Tonelify
Reviewed
Fender Mustang LT25DistortedRiffThrash Metal

Master of Puppets on a Fender Mustang LT25

Metallica

Written for the Mustang LT25 as Fender's owner's manual describes it: 20 amp models and four effect slots.

Master of Puppets Fender Mustang LT25 settings: a starting point

On a Fender Mustang LT25, select the SUPER HEAVY amp model and start at Gain 7, Treble 7, Bass 5 and Middle 3, with the bridge pickup.

SUPER HEAVY amp modelMaster of Puppets on the LT25
  • Gain 7
  • Treble 7
  • Bass 5
  • Middle 3

Gain and Bass each sit a step under the song's generic 8 and 6: Tonelify's LT25 metal settings run Gain 6 to 7 and Bass 4 to 5. Middle is set from the encoder.

Values as the display shows them, 0 to 10 with one decimal. These are Tonelify's starting points for the LT25, written from the documented rig and Fender's manual. They are not Fender's numbers and not the settings on the record.

Picked by gain range

Which Fender Mustang LT25 amp model for Master of Puppets?

SUPER HEAVY. The record is a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ used as a preamp into Marshall heads, and Fender's list of 20 amp models has no Mark series amp. Its high-gain pair is METAL 2000 and SUPER HEAVY, both based on the EVH 5150III by Fender's account. SUPER HEAVY is gated with a very fast attenuation curve, which covers the noise gate in the starting point and leaves the STOMP slot free.

METAL 2000 is the same amp without the gate. On it the STOMP slot has to hold METAL GATE, which leaves no room for the boost.

Pick the amp model with the encoder first, then set the knobs. The LT25 has knobs for Gain, Volume, Treble, Bass and Master Volume, and no Middle knob. Fender's manual says Middle is set only from the encoder: press it on the amp model, scroll to MIDDLE and turn.

Fender Mustang LT25 effects for Master of Puppets

STOMP
BLUES DRIVEA boost in front to tighten the low end. Fender describes it as inspired by the late-'70s Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer.GAIN near zero, LEVEL high. Then take the amp's Gain down to 6.
REV
SMALL ROOMThe short room reverb in the starting point.LEVEL low, around 1.

Each preset has four effect slots, STOMP, MOD, DELAY and REV, and each slot holds one effect. Fender's manual gives the signal path as instrument, stompbox, modulation, amplifier, delay, reverb, speaker. To fill a slot, press the encoder on it and turn to the effect.

Does it sound off on your Mustang LT25?

Pick what you hear. You get the knobs to turn on the LT25 from the settings above, and how far.

What the LT25 cannot do for Master of Puppets

There is no Mesa/Boogie Mark model on the LT25, so the amp is a stand-in: a 5150III voicing with the mids cut the way the song has them. Each preset has one STOMP slot, so a boost and a separate gate cannot run together, which is the reason to start from SUPER HEAVY.

How to store it on the LT25

Press SAVE once it sounds right. Fender's manual says an unsaved edit reverts when you leave the preset or switch the amp off. Master Volume is not stored in a preset.

What Metallica used on Master of Puppets

James Hetfield's Jackson King V through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ used as a preamp into Marshall heads and 4x12 cabinets, recorded with Flemming Rasmussen at Sweet Silence Studios in Copenhagen.

Rig sources: Wikipedia: Master of Puppets, Metallica Gear History: the Crunchberries Mark IIC+, gearnews: how to sound like Master of Puppets

Fender Mustang LT25 facts checked against Fender's own documents on : Fender: Mustang LT25 owner's manual (PDF), Fender: Mustang LT25 quick start guide (PDF)

Metallica's rig and the generic five-knob settings for the Master of Puppets tone →

A different guitar, or pedals in front?

This page sets the LT25 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 Master of Puppets to my rig

Master of Puppets on the LT25: questions

What Fender Mustang LT25 settings do you need for Master of Puppets?

Select the SUPER HEAVY amp model and start at Gain 7, Treble 7, Bass 5 and Middle 3. These are Tonelify's starting points for the LT25, written from the documented rig and Fender's manual. They are not Fender's numbers and not the settings on the record.

Which Fender Mustang LT25 amp model is closest to the amp on Master of Puppets?

SUPER HEAVY. The record is a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ used as a preamp into Marshall heads, and Fender's list of 20 amp models has no Mark series amp. Its high-gain pair is METAL 2000 and SUPER HEAVY, both based on the EVH 5150III by Fender's account. SUPER HEAVY is gated with a very fast attenuation curve, which covers the noise gate in the starting point and leaves the STOMP slot free. METAL 2000 is the same amp without the gate. On it the STOMP slot has to hold METAL GATE, which leaves no room for the boost.

Which Fender Mustang LT25 effects does Master of Puppets use?

STOMP: BLUES DRIVE. A boost in front to tighten the low end. Fender describes it as inspired by the late-'70s Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer. REV: SMALL ROOM. The short room reverb in the starting point.

What can the LT25 not do for Master of Puppets?

There is no Mesa/Boogie Mark model on the LT25, so the amp is a stand-in: a 5150III voicing with the mids cut the way the song has them. Each preset has one STOMP slot, so a boost and a separate gate cannot run together, which is the reason to start from SUPER HEAVY.

How do you set Middle for Master of Puppets on a Mustang LT25?

From the encoder. Press it to open the preset, press it again on the amp model, scroll to MIDDLE, press, turn to 3 and press SAVE. The LT25 has no Middle knob, and Fender's manual says this is the only way to adjust it.

Is there a Master of Puppets preset for the Fender Mustang LT25?

Fender's manual lists the LT25's 30 factory presets and none is named after this song. Build it by hand from the settings on this page, then press SAVE and choose SAVE AS to keep it under the song's name. SAVE AS replaces whatever is in the slot you pick, so choose one you do not need.

What if you have a different guitar or pedals in front of the LT25?

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.

More for the LT25

Master of Puppets on a Boss KatanaFender Mustang LT25 settings and cheat sheetFender Mustang LT25