Metallica
Master of Puppets (Deluxe Box Set) · 1986
Amp settings (as recorded)
The recording
The album was recorded at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark, between September and December 1985. Producer Flemming Rasmussen worked closely with the band to achieve the album's signature clean, tight, and crushing sound. James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett layered multiple rhythm tracks to build the massive sound, utilizing a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ pre-amp paired with a Marshall JCM800 power section. The tape was occasionally manipulated in speed by tuning slightly lower during recording to maintain tightness in the final mix.
Tuning
Eb StandardRecording Signal Chain · 5 items
King V Custom
Jackson
Main rhythm guitar
Loaded with Seymour Duncan Invader pickups.
Mark IIC+
Mesa/Boogie
Preamplifier
Used uniquely for its preamp gain stage.
EQF-1
BB/Aphex
EQ
Inserted in the effects loop for final frequency contouring.
JCM800 2203
Marshall
Power Amplifier
Modified to act as a power amp being driven by the Mesa IIC+.
4x12 Cabinet
Marshall
Speaker Output
Standard Marshall 4x12 enclosures used in studio sessions.
Tone Characteristics
ToneTwin