Blackstar HT-20 Crisp Distortion

[mirkok1]

ok bear with me because i'm drinking. nuno, Lynch, VH, all have a certain distortion sound. i describe it as a tight, crisp, cutting type of distortion. mine sounds looser, not as clear, kinda muddy. any suggestions?

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Blackstar HT-20 Crisp Distortion

Are you using a humbucker in a light flat top body?

[mirkok1]

Re: Blackstar HT-20 Crisp Distortion

ESP ST-203FR: alder body, maple neck and fingerboard

Bridge pup: duncan distortion
neck pup: yjm

jet city 1 x 12 cab (stock eminence speaker)

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Blackstar HT-20 Crisp Distortion

My suggestion is to turn down the bass. Seriously. My HT-5 also compresses like a crazy amp, and unless I turn down the bass and the gain, I don't hear the tones you're talking about. However, when I had a Distortion in the bridge, I thought I heard George Lynch's guitar coming out of my cabinet. By the way, what are the speakers?

EDIT: All right, you beat me to it. I think that Jet City speaker is voiced kind of flat. Go get a Vintage 30 or an Eminence Governor, and you'll be set. Or a Greenback if you're more into Ratt.

[mirkok1]

Re: Blackstar HT-20 Crisp Distortion

My suggestion is to turn down the bass. Seriously. My HT-5 also compresses like a crazy amp, and unless I turn down the bass and the gain, I don't hear the tones you're talking about. However, when I had a Distortion in the bridge, I thought I heard George Lynch's guitar coming out of my cabinet. By the way, what are the speakers?

yeah dude what sux is i'm so close to the tone i can taste it. i was thinking i need a better speaker. i may need a better speaker in a better cab. the cab is a 1x12 jet city and the speaker is a stock eminence.

[mirkok1]

Re: Blackstar HT-20 Crisp Distortion

thanks misterwhizzy

sounds like i'm on the right track because i was thinking of a governor or greenback. is the cab good enough in your opinion. i know the back is mdf.

[Chickenwings]

Re: Blackstar HT-20 Crisp Distortion

i reckon v30 would be the ticket - cutting upper mids with plenty of definition. its purpose built for that sound.

[FuseG4]

Re: Blackstar HT-20 Crisp Distortion

I guess the greenback is pretty crisp at low volumes but I found it to not be enough sometimes, once it starts breaking up and that awesomely thick growl takes over. It's pretty easy to get a single greenback to that point, btw.

The V30 seems a lot more apt to give that cut in the midrange and stay with it at the volumes your amp is likely to put out. I haven't used one very extensively but they seem to have enough in the upper mids that I find them sorta bright but not harsh.