Master of Puppets · MetallicaMaster of Puppets
Tone for HOTONE Pulze Mini · by @faldy · Humbuckers · updated 11 October 2026 · Made with AI
Delivers the legendary scooped thrash metal rhythm tone from 1986, characterized by tight chugging lows, aggressive bite, and razor-sharp clarity.
Plays it on your Pulze Mini without changing your saved presets.
On your Pulze Mini
Master of Puppets
by @faldy · Made with AI
Plays it on your Pulze Mini without changing your saved presets.
Every settingTuning: E standard
More tonesDifferent guitar or tuning? Make your own version (1–2 minutes)On the Pulze Mini
Every block in the order the signal goes through it. Dial these in by hand, or play it on your Pulze Mini above to send them all at once.
Gate 1
- Threshold
- 35
TS Drv
Based on Ibanez® TS-808®
- Gain
- 0
- Tone
- 65
- Volume
- 75
Messe IIC+
Based on Mesa/Boogie® Mark II C+ amp
- Gain
- 72
- Presence
- 62
- Master
- 50
- Bass
- 32
- Middle
- 48
- Treble
- 68
- Bass Shift
- Off
- Treble Shift
- Off
- Deep
- Off
- Bright
- On
UK 4x12A
Based on Marshall® 1960AX cabinet
- Volume
- 50
- Low Cut
- 80
- High Cut
- 7500
V-EQ
Based on Mesa/Boogie® 5-band graphic EQ module
- 80Hz
- +25
- 240Hz
- +10
- 750Hz
- -28
- 2.2kHz
- +16
- 6.6kHz
- +5
Digi Dly
OffRoom
- Mix
- 14
- Pre Dly
- 0 ms
- Decay
- 30
- Low Damp
- 50
- Hi Damp
- 50
- Mod
- 50
How it works
- AMPThe Messe IIC+ amp paired with the V-EQ replicates James Hetfield's famous Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ preamp with its iconic V-shaped graphic EQ mid scoop.
- PREA TS Drv boost up front cuts flubby bass before the distortion stage, tightening your passive humbuckers to match the punch of active EMG pickups.
- CABThe UK 4x12A cabinet captures the bite of Celestion-loaded Marshall 4x12 speaker cabs used on the recording.
Tuning
The record is in E standard, low to high: E A D G B E.
Tune your guitar the same way. Or make your version above, say how yours is tuned, and your Pulze Mini shifts it to match.
On the guitar
Made for a humbucker guitar (Les Paul / SG style).
- 1Pickup Bridge
- 2Volume 10
- 3Tone 9
Keep your bridge pickup engaged with full volume for maximum bite and tight palm mutes.
The original rig
The defining tone of Master of Puppets was achieved by James Hetfield slaving the preamp of a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ with a deeply scooped graphic EQ into a Marshall JCM800 power amp and Marshall 4x12 cabinets, recorded via quad-tracking for an immaculate wall of rhythm crunch. Solos were performed by Kirk Hammett utilizing his signature Dunlop Cry Baby wah into a high-gain Marshall setup.
James Hetfield (Rhythm): Jackson Custom Shop King V / Gibson Explorer, Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+, Aphex EQF-1 Equalizer, Marshall JCM800 (Power Amp), Marshall 1960 4x12 Cabinet, Shure SM57 & Sennheiser MD421, Tape Saturation & Quad-Tracking
Kirk Hammett (Solo): Dunlop Cry Baby Wah, Marshall Preamp & Power Amp, Marshall 1960 4x12 Cabinet
See the full original rig, with every setting and its sourcesPlaying it
- Use aggressive downpicking across the fast eighth-note rhythm riffs to nail the authentic punch and percussive attack.
- Rest the meat of your picking hand firmly across the bridge saddles to keep palm-muted chugs tight and completely staccato.
- Relax your fretting hand between chords so the noise gate can snap completely shut during rests.
More tones
Shared by @faldy under CC BY 4.0: use it, share it and change it, crediting @faldy. Version 1, updated 11 October 2026.