OMG, your Tone is amazing

[Dante]

Funny, I don't think too much of my tones without the band. They don't really sound all that remarkable, TBH. It's that cut thru the mix that sets you apart from the average guitarist, IMO. The Classic seems to cut through the mix better for me than the MP-2, so that's what I use. It is also better with picking dynamics.

As for patches, I rely on two cleans and three crunch tones. Each patch has a preset solo boost, delay, chorus (or flange, or harmonizer or phaser or...) and one more setting for special song-specific effects

My main patches are:
Clean & dry
Clean & wet
Classic rock
Mod rock (more bottom, less mids)
Metal (scooooped Mids)

[rabidgerry]

I try to get the band to shape around my tone.  I'm always getting them to work around it or with it, because for me metal bands are based around the guitars and also cause I'm the boss

And also because in my band it's my vision and I have the forsight into what we're supposed to sound like.  It's always a work in progress if I'm honest.  Little changes here and there.

In reference to individual tone I must also factor in that I think the guitars I use plays some part in it and a lot of other things I choose as well as and then combine that with playing style to get what I would say is my tone.  I also rock a chorus through a lot of songs, yes distortion and chorus the whole way through in stereo  which many people frown upon or don't think to use in the metal scene I'm playing within (uk and Ireland).

[Dante]

I try to get the band to shape around my tone.  I'm always getting them to work around it or with it, because for me metal bands are based around the guitars and also cause I'm the boss

And also because in my band it's my vision and I have the forsight into what we're supposed to sound like.  It's always a work in progress if I'm honest.  Little changes here and there.

In reference to individual tone I must also factor in that I think the guitars I use plays some part in it and a lot of other things I choose as well as and then combine that with playing style to get what I would say is my tone.  I also rock a chorus through a lot of songs, yes distortion and chorus the whole way through in stereo  which many people frown upon or don't think to use in the metal scene I'm playing within (uk and Ireland).

I can't tell you how many bands around this scene are led by a guitarist with a vision. My own latest cover band project included. Thankfully, it's not my vision, it's the front man. I'm his hired gun...lead guitar guy. I love it - kinda takes the pressure off 'leading' the band. But, as I'm sure you already know, some of us are just inherent leader types and tend to start bossing people around from time to time ;)

My previous cover band was all my vision, but luckily, I was smart enough to surround myself with excellent musicians. Great. Band. And a great brotherhood of friends having fun playing stuff they like for their friends, family and strangers getting married or having a party. Great. Band.

I agree with your comment about guitars playing a part too. As we have already discussed, I buy cheap guitars (usually Ibanez) because they're made well and have cheap electronics - which I'm going to change anyway. I feel like my guitars are tinny in character because I have my bass turned so high in my preamps. The tinny guitar cuts through the mix like a midrange, while I keep pumpin' the low end to get my chugga chugga on. Could have something to do with the tones I get, but I gotta tell you, my Classic Rock tone is very similar to your new MP-1. Plexi-esque, like a HOT Marshall on a summer day

[rabidgerry]

I can't tell you how many bands around this scene are led by a guitarist with a vision. My own latest cover band project included. Thankfully, it's not my vision, it's the front man. I'm his hired gun...lead guitar guy. I love it - kinda takes the pressure off 'leading' the band. But, as I'm sure you already know, some of us are just inherent leader types and tend to start bossing people around from time to time ;)

My previous cover band was all my vision, but luckily, I was smart enough to surround myself with excellent musicians. Great. Band. And a great brotherhood of friends having fun playing stuff they like for their friends, family and strangers getting married or having a party. Great. Band.

I have to point out that I never set out to be the leader or to push my vision.  It was just natural me being the guitar player and heavy metal being guitar based music n all that I fell into that role.  It became cemented then as soon as I began to record the band because then I guess I became the producer as well (never quite sure what the hell a producer is BTW).  Also part of the reason I'm with the guy's I'm with was because they were the only ones interested in what I wanted to play.  I didn't chose the best guys around, it was/is more of a case of sticking with those who would stick with me and were reliable.  Obviously if they were terrible it wouldn't have worked.  Sometimes I wish I could hire and get new guys in and out but it's not realistic, the choices are limited by A) where I live, B) The style of music I play C) Other issues from money to transport to dedication and work ethic.

I agree with your comment about guitars playing a part too. As we have already discussed, I buy cheap guitars (usually Ibanez) because they're made well and have cheap electronics - which I'm going to change anyway. I feel like my guitars are tinny in character because I have my bass turned so high in my preamps. The tinny guitar cuts through the mix like a midrange, while I keep pumpin' the low end to get my chugga chugga on. Could have something to do with the tones I get, but I gotta tell you, my Classic Rock tone is very similar to your new MP-1. Plexi-esque, like a HOT Marshall on a summer day

So you think that new MP1 sounds Plexi esque also?  Well that's good   

So that was a Tokai Custom Edition strat with it's stock pickups (from 1988) running into my Boss GT5, then using its vintage OD set with zero drive, bass+20, trebel 0, level 45, I boost the general MP1 tone, the MP1 is in the moveable loop in the GT5 (I run 4 cable method), then the output of the MP1 runs back into the GT5, then I stuck on a little low end boost on the GT5 EQ and then the GT5 Reverb.  This is then routed through my EPSI cab sim (runs on speaker impulses), then into my multi track recorder.

You know the same seller was selling a classic, and it actually went for £30 cheaper than this MP1.  I so nearly bid on it man, but I've been biased toward an MP1 over a Classic.  On the day of the auction I was reading about the classic trying to convince myself to go for it (also because I wanted something I already don't own) but yet I kept reading the same thing that the MP1 sounds nicer.  So I buckled and bid on the MP1.  About 4 mins after this the Classic ended it's auction and someone bought it for £125.  Now I like that price better than £155 which I paid for the MP1 but hey the MP1 sounds great and seems in good condition (although I noticed it doesn't always turn on on the first go, I have to look into that issue).

Perhaps I will get a Classic some day and MP2, currently though they are on the backburner.

Let me hear some metal using your Classic man if you don't mind?  I will also bare in mind that even if the MP1 seems to be spoken off as sounding better than the classic (ceetainly from all the things I have read on the internet), I realise that sometimes it just depends on how you use a piece of gear and people get great results from different equipment, so I would never write off a Classic at all!

[Harley Hexxe]

Hey Gerry,

    There is a distinct difference between the MP-1 and the Classic. For what you want out of your guitar tone, you probably made the right choice. The MP-1 has more bottom end than the Classic, which also means the low mid-range is enhanced a bit more. This is where your guitar tone lives. You have more of the low mids coming through than the high mids, but the extra low end of the MP-1 helps push that midrange a little better. There are plenty of mid-range frequencies in the Classic, but it takes a bit more volume to get them to come through the mix, which is why I'm still rolling tubes (valves), in the Classic.

[Dante]

This is probably why I have to bump my lows quite a bit. I turn them up pretty high...especially on the metal stuff. I think I have a clip on Faceb**k of that tone...I'll look around

[rabidgerry]

On the clip i posted the bass on my MP1 is at zero.

Live, I find I have to dip the bass on it quite a bit.

[Dante]

My bass is typically up around 8-10. If it's a Metal patch, it's at 12. I may even add more with the EQ in my GX-700. The mids are SCCOOOPED for the Metal stuff.

Here's a clip of my 1978 Ibanez CN200 on the Classic Rock patch (I think). This was our final song of our final show, a 12-hour rockfest of local bands. Our singer's mother is named Caroline and she attended every show, in her honor, we played Neil F**king Diamond

And, here's a clip of the Metal patch, with a very lightweight 2006 Ibanez SAS45 that I put a Seymour Duncan JB into. It was over 100ºF at this gig, we're dying here.

And finally, here's the clean tone from an Ibanez AS73, circa 2005, Chinese with a Seymour Duncan Jazz in the neck, JB in the bridge.

All of these clips are the Classic, not the MP-2

[rabidgerry]

No way, that middle clip was very entertaining.

Can't really hear what's going on there, but it sounded good.  That singer was great 

Some day I shall play in 100ºF heat!

I could have had the chance this summer with a gig in Greece but as far as I know we aint going now  :(

It's weird that you scoop the mids and I boost mine lol  I just can't get it to work if I scoop them.  If i scoop them it's literally very subtle amount.  Made a difference actually cleaning up a Peavey Rockmaster I use.

[rnolan]

Well yeah 100 deg F (37.7 C) is bloody hot, but try 45 C (113 deg F) under a piece of corrugated Iron  , no breeze, downed 6 schooners (15 fl oz) of beer, didn't go to the loo once, dripping with sweat... This is when I decided maple (lacquered) fingerboards were a bad idea... Ahh the Wagga Wagga Aussie Rules footy club bear garden... Note to self, sweat bands are useful LoL.