Best Metallica Guitar Tone ever recorded?

Best Metallica Guitar Tone ever recorded?

  • Total voters
    78
311splawndude

311splawndude

Well-known member
I saw the attached on Facebook. It was in the Metallica Gear History group. I thought the leading album their, Black, was an odd choice. Maybe not odd, but not my choice. So I thought I'd do the same poll here and see how it contrasts.

MOP was the best for me. It was a game changer. That rubbery crunch that just dominated the entire album. :yes:

What is yours?

PS: I realize this does not capture all the albums, I'm just matching up to the poll on Facebook. Use the "Other" choice and write it in a post response. For example, I know Load/Reload is not a favorite around here but I definitely like the guitar tone on that one. :dunno:
 
Sorry - here is the FB poll for reference

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(as of 9/14 - FB poll not closed, I'm thinking MOP will climb and surpass Black but we'll see)
 
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Master of Puppets with RTL very close in 2nd place.
For me personally MOP are some of the best heavy guitar tones ever, not just Metallica.
An honorable mention is in order for the $5.98 EP.
Not the most amazing tones, but man does it capture a sound and feel and has a way of making you feel like you’re hanging out with the band getting your face rocked.
 
I like the tone on Load and Reload, it's just that it's too bassy and undergained for the rest of the Metallica stuff. And the music is very mehh to me.

I hate the thin scratchy undergained tone that they're going for nowadays.

I like the tone on the Black Album too except for the slight phaseyness I hear. I kinda don't love that, TBH.

I appreciate the music from before, but I'm honestly not that much of a fan of Metallica overall. But I don't really like the production from before either. If I had to pick one up, I'd say Master, but the drums sound kinda bad, IMO. Cardboardy kick and a snare that sounds like a slap in the butcheek. KEM for me is just so hard for me to listen to because it sounds so bad.

I hate to be controversial, but I honestly will never get the praise for Metallica. They released like 3 or 4 good albums like 30-40 years ago out of the like 15-20 or so records they have. After that, they only have some loose fun songs here and there, but some REALLY bad ones too. I don't get how they're the biggest "Metal" band ever.
 
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RTL, best tone, best songs, band at its best with that thrash/heavy metal ratio. Although I can't stand any of their stuff beyond the 80's, which ranges from boring to ultra cringe, so can't comment on those tones.
 
Yeah, I kinda sorta like the tone on Justice just because it's so controversial. And I kinda like the typewriter kick, but they kinda went to such extreme with the drums there that it kinda sounds like they were using Drumkit from Hell in the 80's, LOL. And the toms sound really boxy compared to everything else too.
 
I voted MOP but it was a tough call between it and RTL. MOP is more polished for sure, and RTL more raw. Both great tones.
AJFA never bothered me a bit, but it's definitely more filtered sounding, but that is the "magic" of the 81 bridge.
Maybe they were using emgs on MOP too? Musically I prefer MOP and AJFA over their earlier albums.
 
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