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3005 Views 4 Replies Latest reply: Jul 2, 2010 4:53 PM by VIOL8 RSS
EvilMP Just Startin'
EvilMP
11 posts since
Jul 30, 2009
Currently Being Moderated

Dec 3, 2009 7:23 PM

Machine Head Tone Help needed

Ok I have been trying to nail Phil Demmel's tone down but haven't got to far. I am using a Jackson King V Phil Demmelition that has GHS boomers and is setup for Drop B. But the thing I have noticed I haven't figured out how he can play tuned down to that because for one the strings straight out physically chug and the floyd rose is setup correctly along with a truss adjustment to compensate for the string density and size. But it's like playing wet lasagna noodles, I think I might take it back to the shop and have some slightly smaller strings put on it or go only one gauge down from standard strings. I get some horrid distortion when I use the treadplate with the noise gate on and the compressor on to. I have also been using the new Morpheus Drop Tuner with octaver in conjunction with my other guitar (ESP clockwork zombie) which is standard 440 tuned, the pedal works fantastic wire from the guitar out of the morpheus into the POD X3 Live and yes this is a real drop tuner you can play full chords on it and they are drop tuned to C, D or whatever you choose by steps or half steps. I am thinking of making a video of the chordings because there are alot of nay sayers out there that don't believe this pedal is capable of this. Any suggestions of where to start with the Machine Head tone any guesstimations woudl be appreciated. 

  • dljesse Just Startin'
    dljesse
    1 posts since
    Sep 27, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 17, 2009 9:29 PM (in response to EvilMP)
    Re: Machine Head Tone Help needed

    I have no idea about the tone, but for lower tunings, you need bigger strings to create more tension to compensate for the tension lost when tuning down. I play 12-52 guage in B standard, and have nice amount of tension. Go any higher than that, and you'll have to do some serious adjusting to your floyd, because they can't handle anything larger by simply adjusting saddles. I wouldn't play with anything lower than .11s in B standard, and if you're using the factory strings, I'm 99% certain you've got .09s.

  • DFlynn666 Just Startin'
    DFlynn666
    73 posts since
    Apr 19, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Feb 26, 2010 7:47 PM (in response to EvilMP)
    Re: Machine Head Tone Help needed

    I think I know what is causing the problems you are having with the strings and tension.

     

    I am presuming you bought the guitar out the store new, and they havent changed the strings. As standard, the guitar comes with GHS Boomers 10-58 guage
    10-C# .13-G# .20-E .32-B .42-F# .58-B (I think this might be a hybrid gauge - not too sure)(Drop B). I would bump the nottom string up to 11 guage. I have a Slipknot Mick Thomson Ibanez signature, and when I got it, it came with 11 guages in Drop B. My 11 guages I use on my guitars are 11 - 48, and are pretty solid. I am guessing though, that the fact that your lightest string being a 10, and that it is a floyd rose (with its balance issues) is making the thicker strings looser to balance out the tension. 10 guages are simply too light for drop B, I only use 10's for standard and drop D. But basically, if you get either a standard set of 11's, or get a hybrid set made up of the thicker bass strings, and make the lighter strings heavier, then that should fix that problem. But if it is the case that the bass strings are just too thick for your liking, standard 11 or 12 guages will do the trick as the tension on standard sets are more even than say the hybrid sets in my opinion

     

    note- just my opinion lol, may not be right, but hope it helps a little - its all to do with the balance of the floyd rose.

     

    The drop tune pedal is amazing, i agree. I have had one for a while now, and I love it. It even makes my drop d guitar sound pretty close to my existing drop b guitar. Only thing it lacks is that deeper meaty growl that you can only get from heavy strings.

  • xXBADGERXx Just Startin'
    xXBADGERXx
    1 posts since
    Nov 18, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    May 30, 2010 1:53 AM (in response to EvilMP)
    Re: Machine Head Tone Help needed

    I`m assuming you have your guitar sorted by now with regards to fitting thicker gauge strings ?

     

    From what I remember the Machine Head sound is re-created using the Peavey 5150 EVH head on Marshall Cabs , that is what I have seen them using Live and in Recordings , Robb Flynn has also been quoted as using a slight touch of Chorus from a Boss CE-2 Pedal . I would start here with these settings as Phil`s setup won`t be too far from this to fit in with the MH sound . I wouldn`t worry too much about hitting this on the head right away as you are going to have to mess around with some serious EQ anyway . They have some good and tight bottom end but also need some good harmonics as well for their pick squeels and stuff but from what I saw of them live it appeared that Robb did the bottom chug and Phil handles the more squeely stuff so you may have to have a rhythm and lead setting side by side to handle these duties .

     

    On a side note , try and go for closed back cabs like the Marshall and Mesa types as open backed ones lose a lot of the bottom end .... and remember , just keep tweaking away

  • VIOL8 Just Startin'
    VIOL8
    7 posts since
    Mar 27, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jul 2, 2010 4:53 PM (in response to EvilMP)
    Re: Machine Head Tone Help needed

    Here's a patch created by Kenny Lee at MetalMusicians.net. Im sure most of you know about Gorilla and his awesome patches!

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