Tonelify
Reviewed
Boss KatanaDistortedRiffMetal

Enter Sandman on a Boss Katana

Metallica

Written for the Katana 50 MkII and the Katana 50 Gen 3, which share these knobs. The Katana 100 adds a Presence knob, and its value is given under the panel.

Enter Sandman Boss Katana settings: a starting point

On a Boss Katana, select the Lead amp type and start at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 4, Treble 7 and Reverb about 2, with the bridge pickup. That is the setting for the main riff; the one for the intro is below.

Lead amp typeEnter Sandman on the Katana
  • Gain 6
  • Bass 5
  • Middle 4
  • Treble 7
  • Reverb about 2

Gain sits a step under the song's generic 7, inside the 6 to 7 that Tonelify's Katana metal settings use on Lead or Brown.

The Katana 50 has no Presence knob. On a Katana 100, set Presence to 6.

Positions on a 0 to 10 scale, with 5 at twelve o'clock. These are Tonelify's starting points for the Katana, written from the documented rig and BOSS's manual. They are not BOSS's numbers and not the settings on the record.

Picked by gain range

Which Boss Katana amp type for Enter Sandman?

Lead. The record blends a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++ with a modded Marshall and stacks three takes of the same riff. The Katana has a model of neither amp, since BOSS says all of its amp types are original, and one guitar is one take. Aim for the single-track sound: BOSS describes Lead as covering crunch to high gain on its Gain knob, and 6 is enough.

Brown is the second choice, with the Gain a step lower.

Pick the amp type first: it changes the gain structure more than any knob does, so the same Gain position gives far more distortion on Lead or Brown than on Crunch. Gain sets the amount of distortion, Volume the level of that sound and Master the overall volume. Neither Katana 50 has a Presence knob, so on a 50 the top end is the Treble's job.

Boss Katana effects for Enter Sandman

Booster
OffThe riff is amp distortion: more drive in front adds fizz, not width.Leave it out for the main riff.
Reverb
Plate ReverbThe short reverb in the starting point.Green on a MkII as shipped. Knob about 2.

The Katana runs five effects at once, one each on Booster, Mod, FX, Delay and Reverb. Each button cycles green, red and orange, and each colour holds its own effect. The colours below are the ones BOSS's MkII manual lists from the factory. On a Gen 3 the factory effects differ from channel to channel, so check what a colour holds before you rely on it; BOSS Tone Studio, over USB, can change any of them.

Second sound

Enter Sandman on the Katana: the intro

The song opens on a guitar through a chorus pedal, then an E minor chord through a wah, and the distorted guitars only build up to the main riff 56 seconds in. For the intro, select Clean and start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 4, Treble 7 and Reverb about 3.

Clean amp typeEnter Sandman, the intro
  • Gain 2
  • Bass 5
  • Middle 4
  • Treble 7
  • Reverb about 3
Mod
ChorusThe chorus pedal on the opening guitar.Green in bank A on a MkII as shipped.
FX
T.WahThe wah on the E minor chord that follows.Red in bank A on a MkII as shipped.

Store the intro on CH1 and the main riff on CH2, so the change 56 seconds in is one button.

Does it sound off on your Katana?

Pick what you hear. You get the knobs to turn on the Katana from the settings above, and how far.

What the Katana cannot do for Enter Sandman

The weight of the record is three rhythm tracks of the same riff, stacked. A single amp gives a single track, so do not chase it with more Gain: that adds fizz, not width.

How to store it on the Katana

Hold CH1 or CH2 for one second. It stores every knob and button except Master, so use Volume to balance stored sounds and Master for the room.

What Metallica used on Enter Sandman

James Hetfield's ESP MX Explorer-style guitars with EMG pickups through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++ blended with a Jose-modded Marshall, three rhythm tracks of the same riff stacked into a wall of guitars with Bob Rock at One on One Studios in Los Angeles.

Rig sources: Wikipedia: Enter Sandman, Guitar.com: the gear used on Metallica's Black Album, Metallica Gear History: the Crunchberries Mark IIC+ and the IIC++

Boss Katana facts checked against BOSS's own documents on : BOSS: KATANA Mk II Owner's Manual (PDF), BOSS: KATANA Gen 3 Reference Manual (PDF)

Metallica's rig and the generic five-knob settings for the Enter Sandman tone →

A different guitar, or pedals in front?

This page sets the Katana on its own. Name your guitar and your pedals and Tonelify rewrites the settings for that whole rig, pickup position included. Your first match is free with an account, and needs no card.

Match Enter Sandman to my rig

Enter Sandman on the Katana: questions

What Boss Katana settings do you need for Enter Sandman?

Select the Lead amp type and start at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 4, Treble 7 and Reverb about 2. On a Katana 100, set Presence to 6. These are Tonelify's starting points for the Katana, written from the documented rig and BOSS's manual. They are not BOSS's numbers and not the settings on the record.

Which Boss Katana amp type is closest to the amp on Enter Sandman?

Lead. The record blends a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++ with a modded Marshall and stacks three takes of the same riff. The Katana has a model of neither amp, since BOSS says all of its amp types are original, and one guitar is one take. Aim for the single-track sound: BOSS describes Lead as covering crunch to high gain on its Gain knob, and 6 is enough. Brown is the second choice, with the Gain a step lower.

Which Boss Katana effects does Enter Sandman use?

Reverb: Plate Reverb. The short reverb in the starting point.

Does Enter Sandman need two sounds on a Boss Katana?

Yes. The song opens on a guitar through a chorus pedal, then an E minor chord through a wah, and the distorted guitars only build up to the main riff 56 seconds in. For the intro, select Clean and start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 4, Treble 7 and Reverb about 3. Store the intro on CH1 and the main riff on CH2, so the change 56 seconds in is one button.

What can the Katana not do for Enter Sandman?

The weight of the record is three rhythm tracks of the same riff, stacked. A single amp gives a single track, so do not chase it with more Gain: that adds fizz, not width.

Does it matter for Enter Sandman that the Katana 50 has no Presence knob?

Not much. Neither the Katana 50 MkII nor the Katana 50 Gen 3 has a Presence knob, so the Treble at 7 sets the top end on its own. On a Katana 100, which has the knob, set Presence to 6.

Is there a Enter Sandman patch for the Boss Katana?

Tonelify does not offer a patch file. The settings on this page are dialled in by hand, which takes a couple of minutes and needs no computer. Hold a channel button for one second to store them.

What if you have a different guitar or pedals in front of the Katana?

These settings assume the unit on its own. Tonelify's matcher rewrites them for the guitar, pedals and amp you name, pickup position included. Your first match is free with an account and needs no card.

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