...And Justice for All by Metallica (Solo · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The ...And Justice for All by Metallica guitar tone is built on a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet, dialed in at gain 8.5/10, bass 6, mid 3.5, treble 7.5, presence 6 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

Amp settings (0–10)

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 284 metal tones in our researched catalog: Gain 8.5 sits above the metal average (7.3) — a hotter, more saturated take than most metal tones; mids at 3.5 are below average (5.2) — a real scoop; it sounds huge alone but can vanish in a band mix.

Guitar controls

Original gear

Guitar: ESP M-II (custom, early 80s, likely black finish, with EMG pickups) · Amp: Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 1988)

Studio recording for '...And Justice for All' (1988). Kirk Hammett used his ESP M-II with EMG 81 active pickups for solos. The amp was a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head, which was the core of Metallica's tone on this album. Marshall cabs were used for tracking. No evidence of live rig or other guitars for this solo section.

Gear used on this tone

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

ESP M-II (custom, early 80s, likely black finish, with EMG pickups) → Dunlop Cry Baby Wah → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Delay pedal (model unknown) → Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 1988)

Effects

wah, overdrive, delay

Tone character

tight and percussive, scooped mids, singing sustain, aggressive palm muting, razor-sharp articulation, high-gain saturation, cutting treble presence, fast alternate picking clarity, fluid legato runs, controlled feedback

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, fast tempo, loud dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the ...And Justice for All sound.

Difficulty

4.5/5 · Solo

The solo features rapid alternate picking, intricate legato passages, and expressive wah pedal use, demanding advanced technical skill and precise timing at a fast tempo.

Worth knowing

• No official published knob settings for the studio solo section; settings estimated based on typical Mark IIC+ usage for Metallica in this era and forum consensus.
• No direct photo or interview confirmation of pedal settings for this solo; pedal choices based on era-correct gear and audible effects.
• No evidence of amp reverb or built-in effects used; Metallica typically tracked dry and added effects in post if needed.
• No evidence of chorus, flanger, or phaser in this solo; only wah and possible light delay are audible.
• Some sources mention Ibanez Tube Screamer and wah for solos, but not all confirm for this specific track.
• Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kirk Hammett's solo tone on '...And Justice for All' is classic late-80s Metallica: high gain, scooped mids, tight bass, and bright treble/presence for cut. The album's famously dry, clinical production means no reverb, and these settings reflect the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ amps and genre conventions of the era.

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...And Justice for All guitar tone — FAQ

Share this tone

Sources

• Kirk Hammet: And Justice For All
• Kirk Hammett's Guitars, Gear, Wah & Amps
• Metallica Amp Settings - forum topic
• Does anyone know how to get the Justice guitar tone?
• [QUESTION] Why does the guitar solo tone on the track “ ...

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