In Metallica's “Wherever I May Roam,” what type of bass was overdubbed in the intro?

A twelve-string bass was overdubbed in the intro to Metallica's “Wherever I May Roam.” The unusual instrument helped emphasize the song's distinctive opening before the main arrangement settled into a standard heavy-metal groove.

The song also uses Asian instruments in its introduction, including a gong and sitar. After the opening effect, the recording uses a standard four-string bass for the main bass part, so the twelve-string instrument is specifically an intro texture rather than the song's continuous bass sound.

The song appeared on Metallica's 1991 self-titled album and was released as its fourth single in October 1992. It reached number 82 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 25 on the Album Rock Tracks chart.

Listeners sometimes identify the opening sound only as a sitar effect. That is incomplete: the intro combines several timbres, including the overdubbed twelve-string bass, gong, and sitar.