Opeth Tone? Need Help

[shredhead72]

Hey all. Is there an Opeth like Tone in the Mark V? I know Mike mainly used a Boss GT8 and Laney amps for most of the albums and is now using an Axe-FX but I'm just a little frustrated with the V. I never seem to get that "Oh Yeah!" sound out of it.

I'm running the Combo and to be honest, I've had a difficult time getting good tone other than a lead from the Mark IV. I've had the amp for about 3 years now and have a love/hate relationship with it. I'm playing a Gibson Les Paul Traditional with 57' classic PUPS. I play Metal, mainly, and also do alot of crystal clean passages.

I hate to resign myself to the fact that I just may not be a Boogie guy. Any thoughts, suggestions?

 

[Demon Of The Fall]

have you try it with a 4x12 cab ? I have a combo too and the best sound is with a 4x12 cab rather than de black shadow speaker.

greetings
DZ

 

[shredhead72]

I would like to try it with a 4x12, but my house would probably rip apart at the seams.... which would be pretty metal \m/_

 

[pivot]

Get some newer pickups Maybe Burst Buckers or something with more edge and less bottom end then the stock lp pickups they will muddy up the tone!!! My friend makes some pickups called Diablos that are in all of my guitars now check them out http://www.guitar-logistics.com/pickups.html
An ep booster at the end of the effects loop with the volume all the way down, use c90's speakers or EV's (4x12's cranked if not 2x12 with c90/ev mix. Most importantly play it loud with a band or with the cd cranked sometimes people will try and emulate the bass guitar and the lead instead of just the lead.

BTW Which album the latest one sounds completely different The setting below will work for Damnation and Deliverance
Channel 4 in V EQ but bring the 750 up a hair above the bottom line ( play around with this one it will get you to Opeth Territory) above the line
Mark 4 mode
Channel Volume 10:30
Pres 10:30
Bass 9::15 (Need to be careful not to crank this one use the eq for low end instead)
Treb 1:30
Gain 2:15
Mid 10:15
Bright Switch On

 

[shredhead72]

Thanks, Pivot. I am going to play with the settings you suggested.

As far as the pickups, I like the 57 Classics, but noticed they do get very bass-y. It's the only guitar I have that I'm afraid to do any work on... yet, it's the only one I play consistently.

I'm actually thinking of Trading in my Jackson King V pro (1994) for the Akerfledt or Axesson signature PRS model.

 

[pivot]

Bad Ass!! Let me know how the Akerfledt or Axesson signature PRS model work out they are priced really well and look like amazing guitars!

 

[shredhead72]

I certainly will. I hope to grab one by the end of the year.

My favorite album of theirs is Still Life, though I love the sound on Ghost Reveries too.

Also, any thought son if EL34's will make that much of a noticeable difference in the combo?

 

[shredhead72]

Hey all, just an update. I played the PRS SE Akerfeldt today (through a Mark V - 2x12 Orange Cab). I wasn't overly impressed with the feel of the guitar. Compared to my LP Traditional, it kind of felt like a toy. Granted it was the wall demo guitar, strings were rusted, it was impossible to keep in tune and it needed a setup badly. It sounded killer (I normally play a Mark V combo), but I don't think I would spend the money to add it to my collection, right now. I'm probably being over critical, but those are my initial thoughts. I also hated the placement of the toggle switch. The guitar looked much nicer in the pictures than it did in person.

This experience lead me to a few conclusions:

1) I really need at least a 2x12 hooked up to my amp. I couldn't believe the difference between the combo and what I played today. It sounded like a different amp.

2) I think the 57 Classic PUPS in my LP have to go. I think I'm going to go with a Duncan JB SH-4 in the bridge and the SH-2N Jazz in the neck.... thoughts?

 

[screamingdaisy]

The Recto 2x12 will give you a pretty significant improvement in tone over the combo speaker for hard rock and metal.

The JB/Jazz is a pretty classic pairing that's served plenty of metal players well.

 

[Demon Of The Fall]

I play a SG special with JB/Jazz and it sounds great, it is not entirely a metal sound, but with a boost you can get those tones. The drop D sound great. For more metal tones I play a jackson DK3 (japan) with emg 81x and 85x (compare to 81 and 85 are far more organic).

I must say that the combination JB/Jazz plus MKV its extremly versatile.

greetings
DZ

 

[jb's 52]

As far as the pickups, I like the 57 Classics, but noticed they do get very bass-y. It's the only guitar I have that I'm afraid to do any work on... yet, it's the only one I play consistently.

I have a similar LP Trad w/57's and a MV combo set up as well.
The combo and the LP with the neck or both pups on full sounds
bassy to me as well.

I had to add a 1x12 with a V30 to brighten/tighten/crunch it up.
Also, I found that if I run both pups on the LP at the same time,
I need to dial out the neck pup about 3/4's of the way to get it to
sound the way I like it. On my tele, I actually need to add bass...hehe.

Good luck!!!

 

[shredhead72]

It never ends!

I would like to add another speaker to the mix... maybe after I change the pickups I'll put some cash aside for a 2x12.

 

[mesa metal]

recto 2x12 is the way to go....i have an almost perfect opeth tone...alot is due to the preamp tubes in the V :twisted:
and months of tweaking..

 

[ixoye777]

$100 says you waste a TON of time and money trying to make the V into what you are hearing in your head only to find out it just isn't that. You already know the basic tone of each mode in the amp. If none of that fits the sound in your head then you need a different amp. I wouldn't waste $ on pups, cabs, speakers, etc which only TWEAK the basic tone the amp is already putting out. The V just prob isn't your amp.

 

[mesa metal]

if you really want the opeth tone..get a laney!! :twisted:
ihave as of lately changed the tone of my amp to the evil side and i love it
theee most versatile amp EVER!!

 

[xyrium]

I have a Trad and a MkV. Immediately I dumped the stock pups, and I dropped in a Seymour Duncan Jazz/Distortion combo. That got me closer to the aggressive tone I was seeking. Then I placed an overdrive pedal in front. This combo made the entire texture of things clearer, yet meaner and more complex.

A single amp and cab will probably not get what you're hearing on a well produced song unless you double track your stuff. Most recordings have at least two layers, if not more, of guitar tracks during a song. There's much more to a recording artist's sound than his gear.

The JB is indeed on my list as well. I might have to pick up another Trad first.

 

[shredhead72]

So, I ordered the JB/Jazz for the LP Trad. I'll get them installed after x-mas and report back. I don't find the amount of gain to be the issue, but note clarity.

 

[xyrium]

Ok, so here's how this works now. You take a day off of work next week, pick up a new set of strings and a soldering iron, then report back IMMEDIATELY!

I'm eager to learn what you think of that JB. I just posted a large statement about the clarity which a decent OD pedal can add to your amp. I highly suggest it if that JB can't bring what you're seeking. I had a JB in a Jackson Soloist about 10 years ago. That thing was clear as a bell. I'm actualy surprised I didn't try that in my LP first.

 

[shredhead72]

Ha. Wish I could. I'll get them on x-mas and get them installed that week. I'm really looking forward to them.

I'll check out your post as well, although, I think I read it already.

 

[shredhead72]

Here's an update. I got the JB & Jazz installed on my Les Paul... and they sound killer! They are crisp, articulate and punchy. I strum chords with high gain and can hear every note. The neck pickup feels less "liquidy" for melodic one note or solo passages, but it's nice and clean.

I'm very happy with the change in tone.