4 Iconic Metal Guitarists and How to Get Their Tone with Neural Amp Models
Get the tones of Kirk Hammett, Dimebag Darrell, Yngwie Malmsteen & Dave Mustaine with TONE3000.
Some guitar tones can alter the entire direction of a genre. This is especially true when it comes to heavy metal. Listen to metal records that came out before and after Kirk Hammett made his mark with Metallica and you’ll hear what I mean. Or check out any of the dozens of bands (like Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, Korn, etc.) that took direct inspiration from Dimebag Darrell’s brutal display of power with Pantera. The baroque fury of Yngwie Malmsteen is practically a genre unto itself at this point. And learning how to play with the same aggression and mechanized precision of Dave Mustaine is right of passage for any serious metal guitarist.
We can’t give you the chops you need to shred, but we can help you with your tone. With Neural Amp Modeler (NAM) captures on TONE3000, you can summon those legendary tones straight from your computer or hardware NAM player. No racks of amp heads or 4×12 cabs required—just raw, aggressive tone and a willingness to use your guitar like an assault weapon.
Kirk Hammett
Metallica’s lead guitarist (and wah-pedal icon) took the sound of Bay Area thrash metal from the underground to the arena. Hammett’s tone sits between molten sustain and mid-scooped aggression—keeping it tight for rhythm and fluid for solos.
The Kirk Hammett LP Greeny Tone NAM capture on TONE3000 delivers his signature roar: rich harmonics, biting treble, and that tooth-shattering crunch. Pair it with a bridge humbucker, add a little delay, and you’ll be ready to ride the lightning.
Download Neural Amp Model ➝ Kirk Hammett LP Greeny Tone
Enjoy 15 minutes of pure shredding with Kirk Hammett
Dimebag Darrell
Few players ever hit as hard as Houston’s own Dimebag Darrell. His signature style fused Texas swagger, surgical precision, and pulverizing tone—perhaps how ZZ Top might have sounded if they never picked up the blues and joined a prison gang instead. Built on Randall amps, his tone was so punishing he made many of the metal bands that came before Pantera sound like Christopher Cross in comparison.
TONE3000’s Dimebag Randy and Randall X2 Warhead DIMEZONE NAM captures nail that Cowboys from Hell energy—scooped mids, chunky lows, and harmonic feedback that burns hotter than Texas BBQ.
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Download Neural Amp Model ➝ Randall X2 Warhead DIMEZONE
Pantera proves that the 90's weren't only about grunge.
Yngwie Malmsteen
Yngwie J. Malmsteen changed what speed and melody meant for heavy metal guitar. His neo-classical assault relied on overdriven Marshalls, scalloped Strats, and surprisingly (for its time), a violinist’s approach to playing guitar.
On TONE3000, the Marshall YJM100 capture sings with his signature violin-like sustain and razor-sharp clarity. Throw in a touch of reverb, a Strat with single coils, and decades of mastering Bach licks and voilà—you’re practically Yngwie. (You have studied Bach, right?)
Download Neural Amp Model ➝ Marshall YJM100
Yngwie Malmsteen shows you how to play "Arpeggios from Hell"
Dave Mustaine
Much to his chagrin, you can’t really mention Dave Mustaine without mentioning Metallica. As one of their founding members, he helped define the sound of what would become the biggest metal band of all time. But then he left before Metallica just before they blew up to form his own group, Megadeth. Unlike Metallica, Megadeth never aimed for the radio, developing a far more threatening sound that was just for metalheads—and unsuitable for risk-adverse commercial radio. Mustaine may not have sold as many records or had hit singles as his rivals, but he also never made St. Anger. That’s one in the win category for him.
TONE3000’s Marshall JVM 410 – Dave Mustaine 4×12 Cab + Boss SD-1 NAM capture nails Mustaine’s Rust in Peace era precision—bright, articulate, and dangerously punchy. Plug in, down-pick you’re like you’re mad at your guitar, and pretend that you’re still gunning for revenge after all these years.
Download Neural Amp Model ➝ Marshall JVM 410
Megadeth: For people who think Metallica just isn't quite hard enough.
Plug In and Bow Down
More than any other genre, heavy metal rewards players who work on their chops with maniacal devotion and care deeply about their tone. If you want to channel the fury of the metal gods, all you have to do is load up these NAM captures, crank your monitors, and practice your ass off. (It also helps if you hate your parents and/or own a strip club.)
