Solo enter sandman amp settings — Valeton GP-100
The Metallica guitar tone for “Solo enter sandman”, dialed in for a Valeton GP-100 with a Gibson Flying V. Lead guitar solo, Metallica (The Black Album, 1991)
ESP M-II with EMG 81, Dunlop Cry Baby Wah, Mesa Boogie Mark IV / Quad Preamp and Strategy 400 power section into Mesa 4x12 cabs
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 8 |
| Bass | 5 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Presence | 6 |
| Reverb | 3 |
| Master | 7 |
01Dunlop Cry Baby Wah Block
Assign expression pedal to sweep; toe-down for top octave screams
02TS Overdrive Block (Pre-Amp Boost)
Tightens low end and increases sustain before the amp block
03Digital Delay Block
Post-amp / FX loop routing, roughly 380ms for solo space
Kirk Hammett used active EMG 81 pickups into a saturated Mesa Mark-series lead channel; with passive Flying V humbuckers, pushing the onboard TS boost block provides the necessary front-end compression and harmonic reach. Keep the midrange prominent at 7 on the lead amp model rather than scooped so the solo cuts through the wah filter. Digital Delay and subtle studio Reverb sit post-amp block in the GP-100 to replicate the album mix space.
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These settings are for a Valeton GP-100. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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