I need a metal tone specialist

[james.fugate]

I really need someone to help. I currently have sl+, treadplate, and ultra and i have a modern on the way. I need some really throaty metal tone ala (and i hate to drop names but...) the black dhalia murder/ the acacia strain. The Ultra just seems really grainy. I need some suggestions on modules and tubes. I only recently got my RM 100 so I haven't had a lot of time to mess around with it. Could it be dialed in on the ultra? Should i try to get an ultra xl? XTC?

What about tubes? Would 6550 on tubes help?

While we are at it, I was thinking about getting a bbe gate/ sonic maximizer

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/BBE-MaxCom-DualChannel-Compressor?sku=180936

Has anyone had any experience with these particular units? Or should i just shoot for the boss ns-1?

I've had a Line 6 vetta II for a long time. It had a gate built in so i'm new to the outboard effects scene.

Any help would be appreciated guys. Thanks. [/url]

 

[riff man]

What , guitar(s), pickups , speaker cab , and speakers are you using , where are your modules dialed in at volume pre/master etc... supply the forum with that info and they'll get started on hookin' you up with the metal tones

 

[METALjim]

Get an MXR smart gate. I'm in a metal band and feedback between short staccato chords is a pain in the arse! The smart gate is amazing at that, the NS-2...isn't. My other guitarist has one and he wishes he got a smartgate.
I used to use an ULTRA when I first got my amp and then modded it as it was quite fizzy and dull but now I can get a great sound out of it. Its quite easy to mod it to an Ultra XL so you don;t have to shell out for another module.
I use a boosted Brahma module as that is very throaty and so clear so all your notes are heard. Only works really well when you crank the master of you amp tho. also run a Grail with a boost for that Killswitch kind of sound. XTCs are awesome for leads.
Hope this helps.

 

[TheHunter]

METALjim,

How does one mod the ULTRA?

Is it something you'd share with the class?

 

[crankyrayhanky]

ISP Decimator rules for NS
after reading lots of good review online, I tried one at a friend's house- truly remarkable and intelligent

Many like the BBE, but I would think that $200 could better be spent on an upgrade to one of your existing mods.

 

[riff man]

GRAIL !!! although you should be fine with your treadplate .. i have both !! LIVE they sound like complete different monsters ...when recorded it's way harder to tell the difference tone wise between them ...

the grail i have and how it's dialed in get's me MY tone ... i find it pretty brutal !!! and i haven't even turn the gain passed 1 o'clock ....ever !! super tight, super thick, super dupa!!

i know this is a lynch mod ... but the grail can go toe to toe with Met's LOAD/RELOAD tones which are the best tones hetfield recorded since puppets imo

you shouldn't need a gate ? unless you cranked to 11 and standing right in front of the grill ...

 

[mike]

GRAIL !!! although you should be fine with your treadplate .. i have both !! LIVE they sound like complete different monsters ...when recorded it's way harder to tell the difference tone wise between them ...

the grail i have and how it's dialed in get's me MY tone ... i find it pretty brutal !!! and i haven't even turn the gain passed 1 o'clock ....ever !! super tight, super thick, super dupa!!

i know this is a lynch mod ... but the grail can go toe to toe with Met's LOAD/RELOAD tones which are the best tones hetfield recorded since puppets imo

you shouldn't need a gate ? unless you cranked to 11 and standing right in front of the grill ...

+1 The Grail is awesome!! it covers all my heavy **** with the gain at noon with a Cusack Screamer in front. I have a ISP Decimator but never needed it....but if you need a gate get the ISP

 

[james.fugate]

Can anyone chime in on the tube situation? I've got the stock 6l6's.

What would 6550 do for me?

While i'm thinking about it. The demo videos on youtube said that the RM 100 amp comes biased at 40. The manual lists 6l6's bias range capped at 35. What's the deal?

Thanks guys

 

[JKD]

Can anyone chime in on the tube situation? I've got the stock 6l6's.

What would 6550 do for me?

While i'm thinking about it. The demo videos on youtube said that the RM 100 amp comes biased at 40. The manual lists 6l6's bias range capped at 35. What's the deal?

Thanks guys

Maybe the RM100 in the demo has E34Ls ?

 

[shred-o-holic]

For Black Dahlia Murder I gotta recommend the KH-3.....you can nail it with that module.....is your SL+ capped modded? That also would be a cheaper alternative..

 

[tonymustang302]

Why not the ultra XL?

 

[shred-o-holic]

Why not the ultra XL?

Too fuzzy for my tastes.....of course if Pete mods 'em then...different story :twisted:

 

[METALjim]

METALjim,

How does one mod the ULTRA?

Is it something you'd share with the class?

I upgraded the caps to Orange drops, the standard upgrade. I changed the C3 to get a tighter bass response. I upgraded the R1-R3 resistors with metal film and a different value. I upgraded one of the caps in the 'mids' section to a different value and to a silver mica and also changed one of the resistors in the 'mids' section to a metal film and a slightly different value. I experimented a bit and now the Ultra really is ULTRA!

Also i'd love an ISP decimator which would be my first choice on noise reduction but shelling out over ?200 for a noise recducer is a bit overkill for my budget. ?35 for a smartgate howver isn't. Each to thier own tho.

Grail for metal all the way!! Gain on 12-1 o'clock. Master cranked up Sounds brutal!

 

[james.fugate]

I'm still wondering what 6550's would do to my sound. Anyone have any experience?

 

[shred-o-holic]

People seem to be using KT-88's.....which some claim to be a more musical 6550 variant......some use them in combination with E-34L's......pretty monsterous I guess..... 8)

 

[METALjim]

I tried a pair of 6550s once. I used them with a pair of EL34s so i had two 6550s in the middle position and the EL34s in the outer position. I didn't like them at all. Yes they gave a massive bottom end but the sound of my amp suddenly turned very fizzy and unfocused. There was no crunchy clarity to the sound anymore and it just sounded a bit messy. I had a pair of tung sol 6550s so it might just have been those but i tried them in different positions in the amp and at loads of different bias settings and just ended up reverting back to the good old EL34s. Haven;t had a better sounding combination of just 4 Ruby EL34B STR's.
Thats my opinion anyways i play in a metal band.