Nothing Else Matters by Metallica — Amp Settings & Guitar Tone

Reference tone dialed on a Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster into a Fender Mustang LT25. Settings below are cited from real sources; open the page in a browser for the interactive version, or get this tone dialed for your exact gear.

This setup aims to recreate the clean, warm tone of 'Nothing Else Matters' using the Squier Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster and the Fender Mustang LT25. The Strat's bright voicing complements the clean, articulate sound needed for the intro, while the Mustang LT25's modeling capabilities help approximate the Fender clean amp family. The tone is further enhanced by adjusting the EQ to match the song's balanced, slightly mid-emphasized character.

Signal chain settings

Squier Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster — Main guitar for clean sections

Control	Setting	Why
Pickup Selector	Neck Pickup	The neck pickup provides a warm, clean tone ideal for the intro arpeggios.
Master Volume	10	Guitar volume full up — roll back to clean up the gain or drop level.
Tone 1	10	Tone wide open — roll it down to soften the high end.
Tone 2	Leave at default	Not used for the neck pickup in this song.

Fender Mustang LT25 — Clean amp modeling

Control	Setting	Why
Preset	01 FENDER CLEAN	This preset provides the closest match to the Fender clean tone heard on the record.
Gain	5	Set to 5 for a clean tone with slight compression, matching the recording's dynamics.
Volume	5	Balanced volume level to maintain clean headroom and dynamics.
Treble	7	Enhance brightness and clarity without harshness, aligning with the song's tone.
Bass	6	Provides a balanced low end, supporting the midrange emphasis of the song.
Master	6	Output level — set to the volume you're playing at; this sets loudness, not tone.
Cabinet build	Not used	Not needed for this tone — leave it off.
Amp Models	Not used	Not needed for this tone — leave it off.

What Metallica actually used

Recorded at One on One Recording Studios in Los Angeles, produced by Bob Rock. James Hetfield performed all guitar parts, including the solo, which is rare for Metallica recordings. The clean tone was achieved by blending a Roland JC-120 amp with a direct signal processed through an MXR DynaComp compressor.

Tom Anderson Pro Am — clean sections. Borrowed from Kirk Hammett; used for clean tones.
ESP Explorer with EMG pickups — heavy sections. Hetfield's main guitar for distorted parts.
Gretsch White Falcon — Bigsby dive effect. Owned by producer Bob Rock; used for specific tremolo effects.
Gibson EDS-1275 Doubleneck — 12-string fills. Used for overdubbed 12-string parts.
MXR DynaComp — compression for clean direct signal. Applied to direct signal blended with amp for clean tone.
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus — clean sections. Used alongside direct signal for clean tones.
Mesa Boogie Mark IIC++ Simul-Class — heavy sections. Main amp for distorted parts.
Marshall Super Lead (modified by Jose Arredondo) — additional heavy sections. Bob Rock's amp used for some heavy tones.
Orchestral arrangement by Michael Kamen — string sections. Added orchestral elements to the track.

Tuning: Standard

Sources