Song
Master of Puppets
Metallica · Master of Puppets
Preview and cover from Apple Music
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+
- Guitar
- Jackson Custom Shop King V / Gibson Explorer
- Tuning
- E standard
On the record, James Hetfield played a Jackson Custom Shop King V / Gibson Explorer through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ and a Marshall JCM800 (Power Amp); Kirk Hammett played through a Marshall Preamp & Power Amp. It's in E standard.
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
Settings Commonly cited
- Pickup Position
- Bridge
Equipped with high-output Seymour Duncan Invader pickups on the King V, or high-output humbuckers on the Explorer.
Settings Commonly cited
- Volume 1
- 7.5
- Treble
- 7
- Bass
- 2
- Middle
- 4
- Master 1
- 4
- Lead Drive
- 5
- Bright
- Pushed in (off)
- Treble Shift
- Pulled out (on)
- Deep
- Pulled out (on)
- Lead Channel
- Pulled out (on)
Preamp section utilized for primary high-gain rhythm voice, slaved into an external power amplifier.
Settings Commonly cited
- Function
- Mid scoop shaping
Inserted into the effects loop between the Mark IIC+ preamp and Marshall power amp to tighten low end and scoop mid frequencies.
Settings Commonly cited
- Presence
- 5
- Master Volume
- 6
Modified Marshall JCM800 head utilized strictly as a slave power amplifier for power-stage punch.
Standard Marshall 4x12 speaker enclosure loaded with Celestion speakers.
Settings Commonly cited
- Placement
- Close-mic, on-cone and cap edge blend
A dual dynamic mic combination placed close on the speaker cone and blended to console.
Settings Commonly cited
- Layers
- Quad-tracked
James Hetfield tracked all rhythm parts with four tight passes hitting the analog console tape hard for natural compression.
Kirk Hammett · Solo
Settings Commonly cited
- Sweep
- Dynamic manual sweep
Employed extensively during lead guitar solo passages for expressive vocal sweep.
Settings Estimated
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 6
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
Dedicated lead amplification rig consisting of a Marshall preamp and power amp setup.
Marshall 4x12 speaker cabinet used for solo takes.
- 1.boostguitarpedals.co.uk · boostguitarpedals.co.uk · source
- 2.mixdownmag.com.au · mixdownmag.com.au · magazine
- 3.ultimate-guitar.com · ultimate-guitar.com · compilation
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 · 3 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 Master of Puppets guitar tone
What amp did the guitarists use on Master of Puppets?
James Hetfield: a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+, with Volume 1 7.5, Bright Pushed in (off), Treble 7, Treble Shift Pulled out (on), Bass 2, Middle 4 (settings commonly cited); and a Marshall JCM800 (Power Amp), with Master Volume 6, Presence 5 (settings commonly cited). Kirk Hammett: a Marshall Preamp & Power Amp (an estimate), with Gain 7, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 7, Presence 6 (settings estimated).
What guitar did the guitarists play on Master of Puppets?
James Hetfield: a Jackson Custom Shop King V / Gibson Explorer (commonly cited), with Pickup Position Bridge (settings commonly cited).
What effects did the guitarists use on Master of Puppets?
A Dunlop Cry Baby Wah (commonly cited).
What tuning is Master of Puppets in?
E standard: low to high, E A D G B E.
How do I get the Master of Puppets guitar tone on an amp modeller?
Start from your modeller's model of the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+, set like the original (Volume 1 7.5, Treble 7, Bass 2, Middle 4), with a guitar like a Jackson Custom Shop King V / Gibson Explorer, tuned to E standard. Ready presets, with every block's settings: HOTONE Pulze Mini (1).
Presets for Master of Puppets
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
