Kirk Hammett Lead Tone Settings
Kirk Hammett's lead tone is defined by two elements: the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier at high gain, and the Dunlop Wah almost always engaged. The wah is not an effect he switches on for solos — it is the primary voice of his lead playing, present throughout "Enter Sandman," "One," "Fade to Black" and virtually every signature solo.
The Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (Channel 3)
Hammett's primary lead amp from the Black Album era onward is the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, Channel 3 (Red — maximum gain channel).
Dual Rectifier Channel 3 settings:
Gain: 9
Volume: 7
Bass: 6
Mid: 4
Treble: 8
Presence: 7
Mode: Modern (tighter, more defined than Vintage mode)
The Modern mode on the Dual Rectifier provides better note definition at high gain — important for Hammett's fast pentatonic runs. Vintage mode is looser and suits rhythm playing; Modern is preferred for leads.
The Wah: Dunlop KH95
The Dunlop Kirk Hammett signature wah (KH95) goes first in the signal chain — between the guitar and the amp (or before any drive pedals). It is switched on for most solos and remains engaged throughout lead playing.
Typical wah position for leads:
- Positioned slightly forward from heel-down — sweeping between the mid position and toe-down during phrases
- Fast sweeps for rhythm wah work
- Held at toe-down position for screaming high notes
KH95 characteristics: Wider Q than the standard Cry Baby, Vox-inspired sweep. More melodic and musical for extended lead passages than the narrower ZW45.
EMG-81 Single-Humbucker Setup
Hammett's signature guitar (ESP KH-2) has a single EMG-81 in the bridge position. The single-pickup setup:
- Eliminates pickup selection as a variable — always bridge, always EMG-81
- Focuses the signal path
- The EMG-81's active buffering pairs well with Mesa/Boogie's high-gain input
Era-by-Era Lead Tone
Kill 'Em All / Ride the Lightning (1983–1984): Marshall JCM800
Early solos — "Whiplash," "Seek & Destroy" — used a Marshall JCM800. More open and vintage in character than the Rectifier. Settings: Preamp 8, Volume 7, Treble 8, Middle 5, Bass 6, Presence 7. Wah before amp.
Black Album / Load (1991–1996): Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
The primary reference point for most Hammett imitation. Settings as above.
Death Magnetic / Current Era: Mesa/Boogie + various
More refined setup with additional noise suppression (ISP Decimator II) and buffering. Core settings unchanged.
Signal Chain
Guitar → Dunlop KH95 Wah → ISP Decimator (noise gate) → Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Channel 3
The ISP Decimator is increasingly important at high gain levels — the EMG-81 reduces noise significantly, but the Mesa's Channel 3 at Gain 9 still produces floor noise without a gate.
Replicating on Modern Amps
Mesa/Boogie Mark VII or Mark V (Channel 3)
Very close to the Dual Rectifier character for lead work. Channel 3 in Mark IV mode: Gain 8, Mid 4, Treble 8, Bass 6, Presence 7.
Peavey 6505+
Budget alternative. Lead channel: Pre-Gain 8, Post-Gain 6, Mid 4, Treble 8, Bass 7, Presence 7. Add wah before amp input.
Line 6 Helix
Amp: Cali Recti Red (Dual Rectifier model), Modern mode
Drive: 8.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 4, Treble 7.5, Presence 7
Wah: Dunlop Cry Baby model before amp block.
Key Solo Analysis
"One" (bridge solo): Full wah expression, sweeping from heel to toe on each phrase. Mesa Channel 3 at high gain. Very fast alternate-picked pentatonic runs with wide vibrato on held notes.
"Enter Sandman" (main solo): Classic wah phrasing, moderate speed. The tone is warmer than the black album leads — the solo is played with slightly less gain. The characteristic wide vibrato on held notes is essential.
"Fade to Black" (outro solo): Less wah dependency than other solos. Clean-ish intro, full Mesa lead tone for the high-gain section. The clean intro uses Channel 1 (clean) on the Dual Rectifier at Volume 5.
Why Modern Mode Matters More Than Raw Gain Amount
It's tempting to focus purely on the Gain-9 setting when replicating this tone, but the Mesa Dual Rectifier's Modern mode selection is doing comparably important work. Modern mode tightens the amp's response specifically for note definition at extreme gain — without it, the same Gain 9 setting in Vintage mode produces a looser, less defined result that struggles to keep Hammett's fast pentatonic runs distinct from each other. This is a genuinely different circuit behavior, not just a marketing label, and it's the reason his lead lines stay articulate even at the saturation level his settings call for.
This matters for anyone with access to a Dual Rectifier or similar dual-mode amp: checking which mode is selected is as important as dialing in the right gain number, since the two modes behave differently enough that identical knob positions produce meaningfully different results.
Common Mistakes
Using Vintage mode instead of Modern mode on the Dual Rectifier. As explained above, Modern mode's tighter response is specifically what keeps fast lead lines defined at Gain 9 — Vintage mode at the same settings produces a looser, more blurred result that works against the precision his lead style requires.
Applying Black Album-era settings uniformly across his entire career. As the era-by-era breakdown shows, the Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning era used a genuinely different Marshall JCM800 setup with a more open, vintage character — treating the Dual Rectifier settings as universal misses this earlier, distinct tone.
Underestimating how much the wah shapes the actual solo, not just adds color. As the key solo analysis shows, tracks like "One" use full heel-to-toe wah sweeping on nearly every phrase — this isn't an occasional effect, it's functioning as close to a primary voice in the lead tone.
Skipping the ISP Decimator or equivalent gate at Gain 9. As the signal chain section notes, even with the EMG-81's low-noise active design, the Mesa's Channel 3 at this gain level produces genuine floor noise — a gate is a practical necessity, not an optional refinement, at these settings.
ToneStakr's Take
For players chasing this lead tone, Modern mode with Gain around 8-9 on a Dual Rectifier-style amp (or the equivalent mode on a Mark V/VII) is the correct target — and pairing it with the KH95 wah engaged through most phrases, not just occasional accents, gets meaningfully closer to the actual Metallica lead sound than amp settings alone. The Peavey 6505+ remains the most practical budget route to comparable tightness and gain if a genuine Mesa isn't accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What wah pedal is essential for Kirk Hammett tones?
The Dunlop KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Cry Baby, or a standard Cry Baby as a more affordable substitute. The wah is engaged through the majority of his solos, functioning as a near-constant voice rather than an occasional effect.
What is the ESP KH-2?
Kirk's signature guitar — a Stratocaster-body-shaped instrument with a Floyd Rose tremolo and a single EMG-81 humbucker in the bridge position. The single-pickup simplicity removes pickup selection as a variable, keeping the tone focused and consistent.
What gain level does the Mesa need for this tone?
High — Channel 3 (Red) on a Dual Rectifier around Gain 9, or the equivalent IIC+-inspired channel on a Mark V or Mark VII. Modern mode (not Vintage) is essential for keeping fast lead lines defined at this saturation level.
What is distinctive about Hammett's soloing style?
Wah-dominated pentatonic minor phrasing with extensive string bending and wide vibrato, drawing heavily on the influence of Michael Schenker and Jimi Hendrix — the wah's near-constant engagement is as central to the style as the specific notes played.
Did his amp setup change meaningfully between eras, or has it stayed consistent?
It changed meaningfully — Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightning used a Marshall JCM800 with a more open, vintage character, while the Black Album onward relied on the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier's tighter, more saturated Modern-mode voicing, with later eras adding more refined noise suppression on top of largely unchanged core settings.
Is a Peavey 6505+ a legitimate substitute if a Mesa Dual Rectifier isn't accessible?
Yes, genuinely — it's specifically noted as a practical budget alternative capable of comparable tightness and gain at these settings, making it a sensible starting point for players not ready to invest in genuine Mesa/Boogie hardware.