Tone library / Metallica / The Unforgiven II

The Unforgiven II amp settings — Fender Mustang LT25

The Metallica guitar tone for “The Unforgiven II”, dialed in for a Fender Mustang LT25 with a ESP LTD EC-256. Studio cut, ReLoad (1997) — heavy main crunch riff/chorus

Original rig

Mesa/Boogie TriAxis preamp (Lead 2 Yellow/Red) + Strategy 400 power amp, Marshall JCM800, ESP Explorer (EMG 81/60)

Thick, punchy 90s heavy rock crunch with focused low-mids and tight top end

Amp settings — Fender Mustang LT25

CHANNELMetal 2000 amp model (or '08 Heavy Metal' preset)BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	6
Mid	5
Treble	7
Reverb	2
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Fender Mustang LT25's 'Metal 2000' model emulates the high-gain American rectifier/Mesa preamp architecture Hetfield relied on throughout the Load/ReLoad sessions. Your LTD EC-256 passive humbuckers need gain set to 7 to replicate the saturation and bite of James's active EMG 81 bridge pickup. The Mustang LT25 faceplate has no physical presence knob, so top-end bite is balanced via Treble at 7 while keeping Mids centered at 5 to retain chunk without getting overly scooped. Clean intro/verse: switch onboard preset to 'Fender Clean' (Twin model) with bridge+neck pickup.

PRO TIPHit all rhythm chords with aggressive, uniform downpicking using a heavy pick (1.0mm+) to nail Hetfield's signature percussive attack and palm-muted low-end punch.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Mustang LT25. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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