Best Guitar Distortion?

M

MikeBenke

New member
What are some good distortion effects/pedals if you trying to obtain that
distinctive numetal guitar sound? (linkin park, 30 seconds to mars, deftones...)

I currently use a Ibanez smashbox as my primary distortion source... but its
just not cutting it. Anyone have any comments, favourite distortions?
 
MikeBenke said:
What are some good distortion effects/pedals if you trying to obtain that
distinctive numetal guitar sound? (linkin park, 30 seconds to mars, deftones...)

I currently use a Ibanez smashbox as my primary distortion source... but its
just not cutting it. Anyone have any comments, favourite distortions?
Click to expand...

That "distinctive" nu-metal guitar sound (that everyone and his brother has seemed to have recorded in recent years), I believe, is primarily the product of an Ibanez guitar through a Mesa Triple Rectifier amp...but I could be wrong.

However, I bought a Smashbox a while back...just because it was on sale and dirt cheap (like, $30 or something) and you just can't have too many distortion pedals. I didn't listen to it at the store, but when I tinkered with it at home, I thought it was quite close to that tone. Granted, I had to turn the tone knob almost all the way down (close to 8 o'clock) because it's a painfully bright pedal, but running a mid-60's Duo-Sonic II through the Smashbox and into a Peavey Classic 50 410 sounded more nu-metal than I really would have ever dialed-in intentionally...because I really don't play that style of music. Actually, it seemed that that was the ONLY tone of which it was capable, which is why it now just sits in a bag.

I dunno, maybe try the Boss Metal Zone?

What guitar and amp are you using, anyway?
 
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perhaps a Dunlop Dime Distortion? I have one (as one channel of the Doubleshot distortion) that I don't use very much, but it does a good smooth scooped mids sound, that can get chunky if you palm mute. I'd definitely suggest trying one out, and for more versatility get the doubleshot which has one built in as well as a classic distortion which is pretty good as well (not that I use either because I have a good amp now, but it saved me from using the distortion on my old amp) and it should only cost about 10-15 dollars more than the Dime distortion.
 
Digitech

I don't know if you've ever tried a Digitech Metal Master pedal. It offers a wide range of distortions and gets me that smooth Rammstein like distortion that I love. I've only tried a few pedals but I'd have to recommed this one.
 
Thanks for the advice...

Currently I am running an Ibanez RG700 through a Mesa/Boogie Recto preamp
direct into cubase SX with the smashbox in the Recto's effects loop. I've also wondered if I should be running the signal through another device before it reaches the computer? I've also noted that the Cubase SX distortion plug ins generally suck... is there any good distortion plug ins for the Cubase user?
 
MikeBenke said:
Mesa/Boogie Recto preamp.............cubase SX.....................I've also wondered if I should be running the signal through another device before it reaches the computer?
Click to expand...

You need a speaker/cabinet simulator in your chain.
 
that seems right, however I bought the Recto as it is intended for direct recordings. It is supposed to simulate the sound of a mic'd up mesa/boogie rectifier through 4x12 speaker cabinet....
 
MikeBenke said:
that seems right, however I bought the Recto as it is intended for direct recordings. It is supposed to simulate the sound of a mic'd up mesa/boogie rectifier through 4x12 speaker cabinet....
Click to expand...


In that case, you might just need the real thing. :cool:

have you gone through all the typical studio tricks yet? (double tracking...real, not just a stereo effect - minor amounts of reverb...enough to feel, not hear - overdub octaves and/or whole notes/chords over strumming?)

A lot of the stuff on the radio would sound like shit if they didn't have 2 or 3 guitars layered doing the dame thing.
 
MikeBenke said:
Thanks for the advice...

Currently I am running an Ibanez RG700 through a Mesa/Boogie Recto preamp
direct into cubase SX with the smashbox in the Recto's effects loop. I've also wondered if I should be running the signal through another device before it reaches the computer? I've also noted that the Cubase SX distortion plug ins generally suck... is there any good distortion plug ins for the Cubase user?
Click to expand...

Amplitube usually does pretty well, I have the UNO version (FREE!!), and it does pretty well, but now that I think of it, I don't know if the full version can be run as a VST or not. SimulAnalog, has a good JCM900 simulator, an awesome one, in fact. I think that you can find it on shareware music machine. Just google it, I don't remember the url. :p

BTW, if you decide to get a mesa head or something, then give me the preamp. :D :)
 
MikeBenke said:
that seems right, however I bought the Recto as it is intended for direct recordings. It is supposed to simulate the sound of a mic'd up mesa/boogie rectifier through 4x12 speaker cabinet....
Click to expand...

If that's what you have and that's what it's supposed to emulate...you should be spot-on.

However, I would suggest moving the Smashbox out of the effects loop and put it between the guitar and the Recto. Distortions tend to sound better when they're in front of the preamp.
 
My favorite distortion pedal is the DOD Death Metal Petal. It actually sounds completely terrible, but it's hard to argue with its image. (Plus, sometimes you just might want to sound terrible.)
 
Whenever I get the irresistable hankering for that Nu-Metal "tone", I favor humming out the melodies of Limp Bizkit songs with my Nu-Buzzy Kazoo and then running it though my "Nu-Metalizer" filter. I add some "Nu-Tweeqy" EQ to give it Some flava and then I compress it with my "Nu-Squeeshy" plugin.

Sounds great...and Nu.... :D :D :D

Hope this helps,
Todd
 
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Nu thanks...

gbondo9 said:
Whenever I get the irresistable hankering for that Nu-Metal "tone", I favor humming out the melodies of Limp Bizkit songs with my Nu-Buzzy Kazoo and then running it though my "Nu-Metalizer" filter. I add some "Nu-Tweeqy" EQ to give it come flava and then I compress it with my "Nu-Squeeshy" plugin.

Sounds great...and Nu.... :D :D :D

Hope this helps,
Todd
Click to expand...

come flava?

Ewwwww...

Does that wipe off the fretboard easily?
 
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hiwatt357 said:
If that's what you have and that's what it's supposed to emulate...you should be spot-on.

However, I would suggest moving the Smashbox out of the effects loop and put it between the guitar and the Recto. Distortions tend to sound better when they're in front of the preamp.
Click to expand...


Running through the distortion first has improved the sound substancially,
thanks for the tip!
 
(progger) said:
I don't know if you've ever tried a Digitech Metal Master pedal. It offers a wide range of distortions and gets me that smooth Rammstein like distortion that I love. I've only tried a few pedals but I'd have to recommed this one.
Click to expand...


+1 . . . . . .
 
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