Tone library / Metallica / Wherever I May Roam

Wherever I May Roam amp settings — nux MG-101

The Metallica guitar tone for “Wherever I May Roam”, dialed in for a nux MG-101 with a cort CR200. Studio version, Metallica (Black Album, 1991)

Original rig

Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ (lead channel), ESP Explorer with EMG 81 bridge pickup, Ibanez Tube Screamer TS9 for tightening, tuned to Eb Standard

Thick, scooped mid-range thrash crunch with tight palm mutes, aggressive pick attack, and controlled low-end thump

Amp settings — nux MG-101

CHANNELHigh Gain (OD2 or Lead channel)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	5
Mid	3
Treble	6
Reverb	0
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01NUX MG-101 Built-in Noise Gate

Enable noise gate to tighten palm mutes and reduce hum at high gain

Threshold 5

02NUX MG-101 Built-in Overdrive (TS-style if available)

Use as a clean boost to tighten low-end before the high-gain channel, not as primary distortion source

Drive 1 · Tone 6 · Level 7

Why these settings

The NUX MG-101 is a budget solid-state modeling amp with limited gain saturation compared to a Mesa Mark IIC+. The MG-101 lacks a presence control so that value is null. Mid is scooped to 3 because the original tone has a characteristic V-shaped EQ curve with the Mesa's graphic EQ cutting 750Hz deeply. Gain is set to 7 rather than maxed because the MG-101's high-gain channel gets fizzy above 8. Use the built-in OD block as a tightening boost with minimal drive.

PRO TIPTune to Eb Standard and use a very aggressive downpicking attack directly over the bridge pickup pole pieces for that percussive Hetfield chunk — the pick angle and force matter more than any knob for authentic Black Album palm-mute tone.

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These settings are for a nux MG-101. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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