Death Magnetic settings (RkII)

[dba1337]

Sup, so I just listened to death magnetic and the rguitar sounds are insane! Really tight and punchy, now I know that metallica use bout a 100 different amps when recording but if anyone could give me any advice to dial in their tones for my roadking 2 which is played through a recto cab I would be really grateful.
I'm looking for the cleans and lead sound from the day that never comes in particular and also the rhythm tones from pretty much all the songs on death magnetic. If it helps I also have access to an overdrive, 10 band mxr EQ and of course a wah pedal for the leads. Thanks!

 

[kingster911]

I'd say on our amp for the rhythms Ch. 4 modern. I usually use it with just the EL's. Dial in the EQ on that too and scoop it?

 

[nathan28]

The cleans you can't come close, james uses a roland jc-120 solid state amp for his cleans. No matter how you try and dial the rkii in your channel one and two will be way too warm too match his cleans. Death Magnetic uses razor sharp attack on all of the high gain stuff, the rkII cant match that either.You will definitely have to boost a lot if you are going to come close. I personally think the guitar tones on death magnetic suck. But that is just my opinion.

 

[kingster911]

They are a little big and blocky, which makes me wonder what amps they were using. But at the same time I really like 'em, blaring enough that it IS Metallica. But I think we can all agree that just like with St. Anger they tried almost too hard to be modern a little bit, some of the songs have a modern metal/rock feel to the grooves which is way different for these guys.

 

[stompboxfreak72]

There are some seriously fizzy guitar tones on Death Magnetic. It's like they used Guitar Rig to record with and did not know how to dial it in.

 

[kingster911]

Well I listened more today and you guys are right they do sound a little tinny and metallic (in an uncolored sort of way) but hey at least the snare doesn't sound like a trashcan. Anyone know if Hetfield was using Diezel on this album? And any clue at all what amps Kirk might've used?

 

[Skully]

Well I listened more today and you guys are right they do sound a little tinny and metallic (in an uncolored sort of way) but hey at least the snare doesn't sound like a trashcan.

Your right, it doesn't. It sounds like a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[Fixxer6671]

Well I listened more today and you guys are right they do sound a little tinny and metallic (in an uncolored sort of way) but hey at least the snare doesn't sound like a trashcan. Anyone know if Hetfield was using Diezel on this album? And any clue at all what amps Kirk might've used?

Diezel, and Randalls....

Mesas were used in the mission metallica, specifically TOV's and the mesa express amps.

The dryness, is a characteristic of the Diezel and Randall tones

 

[dba1337]

How do you get this "dry" tone with the roadking , my rhythm tones sound pretty good right now but my cleans and lead tones don't get very close to their tone. Any sample settings?

 

[ShamefulAddiction]

Why would you want your Road King to sound like a SS sand paper slap accross the face?

 

[Rocky]

Well I listened more today and you guys are right they do sound a little tinny and metallic (in an uncolored sort of way) but hey at least the snare doesn't sound like a trashcan. Anyone know if Hetfield was using Diezel on this album? And any clue at all what amps Kirk might've used?

Diezel, and Randalls....

Mesas were used in the mission metallica, specifically TOV's and the mesa express amps.

The dryness, is a characteristic of the Diezel and Randall tones

The Diezel amps I have used were anything but dry sounding.

I think the dryness of the production on the new Metallica is to be expected....Rick Rubin tends t produce things rather dry.

 

[konstantine RK]

I agree with the post above,

Rubin gets to the bones of songs. You hear hardly any of the bass in the guitar mix. I like the record alot (Death Magnetic) I think it's the record they should have produced instead of that POS "And Justice for all".

This record has the songwriting signatures of more than just Lars and James.

Actually Cliff was their best songwriter, I am very excited for Metallica because HEtfield was always someone I patterned my playing and singing after. And...Hetfield has one of the best picking hands in the biz (and I dont mean boogers).

If you all were expecting Puppets pt 2 then maybe next time....but this one definatly reminded me of Kill em all.

Cant abide by the Randall tone, but you can mix a Peavey duece just as well as a Mesa if you got the money.

 

[kingster911]

Did you just call ...And Justice For All a piece of s**t album? What is wrong with this man?! I can hear the guitarport sound you guys were thinking of whoever said that, how the guitars kind-of carry over a little dirty sound even in the dark, but the best thing about this album is that it is LOUD, and not very clippy loud just blaring. I guess it's the Randall that did it for Kirk. I've got pretty good little lead tones from his octave part in the beginning of "The Day That Never Comes" on Ch. 4 on my RKII.

 

[konstantine RK]

Yep I said it and Im not taking it back. And Justice for all is a piece of **** album.

Aside from the comparisons of the best guitar parts of Master of Puppets, there is no bass and what good is a loudly mastered/mixed album (in 1989) if most metallica fans were still unable to afford Klipsh speakers?

I still had a stereo with a plastic cover for the phonograph on top. Anyhow I thought the leads were sub standard, the songwriting was cookie cutter but I will say that the energy was the bright spot of Justice. And the one song that cut to the condensed clean guitar part that James fingerpicked...that song was ok except there is no bass to be heard.

And I also saw that tour and Metallica kinda sucked ... they started playing "Twist of Cain" after they dropped the ball on one of the 6 minute numbers.

Hey, its just my opinion so pass it up and keep on walkin with a purpose bro!

 

[nathan28]

Ok guys this is a mesa forum not a metallica bash forum. I definitely think the songs on death magnetic are killer. Production and sound quality and guitar tones not so much. But for what it is it is a great album. And no matter what fanboys or haters say: This world needs metallica and metallica have made some amazing music and have sold millions of albums. so shutup everyone and go play your guitar through your mesa.

 

[decosimo]

From the clips i have heard I really like the guitar tones on DM. And I am not a metallica fan. Don't own any of their albums. Kind of neutral on them actually. to me they do sound like a mesa though.

 

[konstantine RK]

shut up?

First you call me gay for my panic button lol and now we all have to stop discussing Metallica and shut up??

this is a forum so we are discussing TONE and songwriting. Yes Metallica is one of my favorite bands that I patterned myself after, I love their sound and their songs but they have had some less than stellar albums since Master of Puppets.

I like Death Magnetic alot and Im gonna get tickets to see this music performed live.

 

[nathan28]

Sorry for disagreeing with your panic button, i was having a bad day and i felt like sh i tting on someone.lol I've already got my tickets to the columbus, oh show section 101 one row back from the front, Death magnetic is a great album, i dig it bigtime but i have to say the cd itself doesnt sound too good. i said lets shutup because metallica bashers and fanboys are the worlds worst for hijacking threads and ruining everything. This isnt metallica.com anyways. james and kirk quit using mesa amps years ago other than for rehearsing.

 

[Klaasman]

December issue of Guitar World has an interview with James and he says he went back to using his MKII c+ on this album.
I also saw in the videos at HQ, he was using two KRANK amps.

 

[kingster911]

I just got the same Guitar World mag. He does say he went back to his first No-Name V and Mark II-C+ "crunch berries."