Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

5

'59

Active member
There's a guy on Facebook Marketplace near me who is selling a MT-2 with the following mods,

Basic Modification Strategy:
Basic circuitry is well-designed so no fundamental modification
Remove electrolytic capacitors whenever possible
Use high-grade electrolytic capacitors whenever possible

Semiconductors:

LED1 (CHECK LED): 3mm red (LN-28RP) -> 3mm bright blue LED (E1L33-3B)

Q1: 2SC3378-GR -> 2SC3113-B
Q4: 2SC3378-GR -> 2SC3113-B
Q7: 2SC3378-GR -> 2SC3113-B
Q8: 2SC3378-GR -> 2SC3113-B
Q10: 2SC3378-GR -> 2SC3113-B

Resistors -> Current Regulative Diodes:

R2: 10kohm -> Semitec CRD E102 (source follower load)

(Semitec CRD E102: Current Regulative Diode, 1.0mA,
replaceable by JFETs of similar Idss values)

Electrolytic Capacitors:

C1: 10uF 16V -> MUSE (unipolar) 10uF 16V
C2: 10uF 16V -> MUSE (unipolar) 10uF 16V
C3: 1uF 50V -> Film 0.56uF 50V
C4: 1uF 50V -> Film 0.56uF 50V
C5: 10uF 16V -> MUSE (unipolar) 10uF 16V
C8: 0.22uF 35V -> Film 0.22uF 50V
C11: 1uF 50V -> Film 0.56uF 50V
C19: 100uF 6.3V -> MUSE (unipolar) 100uF 16V
C20: 0.22uF 35V -> Film 0.22uF 50V
C21: 1uF 50V -> Film 0.56uF 50V
C27: 10uF 16V -> MUSE (unipolar) 10uF 16V
C30: 10uF 16V -> MUSE (unipolar) 10uF 16V
C37: 1uF 50V -> Film 0.56uF 50V
C39: 1uF 50V -> Film 0.56uF 50V
C40: 100uF 6.3V -> MUSE (unipolar) 100uF 16V
C41: 100uF 16V -> MUSE (unipolar) 100uF 16V


Has anyone tried these mods before? He said he found them online. I would go meet him to test it, but he lives 90 miles away.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

I have no specific knowledge but I'll just say that I wouldn't get a mt2 unless I wanted it to sound like one.
With so many brands/models on the market I would just find something that suited me as stock.

My attitude might well miss-out on something really cool though, but I'd just hate to take the chance without having it to try for a couple days first.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

With all those capacitors you probably won't notice much difference if the values remain the same. Just changing the type will have very little, if any, noticeable impact.

If someone was to perform this mod, they might as well skip the caps that don't have a change in value.
 
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Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

These are some of the mods in Bryan Wampler's book, I like the Diesel mod the best out of all the ones I've tested. These are a lot easier than that one as well.

Screenshot_20180312-065616.jpg
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

If I still had mine, I'd probably just change the cap with the nasally mids to see if that took away the annoying midrange that you can't dial out.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

If I still had mine, I’d probably sell it and buy a Tech21 U.S. Steel. Oh, wait — that’s exactly what I did.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

Yeah I tried it, then learned the hard way that polishing a turd is just that...I did a lot of mods to the metal zone I had and while it improved the stock tone, the noise floor was still disappointing despite upgrading almost every component to a higher grade equivalent.
I saw a video of that pedal show where they compared a couple distortion pedals and even the analogman modded metal zone had a lot of hiss going on compared to the other pedals. It sounded okay actually but not as good as the other pedals.
But if you really want it then go for it :) just think about why you really want it and if its worth it.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

Little Pigbacon said:
If I still had mine, I’d probably sell it and buy a Tech21 U.S. Steel. Oh, wait — that’s exactly what I did.
Click to expand...

If I still had mine, it would be stolen by someone who had never experienced a Metal Zone before, and then never replaced by someone (me) who did have experience with one. Oh wait - that is exactly what happened. :cheers:
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

beaubrummels said:
If I still had mine, it would be stolen by someone who had never experienced a Metal Zone before, and then never replaced by someone (me) who did have experience with one. Oh wait - that is exactly what happened. :cheers:
Click to expand...

I must be a sucker for punishment. After getting rid of my Metal Zone 25 years ago, I bought one again last year to see if it was me or the pedal that was the problem. Conclusion: partly that I didn't understand how to dial it in, but mostly it's the pedal. :9:
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

ThisDyingSoul76 said:
I must be a sucker for punishment. After getting rid of my Metal Zone 25 years ago, I bought one again last year to see if it was me or the pedal that was the problem. Conclusion: partly that I didn't understand how to dial it in, but mostly it's the pedal. :9:
Click to expand...

I admit to owning two of them for different stretches. First time I started out thinking it was pretty good, sold it thinking it was lousy. Second time, a few years later, to see if it was really as bad as I remembered. It was.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

I have one that's been modded by Keeley. It sounds exactly like I want it to: dirty, nasty, raunchy, painful and absolutely nothing nice in any way shape or form. Perfect for all forms of anti-pop metal.
Think Rammstein, Static X, Overkill or Kreator.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk
 
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Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

I've done the Diezel/Bogner mod before to a MT-2 and it was actually pretty decent, I've never tried the Marshall/Mesa before, or actually heard of anyone who has.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

I found another mod that gets loads of positive reviews:

THE GRIFFIN DEATH METAL MOD

D3: Red LED (Stick through enclosure to look cool)
D4: 1n4004 diode
C25: Remove
C35: Remove
R14: 46k resistor
R41: 680r resistor

(^^the kit comes with 1% metal film 1/4w resistors, they probably don't make a difference)

C17: 1uf Panasonic Multilayer Film Cap (105)
C36: .068uF Panasonic Multilayer Film Cap (683)
C42: .1uF Panasonic Multilayer Film Cap (104)

The following caps are basic ceramic non-polarized caps

C10: .1nf
C18: .1nf
C26: .22nf
C32: .22nf
C22: .12nf
C28: .12nf

Noise Reduction

Two 1n60p diodes facing opposite directions twisted to each other and then bridged between 2 lifted leads from the negative leg of C27 and the leg of R33 that is closest to IC4.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

The guy sold it already, but I like the sound clips of the mod posted above (Death Metal). I hate to ask, but does anyone have a MT-2 they would be willing to sell me? Or heck, if they are as bad as people say they are, I'll take it off your hands for free.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

'59 said:
The guy sold it already, but I like the sound clips of the mod posted above (Death Metal). I hate to ask, but does anyone have a MT-2 they would be willing to sell me? Or heck, if they are as bad as people say they are, I'll take it off your hands for free.
Click to expand...

You can take mine off the hands of the guy who took it off mine for free.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

I’ve got an MT2 with the Monte Allums Sustainiac mod. I think it’s a huge improvement over the stock pedal. Really big sounding and tight, especially with my Bad Monkey in front of it.

It doesn’t get a ton if use now because it excels at heavier stuff than I’m typically playing these days. Message me if you’re interested in it.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

I once got a Metal Zone after I read the tone on Slaughter of the Soul was an HM2 boosting an MT2. I never could get it to sound like anywhere close, though.

Biggest (but not only, lol) problem I've always had with the 'Zone is that, with hot pickups, it was just not possible to get unity gain even with the output level cranked. JME.
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

Perhaps has compressor?
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

ThisDyingSoul76 said:
I must be a sucker for punishment. After getting rid of my Metal Zone 25 years ago, I bought one again last year to see if it was me or the pedal that was the problem. Conclusion: partly that I didn't understand how to dial it in, but mostly it's the pedal. :9:
Click to expand...

I did the same thing. Maybe the 3rd time's a charm?
 
Re: Has Anyone Tried This Metal Zone Mod Before?

ALL true metal heads have had a Metal Zone for their practice amp at one time or another.

Tone is great for bedroom but sucks at full volume imo.
 
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