I can't get metal tone?

[Septor]

Hey guys, I have a Marshall 100watt thingy, and it is great and all, but the distortion option the amp totally blows. I also have a Line6 Spider 30watt, and the 'Insane' option on it sounds awesome!

Can you guys suggest any good pedals that would give me some good metal tones like the Insane option, I love bands like Opeth and Periphery, and I like Stemage and Keith Merrows distorted tone.

 

[Ulvhedin]

100watt tube or ss?
Overdrive for tubeamps and disortions for ss amps is what I've experienced.

 

[violent mouth]

line 6 uber metal pedal, it has three distortion settings plus two noise gates..
fucking metal as fuck!

or get a decent amp.

 

[uncle_sprinter]

Don't scoop too much or you'll sound like a tard.

 

[uncle_sprinter]

line 6 uber metal pedal, it has three distortion settings plus two noise gates..
fucking metal as fuck!

or get a decent amp.

That pedal is crap i have one and my metal muff pedal kicks it in the balls.

 

[Atomshipped]

Do you have the MA100H or one of the MA series amps by chance?

 

[Konfyouzd]

what amp do you have? you can't even get close to a metal tone on it? or is it just not the metal tone you want? the insane channel on most line 6s sounds like a hive of bees singing in bee harmony to me.

 

[groph]

Hey guys, I have a Marshall 100watt thingy, and it is great and all, but the distortion option the amp totally blows. I also have a Line6 Spider 30watt, and the 'Insane' option on it sounds awesome!

Can you guys suggest any good pedals that would give me some good metal tones like the Insane option, I love bands like Opeth and Periphery, and I like Stemage and Keith Merrows distorted tone.

If it's one of the MG amps, mess with the contour knob until you get what you want. If you turn it all the way down (to the left) you're getting what's known as a "scooped" tone and if you turn it all the way up you'll sound honkier as that knob messes with the midrange character of your tone.

You'll probably want to turn the distortion down a bit and just pick harder than usual, that's how you get real tonal "heft." Don't make the amp do all the work for you.

 

[ImBCRichBitch]

Lower wattage = Warmer tone and warmer tone is what you need. But alot of it comes from the guitar. I play straight through amp with no effects and its got badass metal tone.

 

[uncle_sprinter]

Lower wattage = Warmer tone and warmer tone is what you need. But alot of it comes from the guitar. I play straight through amp with no effects and its got badass metal tone.

That is an imortant way to get a more metal sound, i usually have my 65 watt amp turned down on the wattage and i get a real good metal sound.

 

[Septor]

Thanks guys, I have tried scooping it, but I just get a different sound that is really now what i'm looking for. Maybe if I played rock it would be okay.

I suppose what i'm really asking is, what good pedals/effects board on the market would fit the bill? Sorry if I sound totally ignorant, but honestly, the amp cannot make the sound i'd like.

Also, the amp is a Marshall MG something or other.

 

[TheUnnamedNewbie]

What guitar are you using? It'l take a lot more skill to get a good metal tone out of a tele (if its even possible) than it takes to get one out of a ESP or Jackson with active emg's or blackouts...

 

[Konfyouzd]

And what pickups are you using? Typically pedals and the like only serve to further shape a basic tone you already gel with. At least this is how *I* approach the use of pedals.

 

[Atomshipped]

I suppose what i'm really asking is, what good pedals/effects board on the market would fit the bill? Sorry if I sound totally ignorant, but honestly, the amp cannot make the sound i'd like.

Blackstar HT-DISTX
Wampler Triple Wreck
Amptweaker Tight Metal

A couple to look at. There are obviously more but those are a few of the better ones I've found.

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

Your terrible amp isn't going to get you awesome 1337 tonez by using pedals. Sell your amps and buy a Roland/Vox modelling amp, they don't sound like shit

 

[Sephael]

And what pickups are you using? Typically pedals and the like only serve to further shape a basic tone you already gel with. At least this is how *I* approach the use of pedals.

having owned a marshall mg I feel confident in saying that no set of pickups will give him the tone he is looking for.

@OP, if you are set on keeping the marshall for the time being getting a decent distortion pedal is the way to go. That being said, a ~$200+ pedal wouldn't be the best way to spend your cash without a good amp to run it through. Spending that much plus what ever you could get out of the marshall could get you a good way towards a more metal amp.

People will talk shit about it, but if you are just looking for something cheaper to hold you over a used metal zone can be had for $40 or so.

 

[texshred777]

100watt tube or ss?
Overdrive for tubeamps and disortions for ss amps is what I've experienced.

??

Overdrives for boosting tubeamps yes, but you could also use a distortion pedal through a tube amp for monstrous tone.

OP

I'd just keep saving for an amp that will give you the tone you're looking for. You already have the Line6 for now, bear in mind at actual rehearsal/performance volume you'll use less gain and different EQ than you might by yourself. Sometimes what you think sounds like shit solo sounds awesome with drums/bass added.

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

having owned a marshall mg I feel confident in saying that no set of pickups will give him the tone he is looking for.

@OP, if you are set on keeping the marshall for the time being getting a decent distortion pedal is the way to go. That being said, a ~$200+ pedal wouldn't be the best way to spend your cash without a good amp to run it through. Spending that much plus what ever you could get out of the marshall could get you a good way towards a more metal amp.

People will talk shit about it, but if you are just looking for something cheaper to hold you over a used metal zone can be had for $40 or so.

Exactly, don't blow big money on pedals trying to make the amp sound good as you'll soon find it would have been cheaper to buy a 5150 combo.

 

[Metal_Webb]

What guitar are you using? It'l take a lot more skill to get a good metal tone out of a tele (if its even possible) than it takes to get one out of a ESP or Jackson with active emg's or blackouts...

Ahem...



As for the OP, you aren't going to get a $1000 tone out of a lower end amp. It may be worth persevering and saving up for one that's more to your tastes.

 

[Atomshipped]

Guys, if you don't understand, no combination of pickups and overdrive pedals will give him any decent tone. I have a Marshall (MA100H) that also lacks the ability to produce any distortion that's half way decent for any type of rock. His only options are to get a great distortion pedal or get a new amp.

A new amp will be better in the long run but a pedal will give you good tone right now.