The Thing That Should Not Be amp settings — Positive Grid Spark 2
The Metallica guitar tone for “The Thing That Should Not Be”, dialed in for a Positive Grid Spark 2 with a ESP LTD KH-202 Kirk Hammett. Live, Seattle 1989 (Live Shit: Binge & Purge) — main heavy rhythm riff
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (slaved into Marshall/Mesa power amps) into Marshall 4x12 cabs, James Hetfield Jackson King V ('Kill Bon Jovi') / Kirk Hammett Jackson Soloist or ESP, tuned down to D Standard (D-G-C-F-A-D)
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 7 |
| Bass | 7 |
| Mid | 3 |
| Treble | 7 |
| Reverb | 2 |
| Master | 6 |
01Onboard Noise Gate (Spark G-Gate block)
Essential to clamp low-tuned D-standard chugs tight
02Onboard Overdrive (Spark Tube Drive block)
Clean boost in front of the high-gain model to cut mud and tighten the low-end palm mutes
The Spark 2 is a modeling amp, so we use its onboard high-gain Treadplate amp model paired with the internal Tube Drive block functioning as a tight mid-boost. Tune your ESP LTD down a full step to D Standard (D-G-C-F-A-D) to match the record's low register and mechanical tension. The ESP LH-301 pickups are high-output passive humbuckers, so keep the virtual Tube Drive gain down at 1 while scooping mids to 3 to reproduce the classic Mesa V-curve graphic EQ. Clean verse: tap the Spark preset switch to a Roland JC-style clean model with light chorus.
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These settings are for a Positive Grid Spark 2. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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