Weak Boss Metal Zone MT-II

[killthepixelnow]

Hello everyone, I'd like you to present an issue that's bothering me a lot: my Boss Metal Zone MT-II stomp box don't have enough juice to kick the amp when I'm in a gig.

If I connect my guitar directly into the amp and use the amp's gain, sounds OK, volume is great but most times the distortion is dreadful (except when somebody put a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier in my rig). When I connect my guitar to the MT-II and the output signal goes into the amp, the sound is weak and it takes a lot to raise the overall level (volume) to cut through the bass and drums.

In my house, when I'm practicing, everything's OK because it's just me and no one else but in the gigs and rehearsal sessions it simple doesn't fit. Sometime I use an ART Tube MP after the MT-II output but this gear is kinda fragile and I don't want to take it to a gig. So, I've been thinking in getting some kind of volume booster (like the MXR Micro Amp pedal); another solution a friend gave me is to use an overdrive before the MT-II, maybe the Ibanez Tube Screamer or the BBE Green Screamer.

I Know the best solution is to get a decent tube head (Mesa Boogie, ENGL, Peavey) but at the moment I don't have the money and a car to transport it to the shows. Any other solution to my problem?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ocnor]

Either you are adjusting the Metal Zone controls incorrectly or the pedal itself is broken. The other thing that could be wrong is that you have bad cables. The problem is most likely one or more of those three things.

 

[killthepixelnow]

Considering I play death metal, I try not to push the level and gain knobs more than 12 o clock'. I prefer to raise the clean levels on the amp so, I assume this is not the problem. Cable is Fender, no problem with that. Then the only option is that the pedal is broken but... it works. Is it possible that the signal coming from the Output has some kind of trouble?

 

[Kingofpain678]

lolyup. Cable says fender on it, that means its not broken.

Seriously though, in order for a guitar to cut through it needs mid range frequencies. The guitar is a mid range instrument.

Seeing as how you play death metal, I would put my money on your "sound" not having any mids.

 

[killthepixelnow]

Seeing as how you play death metal, I would put my money on your "sound" not having any mids.

I try to kill those undesirable mids in the amp EQ... and if that doesn't work I have a 10 band EQ to tweak the sound a little bit more. Main problem is volume, the MT-II seems to be really weak in front of a head and stack. That's the reason I'm considering putting an overdrive before that pedal.

 

[ocnor]

I try to kill those undesirable mids in the amp EQ... and if that doesn't work I have a 10 band EQ to tweak the sound a little bit more. Main problem is volume, the MT-II seems to be really weak in front of a head and stack. That's the reason I'm considering putting an overdrive before that pedal.

Those mids are only undesirable if you want your amp to sound weak and not cut through the mix. Obviously you need to learn how to EQ correctly.

 

[killthepixelnow]

Those mids are only undesirable if you want your amp to sound weak and not cut through the mix. Obviously you need to learn how to EQ correctly.

Here's my EQ setting:
Bass 11 o'clock
Mid: 8-9 o'clock
Treble: 1 o'clock

Sounds is fine to me, I'm more concerned in why the MT-II can't kick the amp.

 

[ocnor]

Here's my EQ setting:
Bass 11 o'clock
Mid: 8-9 o'clock
Treble: 1 o'clock

Sounds is fine to me, I'm more concerned in why the MT-II can't kick the amp.

Isn't it obvious? You need to turn the mids up much higher than that.

 

[Kingofpain678]

So wait, you have the mids on the most distortiony distortion pedal cut, you have the mids on your amp cut, and then you have an eq pedal to cut even more mids?!?!


Young man, your fighting an uphill battle.


Turn your mids up, cut WAY back on the gain, and turn your mids up.

Your guitar doesn't cut through because the guitar is a MIDRANGE instrument. There is a reason a BASS guitar is called a BASS guitar, and I'll bet you that its because it presents BASS frequencies. Now guess what happens if you have no mids in your guitar and there's nothing but bass? The bass and gguitar are going to fight each other and the guitar won't cut through.

Now, distortion at its heart is compression. Over compression makes things sound weak and thin... so guess what happens when you plug into that nasty super-distortion pedal? You get a terrible weak and thin sound.

Now is it just a coincidence that your mids are cut and your using the worst distortion pedal ever and your sound is thin and weak and can't cut through? No.

Turn yours mids way up, turn your gain way down. Wah-lah.

 

[ZoSo58LP]

lol @ an 18 year old calling a 28 year old "young man"

also, QFT:

"Now is it just a coincidence that your mids are cut and your using the worst distortion pedal ever and your sound is thin and weak and can't cut through? No."

god i hate the metal zone..it sounds like such ass. whenever i feel like being metal, i just hit the 'tone shape' button on the JCM and that cuts certain mids..just boost the gain+vol a bit, and bam! you're metal as hell.

 

[Kingofpain678]

lol @ an 18 year old calling a 28 year old "young man"

also, QFT:

"Now is it just a coincidence that your mids are cut and your using the worst distortion pedal ever and your sound is thin and weak and can't cut through? No."

god i hate the metal zone..it sounds like such ass. whenever i feel like being metal, i just hit the 'tone shape' button on the JCM and that cuts certain mids..just boost the gain+vol a bit, and bam! you're metal as hell.

Calm down young'n. You got a few years to go before you can mouth of to me like that.

 

[killthepixelnow]

All I can say to defend myself is "I like the scooped mid metal sound" but, at the same time, I'm starting to think that the only way to go, the right way is to get a killer head amp, take it to the gigs and blow the crowd with massive gain and thick sound.

I'll start saving.

 

[Kingofpain678]

All I can say to defend myself is "I like the scooped mid metal sound" but, at the same time, I'm starting to think that the only way to go, the right way is to get a killer head amp, take it to the gigs and blow the crowd with massive gain and thick sound.

I'll start saving.

Here's a secret - It doesn't matter how much money you spend, you can't uncompress distortion and you can't make a guitar a non-mid-range instrument. You'll never be able to afford to change those two facts.


Your gonna spend all your money on an amp just to use the same eq settings and signal chain and end up with the same problems you're having now.

 

[Armistice]

In my house, when I'm practicing, everything's OK because it's just me and no one else but in the gigs and rehearsal sessions it simple doesn't fit.

No need to defend yourself...

What King of Pain is saying is a response to what you're saying yourself. He's dead right.

Trust me, what sounds good in your lounge room on your own will most likely not sound good on stage when you're playing with drums and bass if you're using a scooped mids strategy.

The mids help define the electric guitars sound when played with other instruments, especially bass/drums.

The aim of the game is to have your guitar sound good in the context of your band, not in your lounge room, so put some mids back and you may be pleasantly surprised.

You can bliss yourself out in your loungeroom all you like - just have two different EQ settings... lounge and band.

 

[killthepixelnow]

The aim of the game is to have your guitar sound good in the context of your band, not in your lounge room, so put some mids back and you may be pleasantly surprised.

I'm gonna put in in practice next time we play in a gig.

 

[legionserial]

An MTII won't 'kick' the amp. It's a distortion pedal and as such already has a thin fizzy sound. You want an overdrive pedal for the extra boost, with just a little bit of overdrive. An overdrive in front of the MTII won't fatten the sound any. It'll be thin and even more distorted...probably pretty muddy too....you don't want to overdo the distortion anyway, or you'll get too much fizz. My advice would be the throw out the MTII (IMO they suck), and put an overdrive in front of the amp.

And yes. Raise the mids or nothing else you do will improve matters.

 

[VESSEL2020]

Dude,..What type of pickups are you using?

I didn't see anywhere, where you listed the type of guitar that you are using?

I saw that you listed a "Fender" guitar cable...

If you are trying to run somethin' like a "Fender" strat or tele,..with single coil
pickups,..into a death metal setup,...You are not gonna have very good results.

Not to cut you down, or anything, but that metal zone pedal is just completely horrible for metal. Boss makes pedals that are a hell of alot better than that one.

Once again,..I don't know what type of pickups you are using...but if they are single coil, and you are tryin' to get a metal sound.....good luck.

Save up and get yourself a good Mesa, H & K warp,...or even a used 5150 or Triple XXX...can be had for $500.00.
But, if you try to run a single coil setup through those amps,...You will end up with the same results. Ya, gotta have a humbucker in there...for that high gain sound.

 

[killthepixelnow]

Dude,..What type of pickups are you using?
I didn't see anywhere, where you listed the type of guitar that you are using?

Sorry for not informing what kind of gear I'm using. Here's it:

- BC Rich Warbeast NJ Deluxe with 81/85 active pickups.
- Jackson RR3 with Duncan Distortion/Duncan JB passive pickups.
- MXR 10 band EQ.

Save up and get yourself a good Mesa, H & K warp,...or even a used 5150 or Triple XXX...can be had for $500.00

That's what I'm gonna do, definitively. By the way, the live best sound I've had occurred when I connected my guitar directly into a head amp and use its own gain.

 

[DrewPeterson7]

When I connect my guitar to the MT-II and the output signal goes into the amp, the sound is weak and it takes a lot to raise the overall level (volume) to cut through the bass and drums.

Ok, I think we're dealing with two separate problems here.

Is it that the pedal just doesn't put out much volume at all, and its quieter than the clean sound? Or is it that it's perfectly loud enough when its just you, but as soon as the bass and drums come in you're getting buried. I.e - is the problem volume as an absolute, or volume relative to bass and drums?

If it's the later, then yeah, it's almost definitely your midrange. Turn it up, that scooped sound is cool and all for bedroom shredding, but gets lost behind a full band. Mids are where it's at, even for very heavy music.

 

[Guitargodgt]

Man guitar tone is so many things.


I'll +1 the 5150.

Buy one used, they seem to by up a little the average price I see is $650. I also personally like the 5150 more than the 5150II (and nobody can afford a III haha)

If you go combo, then never mind this next part but if you don't:

Get yourself a 4x12 with vintage 30s. Why? Because they are awesome and have a very nice natural lower mid range bark to them. Try avatar for this as cabs with vintage 30s are not cheap.

Don't go with something like a marshall 1960A because honestly T-75 speakers have this upper end fuzzy shrill thing to them with the 5150. T-75 speakers are great for a lot of amps, but they don't really give the bite 30s do.

Modify or get rid of the metal zone. I had one that I modded and it's actually very usable once you do that, but it's such a thin crappy pedal as a stock unit.

Honestly a guitar (with decent pups, your emg 85/81 guitar probably sounds great) into a 5150 head into a cab with vintage 30s is just about the best thing ever for budget metals (IMO of course).