Fade to Black (Metallica) guitar tone and amp settings
Fade to Black guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Crunch amp type, medium gain (Gain 6.5), even mids (Middle 4), smooth top (Treble 6), neck pickup.
Settings for your amp
The song has distinct sounds: Clean verse. Each rig below lists what to change for them.
Fade to Black 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
- 7
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 4
- Treble
- 6
- Booster
- 0
- Mod
- 0
- FX
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb Color
- Green
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Power Control
- Set to your room
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Neck
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
Fade to Black 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
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 6
- Master
- Set to your room
- Mod
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 0
- Output
- Set to your room
- App Amp Model
- Plexiglas
- App Drive
- Off
- App Comp/Wah
- Off
- App Mod/EQ
- Off
- App Delay
- Off
- App Reverb
- Off
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7.5
A fixed fully-up wah position is not available in the listed controls.
Fade to Black 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
- 80S ROCK
- Gain
- 6.2
- Volume
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 5.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- None
- Mod
- TOUCH WAH
- Delay
- None
- Reverb
- PLATE
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Neck
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
Fade to Black settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 4.5
- Treble
- 6
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Neck
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
Add a wah pedal and leave it fully up for Hammett’s wah tone.
Song parts
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
Clean verse:
Amp Type Clean, Gain 2, Bass 4, Middle 5
.Pick the arpeggios gently and let each note ring.
Song parts
Positive Grid Spark 40
Clean verse:
Amp Type Clean, Gain 2, App Amp Model Black Duo, Pickup Selector Neck
.Pick the arpeggios gently and let each chord ring.
Song parts
Fender Mustang LT25
Clean verse:
Amp Model 60S UK CLN, Gain 2, Mod None, Reverb SMALL ROOM
.Keep the arpeggios clean and let notes ring
Song parts
Any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Clean verse:
Gain 2.5
.Lower the amp gain and let the arpeggios ring.
Why it sounds like that
The verses carry clean guitars: James Hetfield plays an arpeggiated figure while Kirk Hammett arpeggiates three-note chords, for a very Dire Straits-type sound. The acoustic guitar was hard to record because every squeak could be heard. Hammett used his black Gibson Flying V on the neck pickup for a warm sound, through a wah pedal left fully up, into Marshall amps. The first solo is doubled, the slow middle solo is harmonized in minor thirds, major thirds and fifths, and the extended solo at the end is arpeggios over G-A-B, played once.
- Play the verse clean, arpeggiating three-note chords while a second guitar plays an arpeggiated figure over them.
- Harmonize the slow second solo in minor thirds, major thirds and fifths.
What amp did Kirk Hammett use on Fade to Black?
Kirk Hammett
- Clean verse: Hammett said he recorded the clean guitar parts behind the verse, with Hetfield playing an arpeggiated figure while Hammett arpeggiated three-note chords. (on this song)[1]
- Hetfield said recording acoustic guitar on the song was frustrating, because every squeak could be heard. (on this song)[1]
- James Hetfield said: ‘By then I had the Gibson Explorer.’ (on the album Ride the Lightning)[1]
- Hammett said that on Fade to Black he still used his black Flying V and ran its neck pickup for a warm sound. (on this song)[1]
- Hammett said he played through a wah pedal set all the way up on Fade to Black. (on this song)[1]
- Solo: Hammett said the first solo was doubled, but the slow second solo in the middle was harder to double. (on this song)[1]
- Solo: Hammett said he harmonized the second solo in minor thirds, major thirds and fifths. (on this song)[1]
- Solo: Hammett said the extended solo at the end was arpeggios over the G-A-B progression and was not double-tracked. (on this song)[1]
- Hammett said he tracked the whole album with Marshall amps and his Gibson Flying V. (on the album Ride the Lightning)[1]
- Rasmussen said he started out by getting every Marshall amp in Denmark at that time. (on the album Ride the Lightning)[2]
Questions
What amp did Kirk Hammett use on Fade to Black?
The sources on this page document Kirk Hammett's gear on Fade to Black by Metallica: guitar, Gibson Flying V [1]; pickup, neck pickup [1]; amp, Marshall [1]; effects, wah-wah pedal, fixed fully up [1]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Fade to Black settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the Fade to Black guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 6.5, Volume 7, Bass 5, Middle 4, Treble 6, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb Color Green, Reverb 1.5; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Neck, Volume 10, Tone 8. 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 Fade to Black settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the Fade to Black guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 6, Bass 4.5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0, App Amp Model Plexiglas; 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 Fade to Black settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the Fade to Black guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 80S ROCK, Gain 6.2, Volume 6, Treble 6, Bass 5, Middle 5.5, Stomp None, Mod TOUCH WAH, Delay None, Reverb PLATE; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Neck, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Fade to Black 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 Fade to Black, 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