Can a Mark IV sound as aggressive as a Mark III?

[Kung-Fool]

I've been seriously thinking about picking up a Mark III blue or green stripe to go along with my Racktifier. Lately though it seems the prices have been going up and it's getting hard to find one in good condition. For a few hundred more I could get a mint Mark IV. For the most part I've stayed away from the IV because I like to keep things simple and I know I wouldn't use the ton of features it has. Can it get the same aggressive rhythm tones that the III can get?

 

[Russ]

The Lead channel makes for one of the most aggressive rhythms I have found.

 

[Russ]

I dig my JCM800 2210 for Metallica stuff that the Mark IV doesn't cover.

 

[Russ]

Yeah RTL is in spades man...

 

[Schmoog]

Don't forget that before james got the IIC he was using a jcm800 that was modified by jose arrendondo or whatever that guys name is

 

[Bullen]

I believe the Arrendondo modded Marshall was stolen on the Kill ém all tour, and I think it was a modded Plexi or pre master vol JPM, not a JCM 800. I have a picture of it somewhere.

From what I can remember, RTL was recorded with a stock JCM 800 Marshall head (that James supposedly found in a shop in Kopenhagen. The only one apperantly up to his standard as he had searched for one for some time), boosted with a tube screamer.

 

[Schmoog]

guess I got my facts twisted. I concede defeat.....

 

[Bullen]

I got way too much useless information in my head.

 

[Vigo1999]

I got way too much useless information in my head.

dont forget all the trips to the neighbour Netherlands . . . :wink:

 

[Bullen]

Ha, that´s also true.

 

[fpoon]

Can a Mark IV sound as aggressive as a Mark III?


Never played a Mark III, to be honest I don't care, but the Mark IV is the freakin best amp out there and probably ever will be so yes iit's hell of a lot more aggresive if you know what your doing.

 

[Bullen]

If having a more active presence means aggression, then yes, the Mark III is more agressive. It can get very "icepicky" in a way that the Mark IV can´t.

 

[Schmoog]

the mark III has a much more aggressive midrange shape than the IV. the mark III will produce a VERY crunchy tone, like a jcm 800 with 3 channels and 2 extra gain stages. the mark IV has a much more contoured midrange, that isn't so in your face. will produce a smoother, sweeter distortion, kind of like a super tight super versatile dual rec. its not a matter of better or worse, just a matter of taste.

 

[Russ]

I believe the Arrendondo modded Marshall was stolen on the Kill ém all tour, and I think it was a modded Plexi or pre master vol JPM, not a JCM 800. I have a picture of it somewhere.

From what I can remember, RTL was recorded with a stock JCM 800 Marshall head (that James supposedly found in a shop in Kopenhagen. The only one apperantly up to his standard as he had searched for one for some time), boosted with a tube screamer.

The Arrendondo head on Kill 'em All was Kirk's. They still have it. However they got others to tour with and for whatever reason (theft) they kind of moved on. Kirk still has his though. I have seen shots of their gear hear and htere from studio and it is seen here and there.

James was known to use a Rat. Not a RAT but a Rat. The Rat was not used after RTL. James said that the ditortion pedals just sounded like a pedal after a while and didn't want it to be the basis of their sound. Kirk on the other hand used and continued to use tubescreamers though and likes them still along with his wah.

 

[Bullen]

I´ve never heard that the modded Marshall was Kirks. I know that their main Mark IIC+ was Kirks though.

James has said in interviews that the Marshall head he used on KEA was stolen, and that he had trouble finding a new one that was good enough.

He also claimed in the sept 91 issue of Guitar World (yes, I´m getting old) that he did use a Tube Screamer on his rhythm tone on RTL. He also said, as you did, that he didn´t really like using pedals, but that he got it to work eventually.

 

[Russ]

I know that I read that about the Arrendondo head somewhere I will have to dig it up. Anyhow, it appears that Kirk has shown James a thing or two about gear. I know that James seems really gear centered/conscious but I think that is because it was something that he was weak in his knowledge base originally. Why else would he have such an affliction and particularity about it for? This is not to say that he wasn't at all concerned about his tone but maybe he has learned something and is now more conscious than he would have been. Take for example, the knockoff V that he used to play, or then the switch from stock Gibsons to modified then to hotrodded ESP's and others. He was even using all kinds of stuff for the Black album just to find the right tones. This was something that not only affected his guitar choices but his amp choices as well.

 

[Schmoog]

well, as far as metallica goes, theyre best tone in my opinion is when they were using the IIC's and leaving the mids in. black album when the scooped the mids the tone sucked. god I wish james never switched to the dual rec.....

 

[paleamberglow]

I read that on Ride The Lightning they borrowed Marshalls from the band Mercyful Fate while they were recording in Copenhagen.

 

[mr_fender]

I don't know if I'd call playing with an orchestra gay. I mean everyone is entitled to their opinion, and classical music is not for everyone (neither is metal for that matter!). But I do know that a lot of people don't want to play and hear the exact same music for 20+ years. You have to branch out a bit eventually. I like Metallica as much as the next guy, but I do find myself getting tired of it after a while and will switch gears to something totally different (blues, jazz, classical, etc.) I don't really care for the S&M album much, but there are a few cool tracks on it. By the way, ...And Justice for All was the album with the horribly scooped mids and virtually NO bass guitar track at all. I love the songs on that album, but don't really care for the overly winey, nasal guitar tones, and Bass-less mix. The Black album, to my ears at least, sounds a bit more natural with the mids and bass guitar back in the mix. Out of curiousity, does anyone know anything about the gear they used on the Garage Days Re-Revisited EP?

 

[Bluesman]

well, as far as metallica goes, theyre best tone in my opinion is when they were using the IIC's and leaving the mids in. black album when the scooped the mids the tone sucked. god I wish james never switched to the dual rec.....

what's gay is when they started pulling that orchestra bullshit. wtf is that? pantera never did any gay sh!t like that.

Yeah, but Dude, Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power made Metallica's Master of Puppets sound like Celine Dion!