Tone library / Mettalica / Seek and destroy

Seek and destroy amp settings — Boss katana 86bkx

The Mettalica guitar tone for “Seek and destroy”, dialed in for a Boss katana 86bkx with a Fender American Original 60s Stratocaster. Main riff and rhythm tracks, Kill 'Em All (1983) studio version

Original rig

Modified Marshall JMP 2203 (100W), 1981 Gibson Flying V (humbuckers), Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer boost

Raw, aggressive early thrash crunch with tight palm-muted low-end thump and biting top-end attack
Amp settings — Boss katana 86bkx
CHANNELBrown amp typeBOOSToff
GAIN 7 BASS 6 MID 4 TREBLE 7 REVERB 0 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain7
Bass6
Mid4
Treble7
Reverb0
Master5
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Boss DS-1 Distortion

BOOST — run into the front of the amp with low distortion and high level to tighten the low end and push the Katana's preamp, mimicking the original TS808 boost into the hot-rodded Marshall.

Tone 4 · Level 8 · Dist 2
Why these settings

The Katana's Brown channel replicates the hot-rodded Marshall JMP saturation, with mids slightly scooped at 4 and bass set to 6 to compensate for your Stratocaster's brighter single-coil pickup. Rolling the guitar's tone knob back to 8 tames single-coil harshness while keeping the aggressive early thrash bite intact. Your DS-1 acts purely as a tight boost (Dist at 2, Level at 8) rather than the primary dirt source, keeping the chugs focused without turning muddy.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm right against the bridge saddles for maximum percussive thud on the open-A palm-muted chugs, and use strict downpicking on the main riff to capture Hetfield's signature attack.

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These settings are for a Boss katana 86bkx. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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