G3 type tones-are they just good tube amps with pedals in front of them?

[Young Angus]

Ive just been listening to some dream theatre, and that guy (his name escapes me) just has amazing tone! So in my never ending quest for info on different tones i was wondering if this type of tone, ala vai/satch/dreamTheatreGuy is just out of a really cool amp or is it usually just some good amp base with a pedal of some sort in front of it?

 

[Dime59hum]

Re: G3 type tones-are they just good tube amps with pedals in front of them?

John Petrucci. He is currently using a Mesa RoadKing.

 

[mrid]

Re: G3 type tones-are they just good tube amps with pedals in front of them?

John Petrucci. He is currently using a Mesa RoadKing.

He used to use Mesa Mark IIC+'s as well, I think...

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: G3 type tones-are they just good tube amps with pedals in front of them?

I know he used a mesa Vtwin on the new record for one solo.

 

[drp555]

Re: G3 type tones-are they just good tube amps with pedals in front of them?

Petrucci does currently use Road Kings, but here's some pics and info about his rig with the Mark II C+'s...
LINK
He has a HUGE rig. Those pics in the link are just some of the things he uses. I believe his rig was designed and set-up by a guy named Mark Snyder.

 

[Grandor]

Re: G3 type tones-are they just good tube amps with pedals in front of them?

John petrucci uses Mesa Boogie Road/Kings , but thats only on Train of thought.
On all the other albums he uses Mesa Mark IIC+'s.

Vai uses Ibanez JEM's through Lots of rack gear into a Carvin Legacy (his sig amp).

Satch uses Satch Ibanez models through bunch of pedals etc into his new signature amp (but he used to use the Peavey XXX).

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: G3 type tones-are they just good tube amps with pedals in front of them?

It seems like all the greats have huge rigs. I have to admit that the rack/midi thing looks very impressive, but I bet it's a real pain to setup and very expensive. Those Eventide Harmonizers are unbelievably expensive. They must be wonderful, because most pros use them.

 

[Mattt]

Re: G3 type tones-are they just good tube amps with pedals in front of them?

Satriani's older tones... were going through a Marshall. At least that's what the man himself says and shows us in the Special Features on his 'Live in San Francisco' DVD.

He used the clean sound on those Marshall's, and then beefed it up with a modded Boss DS-1 pedal. That's basic Satriani Clean/Dist tone nailed. The rest of the tones that were pretty much created with a chorus pedal, delay pedal, and wah.

If you wanted his tone, particularly that on the DVD... i'd use a Floyd Rose'd guitar, with either a Pearly Gates Bridge/Pearly Gates neck combo (as he used on one of his guitars for the DVD), or the same guitar with a Dimarzio PAF JOE/FRED combo... i'd put that through the clean channel of any decent marshall tube amp (doesn't really matter which, you just need the basic tone.). Then get a modded DS-1 pedal from Robert Keely.

And your done for his basic tone.

Steve Vai's and John Petrucci's tone is a lot more complex involving much more rack gear.