Ride The Lightning (Metallica) guitar tone and amp settings
Ride The Lightning guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Brown amp type, medium gain (Gain 6.5), bright top (Treble 6.5), balanced lows (Bass 4.5), bridge pickup.
Settings for your amp
Ride The Lightning 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
- Brown
- Gain
- 6.5
- Volume
- 5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 4.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Booster
- 0
- 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
- 8
Ride The Lightning 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
- 7
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 4
- Treble
- 6.5
- 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
- 8
Ride The Lightning 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
- 7.5
- Volume
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 4
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- None
- Mod
- None
- Delay
- None
- Reverb
- None
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
Ride The Lightning settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 4
- Treble
- 7
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8

Why it sounds like that

The album's sound rests on Marshall amps and Gibson guitars. All of the band's equipment was stolen in Boston before they left for Europe, so for the sessions they had to get Marshall amps from metal bands in Denmark and spent the first day testing them. Kirk Hammett tracked the whole album with Marshall amps and his Gibson Flying V. By then James Hetfield had a Gibson Explorer, a shape he came to prefer to the V.
What amp did James Hetfield use on Ride The Lightning?

- James Hetfield said: ‘By then I had the Gibson Explorer.’ (on the album Ride the Lightning)[1]
- 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]
- Rasmussen said the band had to get Marshall amps from metal bands in Denmark and spent the first day testing them. (on the album Ride the Lightning)[2]
- Hammett said all the band's equipment was stolen in Boston before they left for Europe, leaving only their guitars. (on the album Ride the Lightning)[2]
- Rasmussen said the band started by getting every single Marshall amp in Denmark at that time. (on the album Ride the Lightning)[3]
Questions
What amp did James Hetfield use on Ride The Lightning?
The sources on this page document James Hetfield's gear on Ride The Lightning by Metallica: guitar, Gibson Explorer [1]; amp, Marshall [2]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Ride The Lightning settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the Ride The Lightning guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Brown, Gain 6.5, Volume 5, Bass 4.5, Middle 4.5, Treble 6.5, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, 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 Ride The Lightning settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the Ride The Lightning guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Mid 4, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0, App Amp Model Plexiglas; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Ride The Lightning settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the Ride The Lightning guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 80S ROCK, Gain 7.5, Volume 6, Treble 6, Bass 5, Middle 4, Stomp None, 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 Ride The Lightning 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 Ride The Lightning, 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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