Creeping Death (Metallica) guitar tone and amp settings
Creeping Death guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Crunch amp type, medium gain (Gain 6.5), bright top (Treble 6.5), even mids (Middle 5.5), bridge pickup.
Settings for your amp
Creeping Death settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every songAmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Variation
- Off
- Amp Type
- Crunch
- Gain
- 6.5
- Volume
- 5
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 5.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Booster Color
- Orange
- Booster
- 3.5
- Mod
- 0
- FX
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 0
- Master
- Set to your room
- Power Control
- Set to your room
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
Creeping Death settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40
Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every songAmpPositive Grid Spark 40
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Type
- Crunch
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 4
- Treble
- 6.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Mod
- 2.5
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 1
- Output
- Set to your room
- App Amp Model
- Plexiglas
- App Drive
- Over Drive
- App Comp/Wah
- Off
- App Mod/EQ
- Guitar EQ
- App Delay
- Off
- App Reverb
- Room Studio A
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7.5
Creeping Death settings on a Fender Mustang LT25
Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every songAmpFender Mustang LT25
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Model
- 70S ROCK
- Gain
- 7
- Volume
- 6
- Treble
- 6.5
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 4.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- 5-BAND EQ
- Mod
- None
- Delay
- None
- Reverb
- None
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
Creeping Death settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 5
- Treble
- 7
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
Add a Boss distortion and TC-style EQ for the documented signal chain.
Why it sounds like that
Hetfield plays the verse riff with all downstrokes, and by Ride the Lightning he had a Gibson Explorer. Kirk Hammett used his black Gibson Flying V through Marshall amps, with a Boss distortion pedal and a TC Electronics EQ. The band got its Marshall amps from metal bands in Denmark at that time. The solo was double-tracked on the engineer's suggestion, which made it sound thicker and fuller.
- Pick the verse riff with downstrokes throughout, as Hetfield does.
- Double-track the solo, which makes it sound thicker and fuller.
What amp did James Hetfield use on Creeping Death?
- Hammett said he tracked the whole of Ride the Lightning with Marshall amps and his Gibson Flying V. (on the album Ride the Lightning)[1]
- James Hetfield said: ‘By then I had the Gibson Explorer.’ (on the album Ride the Lightning)[1]
- Hammett said he still used his black Flying V, a Boss distortion pedal and a TC Electronics EQ, through Marshall amps. (on the album Ride the Lightning)[1]
- Solo: Hammett said engineer Flemming Rasmussen suggested double-tracking the solo, which made it sound thicker and fuller. (on this song)[1]
- Hammett said he played a four-note diminished chord over the four accents of a four-bar break that followed the solo. (on this song)[1]
- Verse: Far Out says the verse riff is one of the most intricate creations Hetfield ever made. (on this song)[2]
- Far Out says Hetfield uses all downstrokes on the riff. (on this song)[2]
- Rasmussen said the band got its Marshall amps from metal bands in Denmark at that time. (on the album Ride the Lightning)[3]
Questions
What amp did James Hetfield use on Creeping Death?
The sources on this page document James Hetfield's gear on Creeping Death by Metallica: guitar, Gibson Explorer [1]; amp, Marshall [3]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Creeping Death settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the Creeping Death guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 6.5, Volume 5, Bass 5, Middle 5.5, Treble 6.5, Booster Color Orange, Booster 3.5, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Power Control to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Creeping Death settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the Creeping Death guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 4, Treble 6.5, Mod 2.5, Delay 0, Reverb 1, App Amp Model Plexiglas, App Drive Over Drive, App Mod/EQ Guitar EQ, App Reverb Room Studio A; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7.5. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Creeping Death settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the Creeping Death guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 70S ROCK, Gain 7, Volume 6, Treble 6.5, Bass 5, Middle 4.5, Stomp 5-BAND EQ, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb None; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Creeping Death tone on my own amp?
Yes. The settings above cover 3 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for Creeping Death, using only the controls your gear has.
Get it for your exact rig
KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for this song.
Download KnobMaster on the App Store