Sound like James from Metallica using the Line 6 Helix

[Guitarjon]

I've been wanting to do this for a while. I've basically created a preset that mimics James's live rig, or at least his pre-Axe Fx rig. Or emulates his Axe Fx presets, however you want to look at it haha!

Before moving to the Axe Fx James used a combination of customized Mesa Boogie Triaxis amps and Diezel VH4 amps. His Axe Fx presets basically emulate that rig. Some years ago I was lucky enough to get backstage with James's tech Chad, who is a great guy btw, to look at his Axe Fx rig. I played through his presets through his on stage Mesa Traditional 4x12 and it sounded really good! Now that the Helix also has a Diezel VH4 model I figured that the Helix could probably nail this tone as well.

Metallica use custom IRs that were shot off their previous live iso 4x12 cabs. I don't have those IRs obviously so I'm using some @York Audio IRs and it sounds really close imho. Chad is the mastermind when it comes to James's presets so I'm sure that if he were to dial in these presets he could make them sound even closer, but for me this sounds pretty darn close!

Anyway, check it out:

 

[The Thing Upstairs]

Another fantastic video @Guitarjon thanks for sharing!

What amps would you recommend for Axefx? Do you have a patch you can share?

Your patch sounds better than theirs in my opinion

 

[Guitarjon]

Another fantastic video @Guitarjon thanks for sharing!

What amps would you recommend for Axefx? Do you have a patch you can share?

Your patch sounds better than theirs in my opinion

Thanks! Diezel VH3 channel 3 and Mark IIC++ should do yhe trick!

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Def use the Mark IIC++ since that's what James actually uses.

In fact it was added in the Axe specifically BECAUSE James wanted it in there. The Quantum amp update changed a lot of the amps, the Mark IIC+ being one of them, and James wanted the old version back.

Could also try the TriAxis models.

 

[The Thing Upstairs]

Thanks! Diezel VH3 channel 3 and Mark IIC++ should do yhe trick!

Perfect, thanks for confirming!

 

[Guitarjon]

Def use the Mark IIC++ since that's what James actually uses.

In fact it was added in the Axe specifically BECAUSE James wanted it in there. The Quantum amp update changed a lot of the amps, the Mark IIC+ being one of them, and James wanted the old version back.

Could also try the TriAxis models.

Yeah, the more recent IIC+ models just weren't as good as that old IIC++ model. At least, way harder to make it sound as good. Chad was struggling with those models and so they requested that they put the old one back in. I hope that Line 6 adds a IIC+ to their amp model list... An updated Recto would be nice too though.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Yeah, the more recent IIC+ models just weren't as good as that old IIC++ model. At least, way harder to make it sound as good. Chad was struggling with those models and so they requested that they put the old one back in. I hope that Line 6 adds a IIC+ to their amp model list... An updated Recto would be nice too though.

Glad I wasn't alone there with the IIC+. Then again those Shift knobs are also key to the old Mark IIC+ and III IMO, and you need to do some external blocks to emulate them. I think one of the other reasons why I like the IIC++ better than the IIC+ is because it uses the Mark IV tone stack, and I really love the Mark IV. Maybe I'll read more about how to fully emulate the IIC+, cuz you need some external blocks to emulate the pull shift features.

IMO Line 6 needs to go back and redo some of the day one amp models. The 5150 especially.

 

[CanserDYI]

Man I want those IR's now as all the ownhammer ones I own make that exact patch sound really bassy and boomy for me, used the Recto Trad pack which I thought would get in the ballpark.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

"Yeah!"

 

[ATRguitar91]

Man I want those IR's now as all the ownhammer ones I own make that exact patch sound really bassy and boomy for me, used the Recto Trad pack which I thought would get in the ballpark.

I've used Ownhammer, ML Sound Labs, and York Audio. York Audio is by far my favorite. I've replaced them in all my HX patches.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Yeah my main IR right now is currently a York Audio Mesa 412.

 

[Spinedriver]

Yeah my main IR right now is currently a York Audio Mesa 412.

If you're having trouble finding 'just the right IR', you should try the STL Libra. You can load up to 8 IRs at once and blend them all together. Take some that are a little too bright and some that are a little too dark and mix them to make some that are 'just right'.

 

[Guitarjon]

Yeah my main IR right now is currently a York Audio Mesa 412.

Which cab? I'm partial to the OS