The Mesa Boogie Strategy 400 has been a staple in Metallica’s gear for many years, heavily favored by both James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett. James began using this power amp around 1987, and it remained a critical part of his rig during the band’s rise to fame.
Usage
The Mesa Boogie Strategy 400 became an integral part of Metallica’s live sound starting with the Damaged Justice tour in 1988. Both James and Kirk relied on the Strategy 400 to power their rigs. James, in particular, continued using the Strategy 400 for live gigs until 2007, when he switched to the Mesa Boogie 2:90 in 2008. The 2:90 provided a more modern solution to meet his evolving tone and power needs.
In the studio, James first used the Strategy 400 during the recording of …And Justice for All. He paired it with Mesa/Boogie Studio and Quad preamps to record the album’s iconic dual-layered guitar tracks, contributing to the album’s heavy, tight sound.
The Strategy 400 remained in use up until St. Anger, with some exceptions, such as The Black Album, where its use remains speculative. However, it is likely that the Strategy 400 was used on later albums like Death Magnetic, where a variety of amps were employed during recording sessions.
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