Song
Enter Sandman
Metallica · Metallica
Preview and cover from Apple Music
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head
- Guitar
- ESP MX-220 Explorer
- Tuning
- E standard
On the record, James Hetfield played an ESP MX-220 Explorer through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head and a Jose-modded Marshall JCM800 Head; Kirk Hammett played an ESP Custom / Gibson Les Paul through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head and a Marshall JCM800 Head. It's in E standard.
The original rig
The crushing guitar sound of Enter Sandman was crafted by blending tight, scooped Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ heads with modified high-gain Marshall JCM800 amplifiers through Vintage 30-loaded 4x12 cabinets. EMG active humbuckers, meticulous double-tracking, subtle rack pitch widening, and Kirk Hammett's signature rack wah define the iconic tone.
James Hetfield · Rhythm
Settings Commonly cited
- Pickup selector
- Bridge
- Pickups
- EMG 81 (bridge) / EMG 60 (neck)
Active EMG 81 bridge pickup selected for sharp attack and high output.
Settings Estimated
- Channel
- Lead
- Lead Drive
- 7.5
- Bass
- 3
- Middle
- 4
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 5
- Graphic EQ
- V-curve (boosted 80Hz and 6600Hz, scoope
Provided the tight, scooped low-end thump and razor-sharp punch.
Settings Estimated
- Preamp Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 6
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Master Volume
- 6
Blended alongside the Mark IIC+ to supply upper-midrange bite and harmonic crunch.
Settings Commonly cited
- Speakers
- Celestion Vintage 30
Standard Mesa oversized 4x12 cabinet loaded with Vintage 30 speakers.
Settings Commonly cited
- Panning
- Hard left and hard right
- Takes
- Distinct tight takes
Rhythm parts were heavily double-tracked and panned across the stereo field to create a massive wall of sound.
Settings Commonly cited
- Mix
- Subtle
- Mode
- MicroPitch / stereo detune
Studio rack harmonizer applied subtly during tracking and mixdown to widen the guitars.
Kirk Hammett · Solo
Settings Commonly cited
- Pickups
- EMG 81
- Pickup selector
- Bridge
Equipped with active EMG 81 bridge humbucker.
Settings Commonly cited
- Mode
- Custom rack sweep
Rack-mounted Cry Baby wah-wah used prominently throughout the guitar solo.
Settings Estimated
- Channel
- Lead
- Lead Drive
- 8
- Bass
- 4
- Middle
- 5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
Used to handle the low and midrange foundation of the solo tone.
Settings Estimated
- Preamp Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 4
- Middle
- 6
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6.5
Blended with the Mesa/Boogie to provide screaming high-end cut.
Settings Commonly cited
- Speakers
- Celestion Vintage 30
4x12 cabinet loaded with Celestion Vintage 30 speakers.
Settings Commonly cited
- Mix
- Low
- Type
- Subtle stereo slap / quarter note
Added at the mixing console to sit the solo gracefully in the mix.
- 1.reverb.com · reverb.com · magazine
- 2.mixonline.com · mixonline.com · source
Have the real gear, or another modeller? Start from these. Studio knob positions are rarely written down; these are a starting point.
Researched Oct 2026 · 2 sources · How ToneSheet researches a song
Tuning
The record is in E standard, low to high: E A D G B E. Tune your guitar the same way, or tell ToneSheet how it's tuned and your device shifts the tone to match.
Questions about the Enter Sandman guitar tone
What amp did the guitarists use on Enter Sandman?
James Hetfield: a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head (an estimate), with Channel Lead, Lead Drive 7.5, Bass 3, Middle 4, Treble 7, Presence 5 (settings estimated); and a Jose-modded Marshall JCM800 Head (an estimate), with Preamp Gain 7.5, Master Volume 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 7, Presence 6 (settings estimated). Kirk Hammett: a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head (an estimate), with Channel Lead, Lead Drive 8, Bass 4, Middle 5, Treble 7, Presence 6 (settings estimated); and a Marshall JCM800 Head (an estimate), with Preamp Gain 8, Bass 4, Middle 6, Treble 7.5, Presence 6.5 (settings estimated).
What guitar did the guitarists play on Enter Sandman?
James Hetfield: an ESP MX-220 Explorer (commonly cited), with Pickup selector Bridge, Pickups EMG 81 (bridge) / EMG 60 (neck) (settings commonly cited). Kirk Hammett: an ESP Custom / Gibson Les Paul (commonly cited), with Pickup selector Bridge, Pickups EMG 81 (settings commonly cited).
What effects did the guitarists use on Enter Sandman?
A Dunlop Cry Baby Rack Wah.
What tuning is Enter Sandman in?
E standard: low to high, E A D G B E.
How do I get the Enter Sandman guitar tone on an amp modeller?
Start from your modeller's model of the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ Head, set like the original (Lead Drive 7.5, Bass 3, Middle 4, Treble 7), with a guitar like a ESP MX-220 Explorer, tuned to E standard. Ready presets, with every block's settings: HOTONE Pulze Mini (1).
Presets for Enter Sandman
Tones players shared for their amp modellers, each with every setting, block by block.
HOTONE Pulze Mini1 version
All Pulze Mini presetsMake it for your guitar
Name your guitar and how it's tuned, and ToneSheet makes the tone for it: the pickup and knob settings, and every block on your device.
Different guitar or tuning? Make your own version (1–2 minutes)Updated
