Getting really brutal tone out of my MKIV

[Golden1984]

Hello.
It may be funny for many of you, but...
I have two MKIV`s (a and b) + DIY Recto preamp as fourth channel and I cannot get a realy brutal tone.
I have a Mesa Recto slant 412 cab with 2 V30s and 2 EVM12L and 1x12 cab witg G12-65.
Alredy tried Marshall 4x12 and about 10 OEM speakers
Gibson SG with EMG 81,60 11-54 tuned to D or drop C, another SG with maple neck and Dirty fingers at the bridge.
Mesa 2x6L6&2xEL34 or Mesa 4xLE34 or Tung Sol 6l6 on power amp.
Bias mod or no bias mod. Tung Sol standard or Tung Sol gold or RFT sets for preamp.
Most of tubes are new.

The problem is I cannot get that 'barking' tone on single fat strings, like in initial riff in 'Before I forget" by Slipknot or those videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwDrVupQqhc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVd1Zr8sHec

I am not talking about overall shape of tone that I can correct with gfaphic EQ or using different mic/speaker, but about this barking, knocking, beating effect when you stroke the single lowest string.


By using Recto preamp + MKIV pwr amp or MKIV alone, I can easily get tones like that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLELtFj16_o

with my sm57, but no way to get that brutal and dirty, barking tonal character on fat strings.
I tried most of settings avalible in web, it changes many things in my tone, but I still cannot make my guitar bark

I have no idea is it guitars or pickup`or I don`t know what`s fault. I love the tone I`m getting out of the amp, but sometimes I need to get that dirt and I know that my amp can do it.

I know that many people tweak MKIVs somehow to get maybe not the most brutal tone one earth, but they are getting the character I`m talking about out of their MK IV`s or V`s. Lamb of God or Petrucci are examples.

Any advice?

Thanks, Peter.

 

[HBob]

Have you seen and tried the MK IV settings that the Lamb of God guys use? They are easy to see on a Premier Guitar Rig Rundown video on YouTube. Petrucci isn't very secretive about his settings either.

 

[Golden1984]

Have you seen and tried the MK IV settings that the Lamb of God guys use? They are easy to see on a Premier Guitar Rig Rundown video on YouTube. Petrucci isn't very secretive about his settings either.

Yes as I wrote, but it still cannot make my quitar sound that way. No brutal character in single notes at fattest strings.

 

[Golden1984]

So maybe this is SG guitar`s fault? Maybe this kind of guitar even with strongest pickups simply cannot knock my amp the way death metal guitars do?

 

[ncdb07]

OK. the 1st two videos are or should be easy to dial in. The guitars are tuned really low. The 1st video the guy says he is in B. The second sounds the same only tighter do to it being a mark series amp. The effect of tuning this low alone should get you close to this sound.

Next, both videos are using a boost pedal. The first an ibanez ts-9. the second a maxon 808. Very similar pedals if not the same circuit. Using these pedals in front of the amp as a clean boost with a minimal amount of gain adds a slight mid boost as well as tightens up the amp. The mid boost combined with the low tuning and tightening up the amp would create the bark as you call it.

Now on to the third video posted. in every clip in that video the amp has no dynamics as the gain has been turned up too high and possibly the treble or presence. this creates a fizzy, flabby, loose tone. with a mark series amp keeping the bass low, moderate mids and working the treble and presence together with a moderate amount of gain should create a very ballsy, in your face tone.

Try this video of John Petrucci setting up his mark V to see what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i24e8icZG1o

 

[redfusionx]

We recorded this several nights ago. Mark IV with a 2x12 Orange cab.

https://soundcloud.com/jkjackson-1/jam-night-03-18-13

I remember the settings we used if you're into that tone.

 

[fretout]

If you can get your tone to sound exactly like how it is in these two videos, PERFECT! I would leave the amp alone since you managed to pull the tone out of it, so the "bark" should be there!

IMHO, I believe the bark, or the sound of the pick hitting the strings is going to come from the guitar. So, here are a few things that will increase your attack...

1. First, you have to start with the pickups. You will need a very hot pickup so that it picks up (ha ha) the subtle nuances of your playing. I believe the Gibson Dirty Fingers PUPs are the hottest pickups Gibson has made to date, so as far as Passives go, you have the best start. I prefer Passives because they have a lower noise signature, but Passives are great because they have more of a taper at the controls, and can be rolled back to a clean tone. Choose what works best for you.

2. The second thing to do is adjust the pickups closer to the strings to achieve more bite. By moving the pickups closer to the strings, they will pick up (ha ha) more subtleties in the way you play. The downside is if you adjust the PUPs to close, they will start sounding thin or narrow. So, to recap, the farther way the Pups are, the guitar will have more sustain and meat, the closer the PUPs are, the more bite FB guitar will have, but it could sound thin if you go to close. Try to find the sweet spot and get the bite you want and the sustain you're looking for.

3. Good ole technique. It goes without saying, but, use a pick. To get the sound you want, you must play with a heavy downstroke, and try to play using as many down strokes as possible. I always downstroke except when playing triplets or quartets, or if I just wanted a different tone other than the " chunk of the downstroke.

Follow these 3 steps and report back. If be willing to bet since you have your amp dialed in where it should be tonally, you just need your guitar to pick up (ha ha) the touch sensitivity of your playing.

Let us know how it works out!