Hey, I guess the DC-3 can do metal!

[LEVEL4]

At first I was disappointed with the lead channel of my new, used DC-3 (especially after demoing some Mark IVs recently). Got TungSols in the preamp stage and JJs in the power stage. Initially, recordings were boxey, flat, and lacked punch. Then I just recorded these settings with a large-diaphragm condensor mic, an AT3035, which is a fairly "bright" but flat mic.

GAIN: 10
PRESENCE: 10
TREBLE: 10
MID: 3
BASS: 2

GEQ: Classic 'V' except with 80Hz fader FLAT.

Gonna try double-miking the cab now, adding an SM57 right into the cone. I'm still Jonesing for a Mark IV head, but I'm thinking I'll just keep my little DC-3 head and throw it into a combo cab to take to friend's houses and stuff (and gigging, if I ever start to gig). The Mark IV (if I ever find one) will stay at home with my rack gear for recording.

Anyone else here playing metal using a DC-3?

 

[Hanslow]

You got a recording available that people can listen to? Would be interested to hear what you are getting

 

[edward]

Food for thought: get a thiele cab loaded with the EVM. Mic this bad boy and you will melt with liquid metal

Edward

 

[Monsta-Tone]

You will love the combo with a V30 and an EV Thiele. It kicks ass!!!

 

[LEVEL4]

Thanks for your replies. Well, it's really weird trying to record this amp. I tweak it until it sounds good to my ears, but then it doesn't go down in the recording that way. Lead-channel rhythms always come out muddy, too compressed, and doesn't cut through the mix at all. As bright and metallic a tone I get from the GEQ to my ears, when recorded, it gets very flattened out.

Now, before you say it's my mics, speakers, cab or something, it's not. I record my 6505 through the same mics, speakers and everything, and I get full-on metal insanity, with HUGE dynamics, and LOADS of treble, TONS of bass response, very in-your-face presence, rockin' punch, and, dare I say it? Clarity! I'm finding this DC-3 EXTEREMELY difficult to record faithfully. With my 6505, I just turn on the mics, and go!

You got a recording available that people can listen to? Would be interested to hear what you are getting.

Sure. As soon as I can record something decent, I'll throw it up on MySpace or something.

Food for thought: get a thiele cab loaded with the EVM. Mic this bad boy and you will melt with liquid metal.

Thanks. Don't worry. I've been eyeing one of those 1x12 Thieles with GREAT interest lately.

You will love the combo with a V30 and an EV Thiele. It kicks ass!!!

Thanks! So, you're saying, put a Celestion V30 and an EV in a Thiele 2x12?

 

[LEVEL4]

Okay, so I set aside my favorite guitar, my American Fender HM Strat for awhile. It's an HSS-configuration Strat with a DiMarzio Super Distortion humbucker in the bridge position (and a Kahler locking tremolo). So, I pick up my drop-D tuned Les Paul Studio, with its stock humbuckers, plug it into my DC-3 for the first time, and proceed to record eight measures of a low-chorded rhythm progression with some chunka-chunkas (still using my single AT3035 condensor, since it's my "brightest" mic).

WOW! NICE! A surprisingly HUGE difference. Has that signature Mesa growly tone. Still not as "snappy" as my 6505 (guess that's why I plan on keeping my 6505), but it sounds GOOD. I guess this DC-3 doesn't like DiMarzios, at least for growly rhythm metal tones.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

What I meant was:

1x12 combo with a V30 or a C90. Personally, I like the C90 better.
and
1x12 Thiele with an EV.

I used this combination for a while and it was absolutely spectacular.


I don't think that you will get the same distortion as the 6505 though. The DC wasn't meant for that.

Here's a link to a friend of mine who bought a DC-3 from me. It has the stock V30: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=41890987

The guy is slightly off, but he writes good music. And you should see the whores that he has for My Space friends! :lol: Oh, wait a minute, they're all whores on My Space. :lol:

 

[LEVEL4]

I don't think that you will get the same distortion as the 6505 though. The DC wasn't meant for that.

Thanks, No I wasn't expecting that. I was looking for something different. Something that would contrast well with my 6505. Yeah, I've seen that link. I LOVE that guy's sound!

 

[al3d]

Comeone mate..we wanna hear a sample..

 

[fdesalvo]

Dude, I rana DC3 through an old school halfback 4/12 with EV/C90...wow. The head sounded like ass thorugh a Recto 2/12 with v30s. The 4/12 was a revelation.