Quick tone direction
Build separate sounds for the clean arpeggio and the driven lead. Keep the clean sound warm and clear, then use focused mids and sustaining gain for the solo.
- Clean
- Low gain, warm low mids and clear arpeggio attack
- Lead
- Driven British-style sustain with focused mids
- Pickup
- Use a warmer position for clean parts and bridge humbucker for lead
- Wah
- Use only for the lead phrases that need it
- Tuning
- Standard E
Fade to Black contains clean arpeggios, heavy rhythm guitars and several lead roles. Choose the target part before matching instead of forcing the full arrangement into one preset.
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The recording
Written in the wake of the band's equipment being stolen in Boston, Fade to Black served as Metallica's first ballad and a significant departure from their thrash roots. The band recorded the track at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen with producer Flemming Rasmussen, often working late-night sessions to accommodate the studio's schedule. The recording process was meticulous, with the band spending hours perfecting the intonation of the clean, arpeggiated guitar parts. These delicate, melancholic clean sections contrast with the heavy, distorted electric riffs and soaring, expressive solos, creating the song's signature dynamic arc of despair and intensity.
Tuning Standard tuning
Signal chain · Solo
Original gear
Gibson Flying V
Guitar · Kirk Hammett · Riff & solo
Kirk Hammett used his black Gibson Flying V for both the lead solos and the clean arpeggiated guitar parts, utilizing the neck pickup for a warmer tone.
Wah-wah pedal
Wah-wah · Kirk Hammett · Solo
Kirk Hammett played his solos through a wah-wah pedal, keeping it in the fixed 'up' position to shape the tone.
Marshall 100W amplifier
Amp · James Hetfield · Riff & solo
Producer Flemming Rasmussen confirmed that after the band's original gear was stolen, they sourced various Marshall amplifiers from local Danish bands, and James Hetfield selected a 100W Marshall amplifier belonging to Hank Shermann for the recording of the album.
Marshall speaker cabinet
Cabinet · James Hetfield · Riff & solo
Producer Flemming Rasmussen stated that most guitars on the album were recorded using two cabinets, with AKG 'The Tube' microphones placed at a 45-degree angle three to six feet away.
Alternatives
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Ensure precise intonation for the clean arpeggios.
- 2.Use the neck pickup for warmth during the intro melody.
- 3.Park the wah pedal in a fixed position for the iconic mid-range solo bite.
- 4.Contrast the delicate clean sections with aggressive, heavy downpicking.
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the Fade to Black guitar tone?
The available research points to Gibson Flying V into Marshall 100W amplifier. The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original Fade to Black amp settings documented?
Exact historical knob positions are not reliably documented for most recordings. ToneTwin does not publish generated values as studio fact; it creates playable settings only for the amp and pedals a player selects.
What tuning is Fade to Black in?
The current research record lists Standard tuning. ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the Fade to Black tone on my own gear?
Use the reported pickup, gain character, effects and signal-chain order as the target, then translate that target to your equipment. The matcher models controls for your selected rig rather than copying undocumented studio numbers.
Researched and reviewed by the ToneTwin Research Team.
Sources
