Song Rig
Master of Puppets
James Hetfield · Master of Puppets · 1986
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
The apex of thrash metal guitar rhythm — 8 minutes of machine-gun alternate-picked downstrokes, power chords, and the iconic clean arpeggiated bridge. The rhythm tone is perfectly tight and articulate, demonstrating how the ESP guitar and Mesa Boogie combination changed metal. Each note in the rapid tremolo-picked riff is distinct.
Signal Chain
- 1ESP Explorer (EMG 81/60 active pickups)
- 2Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ (the seminal Metallica amp)
- 34×12 Marshall cab
- 4Boss NS-2 noise gate
Amp Settings
The Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ is the specific amp that defines this tone — its unique tight, harmonically saturated character is what makes the rhythm guitar sound like a rhythmic machine rather than a distorted mess. Mids scooped. High presence. Active EMG 81 pickups tighten the low end further.
Technique
How to Play It
Downstroke alternate picking at high BPM (212 BPM) — Hetfield's right-hand downstroke technique is the specific skill: the pick always attacks downward with equal force. At 212 BPM sixteenth notes, this requires years of practice. The clean bridge section uses arpeggiated open chords with a sudden dynamic drop to near-silence.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Guitar with EMG active pickups → Mesa Boogie (or Peavey 6505 as an affordable substitute) → noise gate → practice the downstroke picking slowly and build up.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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