The Unforgiven (Metallica) guitar tone and amp settings
The Unforgiven guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Brown amp type, medium gain (Gain 6.5), even mids (Middle 4), smooth top (Treble 6), bridge pickup.
Settings for your amp
The Unforgiven 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
- 6
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 4
- Treble
- 6
- Booster
- 0
- Mod
- 0
- FX
- 0
- Delay Color
- Red
- Delay
- 2
- 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
The Unforgiven 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
- Metal
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 4.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Mod
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 2
- Output
- Set to your room
- App Amp Model
- Treadplate
- App Drive
- Off
- App Comp/Wah
- Off
- App Mod/EQ
- Off
- App Delay
- Echo Tape
- App Reverb
- Off
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
A Strat-style single-coil guitar would better match the documented clean passages.
The Unforgiven 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
- 90S ROCK
- Gain
- 6.2
- Volume
- 7
- Treble
- 6
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 4.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- None
- Mod
- None
- Delay
- ECHO
- Reverb
- SMALL ROOM
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
The Unforgiven settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 7
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 3.5
- Treble
- 6.5
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
Add an Echoplex-style delay for the solo.
Why it sounds like that
Kirk Hammett had worked out a solo before the session, but Bob Rock felt it was not quite appropriate. Hammett then hit record and improvised, fingerpicking the solo, which gives it a percussive sound. His clean parts came from a white ’63 Strat with an old-school Echoplex for the delay. On the album, Hammett used Mesa/Boogie and Marshall amps. James Hetfield's primary guitar was an ESP Explorer with EMG pickups, and his amp was a Mesa/Boogie Mark II C++. Adding overdubs does not necessarily make guitars heavier, and it can make them sound mushier.
- Fingerpick the solo, as Hammett did on The Unforgiven, for a percussive sound.
- Record the solo spontaneously rather than working out every lick first.
What gear did Kirk Hammett use on The Unforgiven?
- Solo: Hammett said he fingerpicked the Unforgiven solo, and it sounded really percussive. (on this song)[1]
- Solo: Hammett said Bob Rock felt the solo he had worked out before the session was not quite appropriate. (on this song)[1]
- Solo: Hammett said he hit record and improvised the Unforgiven solo. (on this song)[2]
- Hammett said his white ’63 Strat played the clean parts on The Unforgiven. (on this song)[3]
- Hammett said he used an old-school Echoplex for the delay on The Unforgiven. (on this song)[3]
- Hammett said he used Mesa/Boogie and Marshall amps on the album. (on the album Metallica)[3]
- Hetfield said his primary guitar on the album was an ESP Explorer with EMG pickups. (on the album Metallica)[1]
- Hetfield said his amp at that time was his Mesa/Boogie Mark II C++. (on the album Metallica)[3]
- Hetfield said extra overdubs can make guitars sound mushier rather than heavier. (on the album Metallica)[1]
Questions
What gear did Kirk Hammett use on The Unforgiven?
The sources on this page document Kirk Hammett's gear on The Unforgiven by Metallica: guitar, white ’63 Strat [3]; effects, Echoplex [3]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the The Unforgiven settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the The Unforgiven guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Brown, Gain 6.5, Volume 6, Bass 4.5, Middle 4, Treble 6, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay Color Red, Delay 2, 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 The Unforgiven settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the The Unforgiven guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Metal, Gain 6.5, Bass 4, Mid 4.5, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 2, App Amp Model Treadplate, App Delay Echo Tape; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the The Unforgiven settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the The Unforgiven guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 90S ROCK, Gain 6.2, Volume 7, Treble 6, Bass 4.5, Middle 4.5, Stomp None, Mod None, Delay ECHO, Reverb SMALL ROOM; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, 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 The Unforgiven 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 The Unforgiven, 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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