Fade to Black by Metallica (Solo · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The Fade to Black by Metallica guitar tone is built on a Marshall JCM800, dialed in at gain 8/10, bass 6.5, mid 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 sits right around the metal average (7.3); mids at 5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson Flying V (black, 1979 model, stock pickups) · Amp: Marshall JCM800 (likely 2203 or 2204 head, 1980s, with 4x12 cab)

Studio recording, 1984, Ride the Lightning sessions. Kirk Hammett used the neck pickup for the solo. Wah pedal was used in a cocked position for the solo tone. No evidence of Mesa Boogie or other amps for this section. TC Electronic EQ possibly in the chain but not confirmed for this solo.

Gear used on this tone

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

Pickups

Neck pickup

Signal chain

Gibson Flying V (black, 1979 model, stock pickups) → Cry Baby Wah (cocked position) → Marshall JCM800 (likely 2203 or 2204 head, 1980s, with 4x12 cab)

Effects

wah, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 3)

Tone character

warm and smooth, singing sustain, midrange emphasis from cocked wah, thick and creamy lead, full-bodied, not overly scooped, high-gain saturation, articulate note separation, slightly compressed, double-tracked for extra thickness

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Fade to Black sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Solo

The solo features fast runs, expressive bends, and requires precise control of phrasing and sustain, making it challenging for intermediate players.

Worth knowing

• Exact amp knob settings not found in sources; estimated based on Marshall JCM800 typical settings for 1980s metal and forum suggestions.
• TC Electronic EQ is mentioned in some interviews but not confirmed for this solo section.
• Delay and chorus are rumored in forums, but not clearly audible or confirmed in studio sources for this solo.
• Wah pedal is confirmed as cocked (static position) for the solo, not swept during performance.
• Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kirk Hammett's 'Fade to Black' solo tone is classic mid-80s Metallica: high gain but not extreme, with a tight low end, scooped mids, and bright, cutting treble. The reverb is minimal (likely added in post if at all), matching the dry, upfront mix of Ride the Lightning. These settings reflect his typical Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ approach for this era.

Fade to Black guitar tone — FAQ

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Sources

• Metallica's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett reveal the guitar secrets behind 16 of the band's best songs | Guitar World
• [QUESTION] How to get intro tone of Metallica's fade to black? - Reddit
• What's the effect used in the intro solo of Fade to Black called? - Reddit

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