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Distorted Tone
Creeping Death
Metallica
BassThrash metal1980s
Original Gear
BassRickenbacker 4001 (red)
AmpMesa/Boogie D‑180 heads (pair)
Amp Settings
gain7.5
bass5
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Notes
One D‑180 used for clean signal, the other for effects chain; Cliff’s main bass during Ride the Lightning era was a red Rickenbacker 4001.
Tone Character(3)
Heavy, distorted bass toneUse of wah and fuzz for expressive filteringLayered, aggressive low end
Difficulty
The bass part in 'Creeping Death' requires fast, precise playing with aggressive tone and tight rhythmic control, making it a challenging intermediate‑to‑advanced thrash metal performance.
This tone has been researched 2 times by the community
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Create Free AccountBassThrash metal1980s
Original Gear
BassRickenbacker 4001 (red)
AmpMesa/Boogie D‑180 heads (pair)
Amp Settings
gain7.5
bass5
Create an account to see all tone details
Create Free AccountEffects & Signal Chain
This tone has been researched 2 times by the community
Notes
One D‑180 used for clean signal, the other for effects chain; Cliff’s main bass during Ride the Lightning era was a red Rickenbacker 4001.
Tone Character(3)
Heavy, distorted bass toneUse of wah and fuzz for expressive filteringLayered, aggressive low end
Difficulty
The bass part in 'Creeping Death' requires fast, precise playing with aggressive tone and tight rhythmic control, making it a challenging intermediate‑to‑advanced thrash metal performance.