Your favorite high gain setup?

[barks62]

Personally I am a big fan of the Soldano amp models.  Currently I use a Soldano clean as my clean tone, and the Line 6 Distortion pedal to kick it into metal territory.  But there are so many great options for the amp distortions that probably sound even better than the L6 Distortion pedal.  I don't really have a question here, I'd just like to hear what you all like for your favorite high gain signal chains.  Feel free to discuss the effects you like to throw in there, too!

[marceraste]

I have some hi gain tones, a soldano, and a Marshall but I just love the mesa sound (california treadplate)! it`s killer! just an opinion

[AlexKenivel]

At the moment:

 

GEQ w/ a 1db bump @ 440hz and 3.6 @ 1.1khz > Screamer w/ low bass, and even lower gain, some treble rolled back, and output at 60 > Hard Gate > Tread/Treadcab/57onax, DRV @ noon, bass at 9oclock, mids at 3oclock, treble and pres at noon, low sag/hum, bias/x bumped up, low cut at 130, some Res Lvl shaved off but not by much, a bump in the thump > PEQ with a little Lows shaved off, highs at 35% and a big cut at 2010hz

 

I'm using a single input with a PRS S2 Standard and coming out of a cranked Alto TS112a. Also sounds nice through some old Yamaha PA speaks at the rehearsal studio.

 

I used to mainly use the Panama for a nice thrashy early Metallica/Randy Rhoads/Djent tone, and also mixed it with the Big Bottom model a lot.

 

I get a nice Iommi sound with the Mandarin, Deftones from any of the Marshalls, Chevelle from the Tread and the Shiva..

 

I can get the uber to sound like the Panama, which makes me regret only wanting the Metal pack for the Panama model in the first place :P (though I don't really regret getting the full bundle after all).

 

I've also gotten successful high gain tones that I was happy with from the Elektrik, Park, Superlead, AC15, and JTM 45 models. Most of my chains were as I describe above as far as pedals go. Some tone shaping in front of the amp with EQs and ODs, a Gate, Amp, and usually the PEQ at the end before any 'verb I want for leads..

[duncann]

Like Barks62, I tended towards the Soldano, but either the crunch or overdrive instead of the clean. I also liked the Line 6 Drive, the smoothest and least harsh, with either of those amps. But over time I started using the Tube Drive instead of the Line 6 Drive. I've always stuck a tube comp in there as well, before the amp and distortion. And then I got model packs and started using the Panama with the Tube Drive. The Panama has a very unique sound signature. It's my favorite for lead stuff by far. I'm surprised AlexKenivel was able to get the Uber to sound like it.

[AlexKenivel]

I'm surprised AlexKenivel was able to get the Uber to sound like it.

Using the exact same cab, mic, and pedals as my Panama preset helped :D.

[joel_brown]

Angel Pre (ENGL) is my favorite. But I'm still using the PODHD into a Marshall amp and cab.

 

 

[barks62]

I haven't bought the model pack yet.  I keep telling myself that I'm happy with the sounds I have so why spend the money... BUT I would love to have the bass amps, and the Panama sounds like it would be worth a try too.

 

I dialed up the Tread last night and with no effects or anything I laid down a brutal rhythm track for a song I'm working on.  I forgot how much I like that amp.

 

That Angel sounds good, Joel!

[FlyingSquirrel]

For me, the Uber model is right in the pocket.  I wouldn't mind seeing a model of the EVH 5153 though.

 

 

Here's a demo version with the Uber.  No post eq'ing, no production mixing/mastering, just a quick bounce as a reference mix.
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=13196573&q=hi&newref=1 

[arislaf]

My 3 best metal amp setups are these: JCM 800 (old not metal pack) with the metal zone in front of the amp, default cab. 2nd is the line6 electric with the ENGL cab. Last is the 5150 with the screamer in front of the amp, and the marshal's 800  cab, with a mid focus after the mixer. Mid focus set to cut bass up to 100 hz and high cut down to 7000

[jeremybnz]

I'm using the metal pack's JCM800 into the Blackback cab, tried the amp out with an IR loader in my DAW and it really comes alive, can't wait to get an AMT Pangaea to run in the loop of the HD500X so I can get this sound all the time!

[mattbarden]

Mine's pretty straight forward. The F-Ball and matching cab with the 57 off axis is my go to combination. I put a Screamer in front with the classic no drive, full output setting with the bass, tone and treble all at 50% followed by a noise gate. The amp drive and bass are usually around noon, I boost the mids and highs to taste, then the presence and channel volume usually end up around noon as well.

 

Rather than stacking a bunch of EQ's I go for the DEP's next. For my default amp settings, I have the Master boosted just a little bit, Sag and Hum at 50%, then turn both the Bias and Bias X all the way down. For the cab settings I don't touch the low cut, I boost the Res a little, maxed out the Thump and rolled off the Decay a some.

 

I typically don't do any cutting of the lows or highs on the POD, I prefer to do those in post production so I have flexibility. It should be noted I don't play guitar live so your needs might differ.

 

That's it, pretty straight forward and I have lots of blocks left over for whatever FX I might want to use. I'm a pretty big fan of the less is more approach. I used to stack a bunch of EQ's but this can get out of hand really quick if you aren't careful. For reference my main guitar is a Schecter C1 Platinum with EMG 81/85's.

 

I like to use an external looper in front of the POD when I'm setting up my sounds. That way I can have a riff playing along with bass and drums while I make adjustments. I picked one up from a pawn shop for dirt cheap and it's saved me a lot of time.

 

My other favorites are the Panama, Elektrik and JCM (metal pack model).

 

barks62, the bass pack is killer. I love the SVT Nrm.

[barks62]

@ FlyingSquirrel, that Uber really does sound good.  What cab/mic are you using?  The times I've tried the Uber I don't remember it sounding like that.