bass · metal
Cliff BurtonClifford Burton
Cliff Burton, Metallica, Trauma
Wah-bass and distortion.
Tap or hover any piece for details & sources. Drawings are stylized illustrations, not product photos.
How we label sources
- Verified artist gear Confirmed directly by the artist or their team. No items carry this label yet.
- Reliably sourced report Named in a published gear feature or interview (e.g. Premier Guitar Rig Rundowns, guitar magazines).
- YouTube / community reconstruction Compiled from YouTube rig tours, Wikipedia or fan archives. Treat as a starting point.
- Suggested alternative Boutique/budget clones are our editorial suggestions, not claims about what the artist uses.
Gear, prices and listings change. Owning the same gear won't guarantee an identical tone: technique, settings, recording, signal order and modifications all matter.
Modeler cheat sheet
Get this tone on your modeler
Suggested starting point, not an official preset. Tweak to taste.
Auto-mapped from this rig's sourced gear, settings hand-tuned · bass amp and cab models. Dashed chips have no verified model on that unit.
- wahMORE WAHfor Morley Power Wah BoostOn an expression pedal; default Q
- ampClean bass ampdescriptionfor (amp not documented in the sourced rig)Gain 4, Bass 6, Mid 5, Treble 5. Keep it clean; let the drive pedal do the dirt
- cab8X10 BLUE LINEstand-infor (amp not documented in the sourced rig)Low cut 35 Hz, high cut 6 kHz, dynamic mic
Model names checked against the official HeadRush model list. Model names from HeadRush's official Pedalboard model list; Gigboard and Prime share the HeadRush model library. "Stand-in" means the closest verified model, not an emulation of the artist's exact unit.
Affiliate link. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shop HeadRush (Pedalboard / Gigboard / Prime) →
- wahFasselstand-infor Morley Power Wah BoostOn an expression pedal; default Q
- ampClean bass ampdescriptionfor (amp not documented in the sourced rig)Gain 4, Bass 6, Mid 5, Treble 5. Keep it clean; let the drive pedal do the dirt
- cab8x10 SVT AVstand-infor (amp not documented in the sourced rig)Low cut 35 Hz, high cut 6 kHz, dynamic mic
Model names checked against the official Line 6 Helix model list. Names from the official Line 6 Helix 3.80 model list (HX Stomp shares the library). "Stand-in" means the closest verified model, not an emulation of the artist's exact unit.
Affiliate link. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shop Line 6 Helix (Helix / HX Stomp) →
- wahBad Horsefor Morley Power Wah BoostOn an expression pedal; default Q
- ampClean bass ampdescriptionfor (amp not documented in the sourced rig)Gain 4, Bass 6, Mid 5, Treble 5. Keep it clean; let the drive pedal do the dirt
- cab810 Amped VT 90sstand-infor (amp not documented in the sourced rig)Low cut 35 Hz, high cut 6 kHz, dynamic mic
Model names checked against the official Neural DSP Quad Cortex model list. Names from Neural DSP's official Quad Cortex device list. "Stand-in" means the closest verified model, not an emulation of the artist's exact unit.
Affiliate link. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shop Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Quad Cortex / QC mini) →
- wahPEDAL WAHstand-infor Morley Power Wah BoostFX slot: On an expression pedal; default Q
- ampKatana is a guitar amp; use CLEAN at low gain (not a bass amp)descriptionfor (amp not documented in the sourced rig)Gain 2, Bass 6, Mid 5, Treble 3
- cabBuilt-in speaker (no cab model)descriptionfor (amp not documented in the sourced rig)Katana has no cab sim on its speaker
Model names checked against the official BOSS Katana model list and owner's manual. Amp types from the Katana MkII Owner's Manual; effect types from 'Using BOSS TONE STUDIO for KATANA Mk II'. Katana has its own speaker, so there is no cab block. Gen 3 renames some types, so check your unit. "Stand-in" means the closest verified model, not an emulation of the artist's exact unit.
Affiliate link. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shop BOSS Katana (Katana MkII (via BOSS Tone Studio)) →
Mixdown gear rundown.
- compGRAY COMPstand-infor Boss CS-2 Compression SustainerSustain 4, Attack 5
- driveTRI FUZZfor Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (Russian)Sustain 7, Tone 5, Level 6. Blend with clean if the unit allows (Anesthesia)
- driveGREEN JRC-ODfor Ibanez TS-808 Tube ScreamerDrive 5, Tone 6, Level 6
- pitchSMART HARMstand-infor Ibanez HD1500 Harmonics/DelayHarmony/chorus-like detune, Mix 30%
- amp69 BLUE LINE BASSstand-infor Mesa/Boogie D-180 (x2)Gain 5, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 6. Driven, mid-forward bass
- cab1X15 OPEN BACKstand-infor Mesa/Boogie 4x12 + 1x15Low cut 35 Hz, high cut 6 kHz, dynamic mic
Model names checked against the official HeadRush model list. Model names from HeadRush's official Pedalboard model list; Gigboard and Prime share the HeadRush model library. "Stand-in" means the closest verified model, not an emulation of the artist's exact unit.
Affiliate link. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shop HeadRush (Pedalboard / Gigboard / Prime) →
- compRed Squeezestand-infor Boss CS-2 Compression SustainerSustain 4, Attack 5
- driveTriangle Fuzzfor Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (Russian)Sustain 7, Tone 5, Level 6. Blend with clean if the unit allows (Anesthesia)
- driveScream 808for Ibanez TS-808 Tube ScreamerDrive 5, Tone 6, Level 6
- pitchTwin Harmonystand-infor Ibanez HD1500 Harmonics/DelayHarmony/chorus-like detune, Mix 30%
- ampAmpeg SVT Nrmstand-infor Mesa/Boogie D-180 (x2)Gain 5, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 6. Driven, mid-forward bass
- cab1x15 Ampeg B-15stand-infor Mesa/Boogie 4x12 + 1x15Low cut 35 Hz, high cut 6 kHz, dynamic mic
Model names checked against the official Line 6 Helix model list. Names from the official Line 6 Helix 3.80 model list (HX Stomp shares the library). "Stand-in" means the closest verified model, not an emulation of the artist's exact unit.
Affiliate link. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shop Line 6 Helix (Helix / HX Stomp) →
- compChief CS3for Boss CS-2 Compression SustainerSustain 4, Attack 5
- driveFuzz Pifor Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (Russian)Sustain 7, Tone 5, Level 6. Blend with clean if the unit allows (Anesthesia)
- driveGreen 808for Ibanez TS-808 Tube ScreamerDrive 5, Tone 6, Level 6
- pitchPitch Shifterstand-infor Ibanez HD1500 Harmonics/DelayHarmony/chorus-like detune, Mix 30%
- ampAmped SV Classicstand-infor Mesa/Boogie D-180 (x2)Gain 5, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 6. Driven, mid-forward bass
- cab115 Amped Modernstand-infor Mesa/Boogie 4x12 + 1x15Low cut 35 Hz, high cut 6 kHz, dynamic mic
Model names checked against the official Neural DSP Quad Cortex model list. Names from Neural DSP's official Quad Cortex device list. "Stand-in" means the closest verified model, not an emulation of the artist's exact unit.
Affiliate link. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shop Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Quad Cortex / QC mini) →
- compCOMPfor Boss CS-2 Compression SustainerMOD slot: Sustain 4, Attack 5
- driveMUFF FUZZfor Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (Russian)BOOSTER slot: Sustain 7, Tone 5, Level 6. Blend with clean if the unit allows (Anesthesia)
- driveT-SCREAMfor Ibanez TS-808 Tube ScreamerFX slot: Drive 5, Tone 6, Level 6
- pitchHARMONISTstand-infor Ibanez HD1500 Harmonics/DelayFX alt. slot: Harmony/chorus-like detune, Mix 30%
- ampKatana is a guitar amp; use CLEAN at low gain (not a bass amp)descriptionfor Mesa/Boogie D-180 (x2)Gain 5, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 6. Driven, mid-forward bass
- cabBuilt-in speaker (no cab model)descriptionfor Mesa/Boogie 4x12 + 1x15Katana has no cab sim on its speaker
Model names checked against the official BOSS Katana model list and owner's manual. Amp types from the Katana MkII Owner's Manual; effect types from 'Using BOSS TONE STUDIO for KATANA Mk II'. Katana has its own speaker, so there is no cab block. Gen 3 renames some types, so check your unit. "Stand-in" means the closest verified model, not an emulation of the artist's exact unit.
Affiliate link. ToneLineage may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shop BOSS Katana (Katana MkII (via BOSS Tone Studio)) →
Learn the songs
Affiliate links. These open tab and chord searches on Ultimate Guitar (Metallica). ToneLineage may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We link to Ultimate Guitar only; we don't reproduce tabs or lyrics.
ToneLineage is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists, manufacturers, retailers or Ultimate Guitar mentioned on this page. Names and trademarks belong to their owners.
RigLog newsletter