Pedal for Metal

[BoogieTom]

Currently, I have the Express 5:50 2X12. I enjoy playing all styles of music but have noted through experience and posts on this site that the Express line doesn't have that tight high gain distortion which is in the Rectifier and Mark models. I plan on upgrading later, but this amp is only 2 months old and I do like the sound of it. I know that this subject has been beat to death before, :roll: but I was wondering what would be a good pedal for modern metal? I have a $50 gift certificate from Guitar Center where I bought my Express and want to put it toward a good pedal. Thanks.

 

[Newysurfer]

Currently, I have the Express 5:50 2X12. I enjoy playing all styles of music but have noted through experience and posts on this site that the Express line doesn't have that tight high gain distortion which is in the Rectifier and Mark models. I plan on upgrading later, but this amp is only 2 months old and I do like the sound of it. I know that this subject has been beat to death before, :roll: but I was wondering what would be a good pedal for modern metal? I have a $50 gift certificate from Guitar Center where I bought my Express and want to put it toward a good pedal. Thanks.

I'd ask the pedal geeks at the gear page http://www.thegearpage.net/board/forumdisplay.php?f=4

but what I use for metal is an MI-Audio Crunchbox mid scooped with either the 5:50's contour pot (in crunch mode) or an MXR EQ pedal. Crunchbox is a very high gain Marshall clone but turns into a great modern metal pedal when mid-scooped. Other specialist metal pedals include the Blackstar, Tube Zone, EH Metal Muff. There's a few others I've forgotten but stay clear of the Boss MT-2. Hate that fizzy can of bees :mrgreen:

 

[TimeSignature]

If you are NOT going to use your amps gain .... I'd get the Metal Muff. Its pretty cool!

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

Wampler Triple Wreck is pretty serious.

 

[EtherealWidow]

CMATMODS Deluxe Signa Comp. I always thought I'd be better off with a distortion or a boost, but the compressor adds so much clarity with high gain. Really brings back a nice organic sound to the strings. Lively sounding. You can just hear that the strings are made from metal, you know? Makes the difference between new and old strings HUGE which I think is an aspect that's lost when the gain is turned up on most amps. Try some comps, see if a compressor could potentially do something for you. If you like the compressors I'd completely recommend the CMATMODS Deluxe SignaComp though. The tone knob adds even more EQ options, and the sustain is actually the threshold. It's just a really good sounding pedal. I thought I was good to go with just the Thiele cab, but I don't turn my amp on anymore without that comp.

 

[Newysurfer]

If you are NOT going to use your amps gain .... I'd get the Metal Muff. Its pretty cool!

I have a Metal Muff. It's good but I much prefer a Crunchbox and this Blackstar

http://proguitarshop.com/store/effects-distortion-pedals-blackstar-distortion-pedals-c-602_12_587/blackstar-ht-distx-p-1625

 

[Heritage Softail]

Lots of great suggestions and I have to + the Triple Wreck and the compressor idea. I heard the Barber Tone Press getting much love on here, and then also the Xotic Boost Pedals. Ended up buying the Barber Tone Press and the AC Boost. The Xotic BB Preamp has a big following. Not sure where you are but if you can get to a store that has the RC/AC/BB preamp boosts by Xotic, they are good pedals and do what the advertising hype says. Keeley and Diamond make great compressors to try out if you are going to consider one. Some of the cheap compressors have so many negatives I would rather run without a compressor than have a cheap POS unit.

Thread search the Xotic BB boost pedal on here. LOTS of posts.

Good luck on your tone quest.

 

[EtherealWidow]

I'm restringing my guitar tomorrow. Maybe I'll make a vid of how AWESOME the CMATMODS is.

 

[soundchaser59]

CMATMODS Deluxe Signa Comp.....but I don't turn my amp on anymore without that comp.

I have his Deluxe "Ross" Comp on my Frenzel, and Deluxe Signa Comp on my Express, both stay on all the time for leads. I let the Liquid Blues handle all the rhythm stuff, but even the Liquid Blues is much bigger and more lively if I pound it with a Signa Comp. Really love Chads pedals, especially the Butah low gain overdrive, huge home run with that one!

 

[BoogieTom]

Thanks Guys for your response. I listened to most of the pedals on You Tube. I queried some of them on the Guitar Center site to see if they carried any you listed. I think I'm going to go with the MI Crunch Box. It sounded great on the You Tube videos with some tight overdrive, which was what I was looking for. The other one I was looking at was the Triple Wreck, but Guitar Center didn't carry it. I may try one of those compressors later. I can only spend so much this time. The 1399.00 I paid for the EXpress was enough to put me over my music budget for the year. Thanks again.

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

Triple Wrecks, if I'm not mistaken, are only available through a few vendors.
Primarily;
http://www.indy-guitarist.com/

 

[EtherealWidow]

Here's that vid as promised. I still think a compressor would give you a MUCH tighter tone. That's just me though. I'm absolutely smitten over this pedal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPNk9cio9Cc

 

[EtherealWidow]

CMATMODS Deluxe Signa Comp.....but I don't turn my amp on anymore without that comp.

I have his Deluxe "Ross" Comp on my Frenzel, and Deluxe Signa Comp on my Express, both stay on all the time for leads. I let the Liquid Blues handle all the rhythm stuff, but even the Liquid Blues is much bigger and more lively if I pound it with a Signa Comp. Really love Chads pedals, especially the Butah low gain overdrive, huge home run with that one!

To be honest, I just had some money burning a hole in my pocket and was half planning on selling the thing immediately. That is of course, til I plugged it into the amp. I was seriously THAT taken over with it. NEVER thought I'd be a comp kind of guy, but what do you know. Best **** pedal I've ever played through. I'd like to try some of his other pedals, but I'm a little scared. I don't have that kind of money and I don't want to go through the pain of parting with them...

 

[Heritage Softail]

Here's that vid as promised. I still think a compressor would give you a MUCH tighter tone. That's just me though. I'm absolutely smitten over this pedal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPNk9cio9Cc

Toward the end of the vid, the playing without the compressor sound better. IMO the compressor is a good "effect" but it is set so hard that it really changes the dynamic of your sound. Your individual style gets squeezed out of the tone. Can you dail it back a little? In your case, I think the overuse of the effect is detacting from your sense of touch coming out in the slower leads. Hard compression sounds good for the shreddy licks at the start, but still, as good as you play, the overuse of the effect makes you sound more average and less excellent.

Just my $.02.

 

[RectoStudioGuy]

Compression can be a tricky thing. Like delays levels, it's easy to fall into the more is better trap. I've always used a trick of once I've found a spot I like alot, leave the settings and come back to them the next day to see if I still like it. Often times I've found that I've over done it and dial it back a touch. But I definately do like a 'touch' of compression for some of the slower melodic leads. (ala gilmour, dimeola, fripp, etc.)

 

[soundchaser59]

don't have that kind of money and I don't want to go through the pain of parting with them...

If I were to recommend one, just one, it would be the Butah. I hate to admit it but I think every pedal I have was bought, sold and bought again......I tried enough and realized I liked the ones I sold, so I bought them again.....

Every pedal I have....... except the Butah. It is the ONLY pedal I've bought once and never sold.......and never will. I would love to try his Brownie, but I just dont want that much gain. But i bet at low settings it sounds great.

 

[EtherealWidow]

Here's that vid as promised. I still think a compressor would give you a MUCH tighter tone. That's just me though. I'm absolutely smitten over this pedal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPNk9cio9Cc

Toward the end of the vid, the playing without the compressor sound better. IMO the compressor is a good "effect" but it is set so hard that it really changes the dynamic of your sound. Your individual style gets squeezed out of the tone. Can you dail it back a little? In your case, I think the overuse of the effect is detacting from your sense of touch coming out in the slower leads. Hard compression sounds good for the shreddy licks at the start, but still, as good as you play, the overuse of the effect makes you sound more average and less excellent.

Just my $.02.

It's funny that you say that. I keep watching the video because I really like the rhythm sound without the compressor. I must have done a hell of a job micing it because in person I think the compressed sound kicks the crap out of the bypassed sound. I also need to adjust to the new strings though. The D'addario's are a lot brighter than the Elixers I was previously using. And which sound towards the end did you mean? All the clean stuff was compressed.

 

[Newysurfer]

Thanks Guys for your response. I listened to most of the pedals on You Tube. I queried some of them on the Guitar Center site to see if they carried any you listed. I think I'm going to go with the MI Crunch Box. It sounded great on the You Tube videos with some tight overdrive, which was what I was looking for. The other one I was looking at was the Triple Wreck, but Guitar Center didn't carry it. I may try one of those compressors later. I can only spend so much this time. The 1399.00 I paid for the EXpress was enough to put me over my music budget for the year. Thanks again.

I think the Crunchbox is a great choice for Mesa owners cause is delivers fantastic Marshall JCM distortion that Mesa's can't do. Gives you a totally different flavour of high gain. Plus it morf's into a great modern metal pedal when mid scooped. It's got a ton of gain, true bypass, built like a brick & costs $110. Can't beat it :mrgreen:

 

[Heritage Softail]

Here's that vid as promised. I still think a compressor would give you a MUCH tighter tone. That's just me though. I'm absolutely smitten over this pedal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPNk9cio9Cc

Toward the end of the vid, the playing without the compressor sound better. IMO the compressor is a good "effect" but it is set so hard that it really changes the dynamic of your sound. Your individual style gets squeezed out of the tone. Can you dail it back a little? In your case, I think the overuse of the effect is detacting from your sense of touch coming out in the slower leads. Hard compression sounds good for the shreddy licks at the start, but still, as good as you play, the overuse of the effect makes you sound more average and less excellent.

Just my $.02.

It's funny that you say that. I keep watching the video because I really like the rhythm sound without the compressor. I must have done a hell of a job micing it because in person I think the compressed sound kicks the crap out of the bypassed sound. I also need to adjust to the new strings though. The D'addario's are a lot brighter than the Elixers I was previously using. And which sound towards the end did you mean? All the clean stuff was compressed.

From 3:30 to about 4:00 in where you said you were turnin it off. The gain was a little lower and the sound was good for the style being played. I like bluesy metal though....

 

[EtherealWidow]

You should check out Ephel Duath then, Softail. You might like their album "Pain Necessary to Know."