The MP-1 was the preeminent metal preamp of the late 80s and early 90s because of its ability to provide a heavy overdriven/distorted sound without sounding muddled or muddy, and despite its vintage, is still in wide use by metal guitarists to this day. One significant addition to James’ rig was the introduction of the ADA MP-1 preamp. Toward 1990, James did begin to experiment with the Roland JC120 for a clean sound. This marks the first time that both James and Kirk fully transitioned to Mesa Boogie amplification, first using the Mark IIC and later switching to the Mark IV.

Also included during this period were impressive live shows in Seattle (1989) and Moscow (1991).

This era marked a period of transition for Metallica and included the albums … And Justice for All and the Black album. In addition to the guitars used on the first two albums, James added a Jackson King V to his collection, while Kirk continued to use the same guitars he used on the first two albums. Also, it would be best to kick the treble up to 9 or 10 to replicated Kirk’s tone more precisely. It’s unclear what the amp settings were for Kill ‘Em All, but according to Danish engineer Flemming Rasmussen who was brought in for Ride the Lightning and kept meticulous notes, for the great majority of the songs, the settings for James were:Īgain, for clean leads, a little less gain would be appropriate. James mostly employed the JCM 800 while Kirk used a combination of the SLP (Kill ‘Em All), later switching to a JCM 800 (Ride the Lightning). Metallica also performed a tremendous live show in Toulouse, France on Novem(one of the few recorded with late bassist Cliff Burton) that they offer a free download of on their website.Īt this time, both James and Kirk were using Marshall rigs modified by Jose Arrendondo, a guy who’s modded amps for a number of guitar greats from Eddie Van Halen to Steve Vai. Early Years (1983 – 1985)ĭuring this period, Kill ‘Em All (1983) and Ride the Lightning (1984) were released. To wrap up the list, I’ve included a list of the effects used by each guitarist, and where possible, the settings for those too. Each section includes the albums and any remarkable live shows during that period, the guitars used most frequently, the amp setup each one used and the general amp settings for both James and Kirk. The method that makes the most sense is to break the list up by periods in the band’s history where James’ and Kirk’s equipment has remained pretty consistent.

Whether your aim is to try to reproduce the sounds you hear on the albums or live shows in your own playing, or you just want to know because you’re into gear, hopefully this list will answer your questions.

Melodic metal guitar rig 5 preset