🎸 Metal · 1980s

The Four Horsemen by Metallica (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Metallica · riff

The Four Horsemen by Metallica guitar tone is built on a Marshall JMP 2203, dialed in at gain 8/10, bass 7, mid 2.5, treble 8.5, presence 6.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

GAIN

BASS

2.5

MID

8.5

TREBLE

6.5

PRESENCE

REVERB

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 2.5 are well below average (5.2) — a real scoop; it sounds huge alone but can vanish in a band mix; treble 8.5 is above the 6.8 norm (brighter attack).

Guitar controls

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: 1980 Gibson Flying V (white, used by James Hetfield) · Amp: Marshall JMP 2203 (modded, 100W head, used in studio for Kill 'Em All)

Studio recording, 1983. Rhythm guitar for riff section. No evidence of live/touring gear or alternate guitars/amps for this part. No evidence of effects loop or rack gear. Kirk Hammett also used the same amp for leads, but this is the rhythm/riff tone.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Gibson Flying V songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

1980 Gibson Flying V (white, used by James Hetfield) → Marshall JMP 2203 (modded, 100W head, used in studio for Kill 'Em All)

Effects

Guitar → Marshall JMP 2203 (modded, high gain, no effects loop, no pedals)

Tone character

tight and percussive, scooped mids, aggressive palm muting, razor-sharp treble, chunky low end, dry, in-your-face sound, minimal ambience, classic thrash rhythm, high-gain saturation, fast attack

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 The Four Horsemen sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Riff

The riff requires fast, consistent alternate picking and tight palm muting at high speed, with precise rhythm changes and aggressive attack, making it challenging for most players.

Worth knowing

Amp settings are sourced from a forum post referencing 'Kill Em All' and may not be official, but match typical 1980s thrash tones.
No direct evidence of pedal use for rhythm/riff section; most sources and isolated tracks indicate amp-only distortion.
No evidence of time-based or modulation effects (delay, chorus, flanger, etc.) on the riff section; tone is dry and direct.
Presence setting is estimated based on typical Marshall JMP usage for this genre/era.
Guitar volume and tone knob settings are inferred from typical Hetfield usage and genre conventions.
If more official studio documentation emerges, settings may need revision.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The Four Horsemen was recorded with a scooped mid, high-gain Marshall amp (likely a modded Marshall or Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+), tight bass, and bright treble for clarity, with little to no reverb as per early Metallica production. These settings reflect the classic 80s thrash tone and James Hetfield's preferences at the time.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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The Four Horsemen guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the The Four Horsemen guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 8, bass 7, mid 2.5, treble 8.5, presence 6.5, reverb 0. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the The Four Horsemen tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: 1980 Gibson Flying V (white, used by James Hetfield) · Amp: Marshall JMP 2203 (modded, 100W head, used in studio for Kill 'Em All); Guitar → Marshall JMP 2203 (modded, high gain, no effects loop, no pedals).

Can I get the The Four Horsemen tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Metallica on The Four Horsemen — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 8, bass 7, mid 2.5, treble 8.5, presence 6.5, reverb 0), and Guitar → Marshall JMP 2203 (modded, high gain, no effects loop, no pedals). Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com