Metal Rig advice

[VesuviusJay]

Hailz metalheads!

I am shopping for a full stack guitar rig that will embrace the extreme metal genres. Any suggestions.

I have been looking at mesa and Krank. I've had mesa triple rec rig. Good stuff but too many nu metal bands have mesa tone now. I am looking for a unique tone that has hard crunching palm mutes and stinging highs...

 

[metalhead28]

I am a Marshall player, but I think the 5150 II is probably the perfect metal amp. Absolutely razor sharp and tight as hell with palm mutes. Searing midrange and tight bottom end. I don't even own one so I'm not talking up my own stuff! I think they destroy mesas for metal tones. They are just so tight....I'm gonna go buy one now that I think about it!!

 

[metalhead28]

Hmmmmm.....no more replies so I guess everyone agrees with me!!!
HA

 

[VesuviusJay]

Hmmmmm.....no more replies so I guess everyone agrees with me!!!
HA

Have you heard krank yet?

 

[metalhead28]

Not in person, tho I see alot of metal players using them nowadays. I have heard recorded samples of them. They seem to be pretty bad-ass, but they are expensive as hell!

 

[wishtheend]

I work at MusiciansFriend so we get alot of companies comming in and showing off their gear. When it comes to brutal metal tone, you really can't pass up Mesa. Sure, alot of bands are using them, but there's a reason for that. Those amps can really rip the skin off your face. I'd say for half-stack purposes, go for the Dual Recitifier. It was a slightly lower wattage rating then the triple, but that means you don't have to crank it as much to get some killer tone.

I'm currently running a Dual half stack (Road King 4x12) with an MXR 10-band EQ on it and I really have been able to get any desired tone out of it. The EQ pedal is really going to let you shape your tone, otherwise you'll just have that basic recitifier sound.

I <3 Mesa.

 

[CyanJaguar]

I am looking for a unique tone that has hard crunching palm mutes and stinging highs...

when I think of dual rec or 5150, I think more of the fizzy, grindy metal tone. If you want hard crunching palm mutes and stinging highs, my friend you want a randall rh100.

examples.

 

[metalhead28]

I agree Mesa = fizzy.......but a 5150? I think that is one of the most focused sounding amps out there.

Not to slam your amps, but my honest opinion:
I have never heard a Randall that was not fizzy and buzzy. My co-guitarist used to play a RH100 in my old band and it was extremely harsh, and way too saturated (sort of like a metal zone pedal). It had no midrange bark and absolutely no growl to it at all. (By the way - barking and growling are my two favorite adjectives for describing an amp! ) It was washed out in the mix by everything because it just had no body, absolutely could not compete with my Marshall. Also, I could never actually recommend a solid state amp for metal.......

I know this just boils down to opinions, but a randall rh100 for extreme metal is one of the few amps that I would actually recommend against, sorry.

Now, If you only have $300 to spend and you like over saturated harsh distortion, then the Randall is for you......as I said it's just a matter of opinions.

 

[IronFlippy]

I work at MusiciansFriend so we get alot of companies comming in and showing off their gear. When it comes to brutal metal tone, you really can't pass up Mesa.

But........musiciansfriend doesn't even carry Mesa/Boogie amps.

Or are you actually recommending the amps rather than trying to sell for your company?

As for this thread, I'd recommend either a rec or a 5150 (or whatever they're called now, 6510 or something). Maybe check out the new Mesa Stilettos, they're supposedly supposed to be a nice companion to the rec. I don't know about that one, I haven't played it yet. If you're thinking about Krank, go find a place that carries them and try it out. I wouldn't recommend buying anything without trying, because who knows what tone you're looking for other than yourself?

 

[VesuviusJay]

When it comes to brutal metal tone, you really can't pass up Mesa. Sure, alot of bands are using them, but there's a reason for that. Those amps can really rip the skin off your face.

This has been my oppinion for some time. Although I had a very interesting conversation with a good friend who is a boutique amp lover. One thing I totally agreed with was the fact that mesa is so widespread theses days through many genres from death metal to emo. As my skills develop I tend to agree with one of his statements. "Why go with a configuration everyone else is using. How can one achieve a truely unique tone that way?"

Sure I need an extreme metal friendly tone with ultra hight tube gain, but Im not necessarily interested in jumping back on the mesa boogie bandwagon.

Anyone whos done extreme metal genre work with any other makes/models please chime in. Especially if it was done with boutique, class A, or other high end configurations. I will check out the 5150, but I think the model number is going to change. I have been waiting to hear the carvin V3... As far as krank is concerned, they are high dollar, but then again so is the rectifier. When I try the amp I will post a little review here!

Again what I am after is a unique high end metal tone. I like the bark and growl analogy by the way. Good stuff.

 

[wishtheend]

But........musiciansfriend doesn't even carry Mesa/Boogie amps.

Or are you actually recommending the amps rather than trying to sell for your company?

As for this thread, I'd recommend either a rec or a 5150 (or whatever they're called now, 6510 or something). Maybe check out the new Mesa Stilettos, they're supposedly supposed to be a nice companion to the rec. I don't know about that one, I haven't played it yet. If you're thinking about Krank, go find a place that carries them and try it out. I wouldn't recommend buying anything without trying, because who knows what tone you're looking for other than yourself?

Yea, the company doesn't carry Mesa, but I still own and I'm speaking from personal experience (i bought a rec from guitar center).

I've tried the new release of the 5150 (they have it named something else) the Krankenstein, some Line6's, tons of Marshalls and I still think the Mesa holds it own as the best solid tube-distortion. Those Stilletos have much more of a british sound than the modern gain of the rectifiers.

 

[metalhead28]

5150 is now the 6505
5150 II is now the 6505+

6505+ is the one to check out.

 

[wishtheend]

My question, what bands are similar to the style you are looking to approach? If it's going to be more rhythm heavy "metalcore" stuff, the Peavey's are going to be a great route. If you are going to the more black/death metal, you really need to be looking at the higher gain amps (mesa, engl)

I tried out one of the Carvins, and while great quality, not really the thick low end for metal. Much more of a solo'ing amp. Good stuff though.

 

[VesuviusJay]

Definately death/grind etc. Which is why I am considering krank. It seems they have a nice band list. The carvin V3 is supposed to be Carvin's answer to the triple rec, but it hasnt been released yet.

I will attempt to try the krank and the V3 and post my findings.

And thats just the thing, I really don't want to sound exactly like any other band I have heard... I want to develop my own uniqe tone.

 

[wishtheend]

And thats just the thing, I really don't want to sound exactly like any other band I have heard... I want to develop my own uniqe tone.

Well, unless you have a custom built amp, your tone will be alike someone else's, somewhere in time. Remember, a good EQ pedal or rack is really going to help shape your tone beyond the basic 3-knobs of the amp. Since you are going for death/grind, belive it or not, a fair amount of them use solid states.

And my mistake on the V3, the one I played was the Legacy series. As of now, Carvin hasn't even made statement about the V3. But from the reads, sounds good =)

 

[VesuviusJay]

Thanks for all your help, I am amazed more people don't utilize this BBS to help make informed decisions. \m/

 

[wishtheend]

No prob man. I really wish I would of had people throwing out ideas when I started amp shoping. I had people pointing me towards Marshalls and Line6's and if I would have gone through with it, I'd be shooting my self in the head! And get us some recordings, I need some more death/grind to rock out to at work. \m/

 

[metalhead28]

Thought this might be a good bit to add to this thread!

Best Death/Grind guitar tones I've heard live and the amps:
(these are all fairly recent because my memory ain't that good!!)

Cattle Decapitation >>Bogner Uberschall + Engl half stacks (split signal) (fucking amazing! )

Suffocation >> Peavey XXX full stacks

Vader >> JCM2000 half stacks

Behemoth >> 5150 II half stacks

 

[wishtheend]

Now if only Bogners didn't cost as much as a house

 

[CyanJaguar]

i think we really need to distiguish between metal and death metal tones here.

metal tones are going to be got using a mesa or 5150, ala metallica and the pseudo metal bands out there -seether, evanescence etc you get the picture

For death metal, you need something more defined and crisp. Something that talks authoritatively. some of this comes from the eq applied and the guitar used- imho, a 7string will be better for death than a 6 string.

That said, death tone is pretty easy to get. heavily detuned guitars, lots of bass, and TURNED DOWN gain so it can speak with authority not whisper screamingly. I have heard a 5150 do some good death tones. Listen to the last part of the first clip on this page.

the great dividers. I believe that is a 5150 but you can get that tone with just about any decent higain amp, solidstate or not, just turn the gain down a bit.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...8/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-5057991-9787143