Nothing Else Matters (Metallica) guitar tone and amp settings
Nothing Else Matters guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Acoustic amp type, clean (Gain 1.5), bright top (Treble 6.5), balanced lows (Bass 4), neck pickup.
Settings for your amp
The song has distinct sounds: Intro, Solo. Each rig below lists what to change for them.
Nothing Else Matters settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every songThese settings play the intro.
AmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Variation
- Off
- Amp Type
- Acoustic
- Gain
- 1.5
- Volume
- 5
- Bass
- 4
- Middle
- 5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Booster
- 0
- Mod
- 0
- FX
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb Color
- Orange
- Reverb
- 2
- Master
- Set to your room
- Power Control
- Set to your room
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Neck
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
A nylon-string classical guitar gets closer to the fingerpicked intro.
Nothing Else Matters settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40
Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every songThese settings play the solo.
AmpPositive Grid Spark 40
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Type
- Metal
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Mod
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 2.5
- Output
- Set to your room
- App Amp Model
- Treadplate
- 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
- 8
A classical guitar would better reproduce the fingerpicked intro.
Nothing Else Matters settings on a Fender Mustang LT25
Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every songThese settings play the solo.
AmpFender Mustang LT25
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Model
- 90S ROCK
- Gain
- 6
- Volume
- 5
- Treble
- 6
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 5.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- None
- Mod
- None
- Delay
- None
- Reverb
- None
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7.5
A nylon-string classical guitar better matches the fingerpicked intro.
Nothing Else Matters settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
These settings play the solo.
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 4.5
- Treble
- 6
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
A nylon-string guitar would better reproduce the classical intro.
Song parts
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
Solo:
Amp Type Lead, Gain 5.5, Pickup Selector Bridge
.Switch to Lead mode and sustain the melody
Song parts
Positive Grid Spark 40
Intro:
Amp Type Acoustic, Gain 1.5, App Amp Model Flat Acoustic, Pickup Selector Neck
.Fingerpick gently for the intro’s delicate articulation.
Song parts
Fender Mustang LT25
Intro:
Amp Model 60S UK CLN, Gain 1.5, Pickup Selector Neck, Tone 8
.Fingerpick gently for a softer, rounded attack.
Song parts
Any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Intro:
Gain 1.5, Pickup Selector Neck, Tone 5.5
.Fingerpick softly for a warmer, cleaner approximation
Why it sounds like that
The intro is a classical guitar introduction, played fingerpicked. James Hetfield handled all the guitar parts in the studio, and the guitar solo is credited to him. On Metallica, his primary guitar was an ESP Explorer with EMG pickups, and he used a Mesa/Boogie Simulclass Mark II amp. A Gretsch White Falcon was used for the clean, airplane-sounding dive bomb heard in the song.
- Fingerpick the intro; it is a classical-style guitar introduction played with the fingers.
What amp did James Hetfield use on Nothing Else Matters?
- Louder reports that James Hetfield handled all guitar parts in the studio for Nothing Else Matters. (on this song)[1]
- Intro: Gibson's lesson describes the song's intro as a classical guitar introduction, played fingerpicked. (on this song)[2]
- Solo: Gibson's lesson describes the song's guitar solo as a James Hetfield solo. (on this song)[2]
- James Hetfield said his primary guitar on Metallica was an ESP Explorer with EMG pickups. (on the album Metallica)[3]
- James Hetfield said he also used a Telecaster, a Gretsch White Falcon with a Bigsby and a Guild 12-string on the album. (on the album Metallica)[3]
- James Hetfield said he used a Mesa/Boogie Simulclass Mark II on the album. (on the album Metallica)[3]
- A Gretsch White Falcon was used for the clean, airplane-sounding dive bomb heard in Nothing Else Matters. (on this song)[4]
Questions
What amp did James Hetfield use on Nothing Else Matters?
The sources on this page document James Hetfield's gear on Nothing Else Matters by Metallica: guitar, ESP Explorer [3]; pickup, EMG [3]; amp, Mesa/Boogie Simulclass Mark II [3]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Nothing Else Matters settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the Nothing Else Matters guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Acoustic, Gain 1.5, Volume 5, Bass 4, Middle 5, Treble 6.5, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb Color Orange, Reverb 2; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Neck, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Power Control to your room. These settings play the intro. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Nothing Else Matters settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the Nothing Else Matters guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Metal, Gain 6, Bass 4.5, Mid 5, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 2.5, App Amp Model Treadplate; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master and Output to your room. These settings play the solo. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Nothing Else Matters settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the Nothing Else Matters guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 90S ROCK, Gain 6, Volume 5, Treble 6, Bass 4.5, Middle 5.5, Stomp None, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb None; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7.5. Set Master to your room. These settings play the solo. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Nothing Else Matters 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 Nothing Else Matters, 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.
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