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lead guitar from “seek and destroy” by metallica | ToneDB

seek and destroy

metallica

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

Aggressive and crunchy high-gain tone with a tight low end and searing highs, characteristic of early Metallica. It's a quintessential thrash metal sound, perfect for aggressive riffs and soaring leads.

Gear

Gibson Flying Vinstrument
Reverb$2236Sweetwater
Marshall JCM800amp
ReverbSweetwater
Shure SM57microphone
ReverbSweetwater
Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808processing
Reverb$120Sweetwater

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The Story

For Metallica's "Seek and Destroy," James Hetfield used his Gibson Flying V through a Marshall JCM800 amplifier, boosted by an Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808. The track was recorded at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen with producer/engineer Flemming Rasmussen, using a Shure SM57 microphone placed close to the speaker. The guitars were multi-tracked to create the characteristic thick wall of sound that became a thrash metal template.

Production Credits

Producer: Flemming Rasmussen

Engineer: Flemming Rasmussen

Recorded at: Sweet Silence Studios, Copenhagen

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gibson Flying V

Amp: Marshall JCM800

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Gibson Flying V or similar guitar with high-output humbuckers.
  • Use a Marshall JCM800 amp or a similar high-gain amplifier.
  • Place a Shure SM57 microphone close to the speaker cone.
  • Use an Ibanez Tube Screamer as a boost to drive the amp harder and tighten the low end.
  • Experiment with mic placement to find the sweet spot.
  • Consider double or quad tracking the guitars to achieve a thicker sound.

Original Gear

  • Gibson Flying V(guitar)
  • Marshall JCM800(amp)
  • Shure SM57(mic)
  • Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Epiphone Flying V$300-$500

Alternative to: Gibson Flying V

Offers the same mahogany body and humbucker pickup configuration as the original Gibson, delivering the aggressive midrange punch needed for this thrash tone at a budget price

ReverbSweetwater
Marshall Studio Classic SC20H$600-$800

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

Modern recreation of the JCM800 circuit with power scaling, allowing you to achieve the same saturated high-gain distortion at manageable volumes

ReverbSweetwater
Neural DSP Fortin Nameless Suite$100-$150

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

High-quality amp modeling that captures the aggressive JCM800-style saturation and tight response perfect for modern thrash production

ReverbSweetwater
Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive$50-$70

Alternative to: Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808

Budget alternative that provides similar midrange boost and low-end tightening when used to push an already driven amp

ReverbSweetwater
Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer Reissue$170-$200

Alternative to: Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808

Exact modern reissue of the original pedal used on the recording, providing the authentic midrange boost and overdrive characteristics

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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