyle attack near the bridge pickup, digging in hard — this activates the Big Muff's compression and sustain. Roll tone knob back slightly to 8 to tame the Ibanez's brighter J-style bridge pickup and get closer to the Rickenbacker's darker midrange bark.

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