Tone library / Metsllica / Master of puppets

Master of puppets amp settings — Orange Crush 20

The Metsllica guitar tone for “Master of puppets”, dialed in for a Orange Crush 20 with a Ibanez GIO GRG170DX. Studio version, Master of Puppets album (1986)

Original rig

Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ preamp slaved into modified Marshall JCM800 100W power amp, Jackson King V with Seymour Duncan Invaders (later EMG 81/60), Marshall 4x12 cabinets

Tight, aggressive thrash rhythm with scooped mids, pronounced low-end thump, and cutting high-frequency bite — the definitive 80s thrash tone

Amp settings — Orange Crush 20

CHANNELDirty channel

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	7
Mid	2
Treble	7
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Why these settings

The Orange Crush 20 is warmer and more mid-forward than the scooped Mesa IIC+ — I've dropped mids to 2 (vs original's graphic EQ scoop at 750Hz) and pushed bass to 7 to compensate for the Crush's smaller speaker losing low-end. Gain is maxed relative to the Crush's capabilities because the original tone came from a high-gain preamp stage. Your Ibanez's ceramic humbuckers are hotter and brighter than the original's passive Invaders, so this balances out.

PRO TIPThe Master of Puppets tone lives in the picking hand — use aggressive downstrokes with your pick angled slightly, striking close to the bridge for maximum attack and palm-mute tightness. The tone knob stays wide open because the scoop happens in the amp, not the guitar.

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These settings are for a Orange Crush 20. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.