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What gear do you have ?


Apoc

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  • 3 weeks later...

Amp wise I use a Line6 Spider Valve, which kicks some serious air movement. Guitars, a Gibson Les Paul Custom, and Schecter Damien Elite 8 are my main guitars, although I also have a Fender Stratocaster with a Jeff BEck Hotrails in the bridge, this is tuned to Open C a la Devin Townsend. You can here how they all sound at Conspires To....

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What gear do you have ?

Just not enough distortion in a BlackStar for my liking....look cool though.
If you hit an amp that does not have very much gain with a tube screamer it usually works really well for getting modern metal levels of gain out of it. Some of my favorite high gain tones have been very low gain amps that have been boosted with a tube screamer or an overdrive of some sort Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Amp wise I use a Line6 Spider Valve, which kicks some serious air movement. Guitars, a Gibson Les Paul Custom, and Schecter Damien Elite 8 are my main guitars, although I also have a Fender Stratocaster with a Jeff BEck Hotrails in the bridge, this is tuned to Open C a la Devin Townsend. You can here how they all sound at Conspires To....
Nice guitars, but I can't stand that amp. I have a Flextone II head, but I only use it for recording certain tones. I've played through a lot of modeling amps that have tubes - Line6, Bogner, Vox - and I've never been convinced. I've heard better live tones out of the AxeFX and Kemper units. I'm really lucky to own my favorite amp that I've played through, a VHT (before they sold the name - now it's Fryette) Pittbull 100CL. It sounds amazing live and in the studio no matter what tuning I'm in.
If you hit an amp that does not have very much gain with a tube screamer it usually works really well for getting modern metal levels of gain out of it. Some of my favorite high gain tones have been very low gain amps that have been boosted with a tube screamer or an overdrive of some sort Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Depends on the amp, but that's very true. Right now I'm using an early 70s 100W Traynor head (based on a Fender design) with a Maxon OD9 in front of it, and when it's cranked, it sounds great - a cross between Marshall grit and Sunn creaminess. The EQ leaves a bit to be desired, but whatever. I played with some guys who collected Marshalls, and one dude who even built his own amps. They were all built on that "vintage low gain" model, and they had some of the best live tone I've heard.
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What gear do you have ?

Nice guitars, but I can't stand that amp. I have a Flextone II head, but I only use it for recording certain tones. I've played through a lot of modeling amps that have tubes - Line6, Bogner, Vox - and I've never been convinced. I've heard better live tones out of the AxeFX and Kemper units. I'm really lucky to own my favorite amp that I've played through, a VHT (before they sold the name - now it's Fryette) Pittbull 100CL. It sounds amazing live and in the studio no matter what tuning I'm in. Depends on the amp, but that's very true. Right now I'm using an early 70s 100W Traynor head (based on a Fender design) with a Maxon OD9 in front of it, and when it's cranked, it sounds great - a cross between Marshall grit and Sunn creaminess. The EQ leaves a bit to be desired, but whatever. I played with some guys who collected Marshalls, and one dude who even built his own amps. They were all built on that "vintage low gain" model, and they had some of the best live tone I've heard.
VHT/Fryette shit is amazing!! Their KT88 amps(Pitbull UL, Sig X, Deliverance) have such a unique voicing and gain structure. I love the dry high headroom sound of KT88 and 6550 power tubes. Part of why I went with the Krankenstein Plus, older Kranks were pretty unique but hard to dial in and had a weird buzzy midrange that was hard to deal with. The updated "Plus" versions of the Revolution and Krankenstein with bigger transformers and 6550 tubes totally smoothed out the overalls jagged edges and made them a lot fuller/rounder/warmer and easier to dial in. But yeah you are right. Not all lower gain amps boosted with an OD get you modern sounding tones of even just better tones. I find it usually works best with amps that are mid gain, aka JCM800 2203/2204. To me it's not even about adding gain, it's more of the added compression/sensitivity to make it "feel" like it's got more gain than it does. To me a mid gain amp with some added OD pedal compression makes for some of the most organic, versatile "high gain" tones that work for more than just metal. My Peavey Butcher from the 80's is a perfect example of this approach. I tend to prefer the attack of my Krank more these days but even with that amp, I leave the gain only 1/4 of the way up and clean boost it with an OD pedal. I can get the same round about tone with the gain at 5-6 but I just prefer those boosted lowered gain tones. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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VHT/Fryette shit is amazing!! Their KT88 amps(Pitbull UL, Sig X, Deliverance) have such a unique voicing and gain structure. I love the dry high headroom sound of KT88 and 6550 power tubes. Part of why I went with the Krankenstein Plus, older Kranks were pretty unique but hard to dial in and had a weird buzzy midrange that was hard to deal with. The updated "Plus" versions of the Revolution and Krankenstein with bigger transformers and 6550 tubes totally smoothed out the overalls jagged edges and made them a lot fuller/rounder/warmer and easier to dial in. But yeah you are right. Not all lower gain amps boosted with an OD get you modern sounding tones of even just better tones. I find it usually works best with amps that are mid gain, aka JCM800 2203/2204. To me it's not even about adding gain, it's more of the added compression/sensitivity to make it "feel" like it's got more gain than it does. To me a mid gain amp with some added OD pedal compression makes for some of the most organic, versatile "high gain" tones that work for more than just metal. My Peavey Butcher from the 80's is a perfect example of this approach. I tend to prefer the attack of my Krank more these days but even with that amp, I leave the gain only 1/4 of the way up and clean boost it with an OD pedal. I can get the same round about tone with the gain at 5-6 but I just prefer those boosted lowered gain tones. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Interesting! I only got to play through a Pittbull UL once, and maybe it was a lack of familiarity, but I didn't like its distorted tone as much as the 100CL. Having said that, the dirty tone I liked the best was actually from the 50-watt version I tried at the store, but it couldn't clean up at volume. Never got to try a Krank. I've had a nice time playing through Soldanos, though I feel like they have (dare I say it) too much gain. I also like a few of the Peavey amps, even some of the more budget-minded ones like the XXX; but I haven't played through anything with the articulation or the low noise floor of my Pittbull. the disadvantage here is that if I suck that day, I'll really sound like I suck. I've tried a few different overdrives and compressors in front of both channels of the VHT, into the high- and low-gain inputs, in search of a more "vintage" tone, but honestly it sounds clearest and best on its own. The Traynor really benefits from the overdrive, though - even with the distortion on the pedal all the way down, it tightens it up, as you say. I've also experimented with just using a compressor (I have an Emma Transmorgrifier) instead of an OD. That met with limited success, but I just started jamming with a drummer again and might bring it in to try out.
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  • 6 months later...

I own rather small gear, because guitar is my secondary instrument. But guitars are most beatiful instruments in the world, so I feel forced to own at least two :) For recording & amplifying sounds I'm using Line 6 Toneport UX1 connected to Panasonic audio system. When I do play with people, just connecting to keyboard/vocal amp and it sounds just great for very low money and ultralight weight. Nothing more noticeable in my gear, tuner (tc polytune mini), handmade cables, 1mm tortex picks. What about guitars? I prefer old axes. Wanna buy some Greco or Burny LP ASAP :) Actually I own 2 Charvels. 99RTIyE.jpg It is unmodded Model 4 '87, all parts original. One of the best axes that i've ever had or even seen. I'm totally hooked on it since the day I've bought it. Big sound, high comfort, rock-solid. xZwP9wG.jpgVcjSRTu.jpg This is also Model 4, year of production '88, but it was highly modified by previous owner. Miniswitches were replaced with 5w switch. Cavities for singles are extended (because of non-fitting SD's). Only two pots. Changed finish because of very obvious signs of use. Lacquer on neck and frets also changed - it was played hard for years, I suppose. Totally different electronics. No active preamp. Actually equipped with Seymour Duncan TB-11b, Hot Rails in neck position and Polish manufacture Merlin "Classic Strat" Single. Fortunately, mods didn't destroy its ability to rock. It sounds like hell, very punchy, little "djenty", with sooo low LOW :D It seems to be less user-friendly at first glance than her older sister, but in just few minutes every guitarist appreciates her exquisite tone.

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I've never listed my stuff, I realize... Guitars: 1998 Gibson "Gothic" Explorer with 490-R neck and Bareknuckle Cold Sweat bridge pickups (may switch that Bareknuckle out for the stock pickup now that I'm tuned up higher), recently added a Graphtech bridge and tailpiece and made a custom pickguard and swapped the tuners for chrome so it looks sexy. This guitar has been my main player since I got it sixteen years ago. 1983 Gibson Explorer with Kahler vibrato - I got this guitar with no electronics, and put an SD Invader in the bridge, wired straight to the jack. I had to get the frets re-dressed, and it's still not a great player, so I only use it when I feel like using the whammy bar. Steinberger Transcale baritone, heavily modified, with the stock bridge pickup from my Gibson Gothic wired to the jack - I could go on about the stupid design choices someone made with this guitar and how much of a bitch it is to use because of them, but the fact is that it's a 28.5" scale 6 string baritone that I've been able to intonate almost perfectly anywhere between D standard and drop G. And it's got the best tone, clarity and sustain of any of my instruments. Wish it was more fun to play, cause it sounds fantastic. Taylor 615ce - a maple-body jumbo which I should play more often. Washburn archtop, I don't know the model name. I've had this guitar for nearly eighteen years. The only time I ever play it is when I consider selling it, pull it out, and realize how much I actually enjoy it. I have no use for an archtop, but maybe one day. I have a couple other project guitars sitting around in unplayable condition, including an Epiphone Les Paul that I'd like to get back in shape. Ibanez SR series 5 string bass - it's been through the wringer, and it needs work I can't afford, but it still gets the job done. I also have a 4 string Yamaha bass sitting around, which is fun to play but sounds like crap. I want a Music Man... not in the budget. Amps/cabs: VHT (Fryette) Pittbull 100CL - fuck, I love this amp. Worth every penny, wouldn't sell it for anything. My favorite high gain amp I've played. Traynor Mark 3 100W head - this is from sometime in the mid 70s, based on the Fender Bassman, I believe. It has a pretty cool sound and works well with distortion/overdrive pedals. I had a 50W Traynor head that I traded for this one because I needed more volume, but I honestly preferred the tone of the other one. It's built like a tank, at least. Line 6 Flextone II HD head - I only use this for recording anymore. It's got some great sounding effects and I can get a really nice bass tone going straight into the computer. Want to know what sounds like shit? This amp, running through a cabinet, pretending to be a tube amp. Ha. Peavey 4x12 guitar cab, Sheffields Hartke "Transporter" 2x10 (nice practice cabinet for bass or guitar, honestly, and it was cheap) Custom built (read: heavy old plywood) EV 2x12 bass cabinet, one of the weirdest and most mid heavy things I've played through. It sounds good on my VHT in combination with the Peavey, anyway. Pedals: Sonic Research Turbo Tuner (awesome), Maxon OD9 overdrive (awesome), Emma Transmorgrifier compressor (great, but who cares), MXR Distortion III (pretty good), Boss noise gate (it works), Boss DD-3 delay (eh), EHX Switchblade Nano (useless garbage), EHX Graphic Fuzz, Big Muff, and Metal Muff that I acquired at some point and never use. I'm not big on pedals; I hate having a bunch of shit on the floor at practice and it's even worse live. But the Maxon pedal sounds great as a little bit of a boost for leads on my VHT, and tightens up the Traynor nicely. Recording stuff: No mics to really brag about, but they work fine: Avantone CK-7 (decent LDC), EV N/D767 (great on growls and screams as well as guitar cabs), Audix i5 (great on snare and live vocals, ok but top heavy on cabs), a pair of Samson CO1 overheads that I inherited and haven't tried yet, an old and dirt cheap Shure 14A that I actually love on my cabinet, and some other crap I don't use. ART TPS II tube preamp, old, starting to fail, can't upgrade; FMR Audio RNC (compressor, love it on vocals); Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 recording interface; Windows 7, Cubase 5.5 (recent upgrades, not happy). KRK V4 monitors, which are ok.

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Guitars: Ibanez Iceman ICT700 Taylor Acoustic that I can't remember the name of. Manuel Rodriguez nylon-string Epiphone Embassy bass (terrible) Amp: Marshall Haze Effects: Boss ME-20 A few Danelectro pedals Keys: Akai MPK mini Korg MS-20 Korg Monotron Some old Yamaha I don't remember the name of "Backwards" keyboard made by some gypsy I met. A few other instruments laying around- mandolin, ukelele, thumb piano, etc. Recording: Blue Microphones Bluebird 2 Audio-Technica AT2020s Acer laptop running Windows 8 Ableton Live 8 & Presonus Studio One Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 interface Alesis M1Active Monitors

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Amp: Marshall Haze
Which Haze exactly? Are you satisfied with sound from this? I've heard some opinions 'bout it, they were rather concerted and not so good, especially about reliability. Didn't hear that thing live and I'm curious where Marshall goes in XXI century ;) and why ICT? Dunno, what people can see in these axes, regular, but not great finish, very poor balance (neck diving soo much) and unpleasant feeling of playing the big toy, not real instrument. I'm not a diehard fan of any brand, I like Ibanez (especially S and JEM series), but these are just fail for me. FatherAlabaster - what a big gear, you must have a big house or rehearsal room :D
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FatherAlabaster - what a big gear, you must have a big house or rehearsal room :D
Oh, don't I just wish... :D All that stuff, plus a huge old desk to hold the computer, all my painting materials, my easel, most of the paintings I've done since college, my stereo receiver and speakers, random defunct electronic equipment, my carpentry tools, and half of my wife's wardrobe are packed into an 11'x13' room, along with (at the moment) my other guitarist's half stack and two of his guitars. There's room for three people to stand comfortably, two if we're playing instruments. Let's hear it for city living.
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Which Haze exactly? Are you satisfied with sound from this? I've heard some opinions 'bout it, they were rather concerted and not so good, especially about reliability. Didn't hear that thing live and I'm curious where Marshall goes in XXI century ;) and why ICT? Dunno, what people can see in these axes, regular, but not great finish, very poor balance (neck diving soo much) and unpleasant feeling of playing the big toy, not real instrument. I'm not a diehard fan of any brand, I like Ibanez (especially S and JEM series), but these are just fail for me. FatherAlabaster - what a big gear, you must have a big house or rehearsal room :D
It's the 40 watt combo, and I am not happy with it at all. And I have no neck dive problem with my Iceman, it feels nothing like playing a "big toy". I actually hate the way the S and JEM guitars look anyway. The Iceman is the only Ibanez I can stand.
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My #1 amp is a modded Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 40w. With the footswitch and the gain modded it sounds bad ass and handles pedals well. But it's important to remember that gear ain't where it's at. Heart' date=' passion and construction are way more essential and can easily make up for lack of cash.[/quote'] I agree with you; I wrote and recorded some of my favorite songs on mediocre gear. But my experience has been that better-quality gear is capable of a lot more nuance, and it challenges me to improve my musicianship. It's not necessary, but it's worth the investment.
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But it's important to remember that gear ain't where it's at. Heart' date=' passion and construction are way more essential[/quote'] So many people nowadays seem to forget about it. Of course, your gig won't be as good as it could be without good-sounding, fitting to music you play and powerful enough amp. More important than price of your guitar is knowledge about it. I can't imagine situation when I go onstage with guitar I owned and played hard less than half a year. When I see sometimes on a underground gigs that guitarist of one band is playing instrument borrowed from previous band's guitarman, I become to be frightened. Impossible to give an audience 100% of skill and emotions.
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More important than price of your guitar is knowledge about it. I can't imagine situation when I go onstage with guitar I owned and played hard less than half a year. When I see sometimes on a underground gigs that guitarist of one band is playing instrument borrowed from previous band's guitarman, I become to be frightened. Impossible to give an audience 100% of skill and emotions.
I definitely go through this, even with switching back and forth between my baritone and my Gibson. I used to be able to play my Gibson basically blindfolded; we even had all the lights go out at a show one time and we made it through the song with no problem. The bari is totally different and it's messed up my feel for the other guitars.
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It's because of much longer scale. Even switching between Gib and Fend (it's just example) can become being hard struggle, despite it's only 0,75". When I'm playing only bass for some time (it could be a week of playing 8 hour a day or month of grabbing axe intermittently) switching from 34-35' to 25,5" is challenging and ridiculously fun, although I know "Kasia" better than my real brother.When talking about knowledge I meant rather nuances, like ability to feedback, frets height, some frequencies louder than the other, weight balance, type of neck finish (I'm not an enthusiast of satin necks, feel rather slowed and unpleasant sticky on my hands) etc etc. Somebody, who doesn't play guitar could say that's exaggeration, but these are very important things when you play more than a year and want to feel comfortable with guitar.

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  • 4 weeks later...
VrY4631.jpg I've caught a bargain. I don't like black axes, don't prefer EMGs, but can't say it isn't a good instrument. Nice, precise and rich-looking finish, high class hardware, comfortable neck and thin body. It's little surprising, because I've used to have Viper 1000 few years ago, produced the same year as this axe and wasn't very happy with it (maybe because I switched from Fender Highway One, which was really outstanding for it's price).
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