How to dial in metalzone?

What is your philosophy/method to setting up a metal zone? My buddy just modded mine to Diezel specs and the recommended settings in the manual no longer work

From what I know about the metal zone the bass and treble knobs don't work the same as most other pedals.

How do I dial it in?
 
Not to sound trite, but use your ears. I've got one with a Keeley mod. Not sure if it's similar to the Diezel mod. But it's different enough from the original that you just have to mess around with it and see what you like. Start with the settings that you used before you modded it. Then just adjust to taste.

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Start with the high and low at noon and the top mids knob at about 1:30, then move the bottom sweep knob around until you find where you like that slight mid-boost at.

Then adjust the high and low to taste, but remember that highs is more of an ultra-highs, so use your amp's treble to get enough cut so that the pedal's highs can be kept in the lower or middle area.

Once you have the highs and lows roughly set to taste go back to the top mids knob and adjust how much boost you want.

You can also use the mids to cut, in which case you would set the mids to 10:30 and sweep the bottom knob until you find the right spot, then go back to the top mids knob and adjust to taste.
 
Something often neglected is that you can use the mids to boost. Then use a bit less treble and bass with the distortion at around 1:00.

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It helps to have a reference recording so you can A/B the pedal through your amp to the sound you want. The EQ on the pedal is very sensitive so make tiny changes to knobs once you start getting close to the sound you want. You can keep the gain pretty low and still get a heavy saturated tone.
 
Some people really like it as a preamp so plugging it into your fx return and dialling it in like you would an amp, maybe jacking the mids, then use the mid sweep to find the mid freq you don’t like and pull it down ought to do it.
 
There are a few points to consider conceptually so that you know what your doing. This is based off the stock pedal, but it's pretty similar to your modded one.

First, the high and low controls are shelving filters. That means instead of boosting or cutting a specific frequency by a variable amount, you are varying the range of frequencies and they are being boost and cut by a fixed amount. IE with the bass knob at noon there is no difference in sound, but at 1 o clock it might be boosting all frequencies from 100 to 150 hz by 6 dB but at 3 o clock it boosts all frequencies from 100 to 450 hz by 6db.

Second, the "mid frequency" knob has a massive range. You can use it to boost or cut bass or treble. Don't always have to use it for mids.
 
Start from left knob to right knob,
  • the first knob is the "Fizz" Level -adjust,
  • then the next knob is the "Fizz low" level -adjust,
  • then the next knob is the "Fizz High" Level, -adjust
  • the finish up with the rightmost knob the "Extra Fizz" level control.
now depress the engage pedal to turn the unit off

Totally dialed!
 
Set everything to 12 O'Clock, ...and done.

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Some things already discussed - but let's put it all in perspective:

#1 Make sure the music you are making NEEDS a Metalzone. A lot of failure starts here.

#2 Seriously consider that preamp thing. Tried it, really liked it. Cut the amp's tone stack out of the equation

#3 That shelving thing. Yeah. Start with those at noon and come back later.

#4 Do this: Same approach as for a Sonic Maximizer
- Set mid boost at 10, rotate frequency knob until you find where it has that tone you like.
- Or set it at zero and rotate until you find the the scoop frequency you want
-The go back and set the knob to "5" and move to boost or cut until you get to the good amount
- Finally go back then adjust the bass/treble to taste

It's a lot, but it's a lot of pedal for what it is. Remember - controls have a big impact with only slight changes so go slow and easy.
 
the original pedal has treble bass and mid knobs
one knob is the Mid sweep
leave that one alone at noon
moving it creates the can of bees thing

as far as the mod
you may have broked it
 
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