The thing that should not be amp settings — Marshall Mg15r
The Metallica guitar tone for “The thing that should not be”, dialed in for a Marshall Mg15r with a Jackson JS22 Dinky. Studio version, Master of Puppets (1986)
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ and Marshall JCM800, Gibson Explorer with EMG pickups, Drop D tuning, Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9 for boost
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 8 |
| Bass | 7 |
| Mid | 5 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Reverb | 0 |
| Master | 4 |
01Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-9 or clone
RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Run into amp front input. Tightens low-end and adds midrange cut essential to this tone. A Boss SD-1 or Behringer TO800 works as a budget substitute.
The MG15R's OD channel is mid-forward compared to the Mesa's scooped voicing, so mid is set at 5 rather than the original's 3-4 to avoid honkiness. Bass is pushed to 7 to compensate for the small 8" speaker's thinner low-end. The MG15R lacks a presence control so that's null. Without a Tube Screamer in front, the tone will lack the tight, focused attack Hetfield's sound is known for — the amp's gain alone gets muddy at these settings.
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These settings are for a Marshall Mg15r. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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