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Riff Tone

Fade to black

Metallica

Guitarmetal1980s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Explorer (1980s, stock pickups)
AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 (borrowed European model, studio recording)

Amp Settings

gain7.5
bass5.5

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Effects & Signal Chain

Notes

Studio recording for 'Fade to Black' (1984, Ride the Lightning). James Hetfield used a Gibson Explorer with stock Dirty Fingers pickups into a borrowed Marshall JCM800 2203 head. No evidence of pedals for the riff section; distortion is amp-based. No evidence of effects loop or additional rack gear for the rhythm/riff section.

Tone Character(10)
tight and percussivecrunchy, mid-forwardslightly scooped upper-midsclear note separationaggressive palm mutingarticulate attackclassic Marshall crunchwarm but not muddydynamic response to pickingfocused low end

Difficulty

The riff requires tight palm muting, precise alternate picking, and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation at a moderate tempo. While not technically extreme, the classic Metallica rhythm style demands accuracy and stamina.

This tone has been researched 58 times by the community

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