How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

PowerOfaDuck

New member
So I got the EVH 5150 50 watt with e Engl 2x12 pro box. so I want a nice lead tone the best would be just one Pedal(for the beginning) so i can do solos on my bridge pickup so these screaming leads like jason becker (or schuck schuldiner)
or on the neck pickup a very smooth creamy solos or a solo tone on necrophagist fermented offal discharge.
So I am not talking about adding a reverb/delay.
I got a Mooer Green Mile pedal which is a tubesceamer clone(but i replace it soon and send it back becuase it isn't well build)
But it only seems to change the tone (on a positiv way) when I crank up the volume and cut the mids.
SO any pedal (or trick) that will do the job.
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

You can't get a good lead tone out of that amp without a pedal?
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

Get tech 21 boost/D.L.A. boost for the cutting through and delay for giving the leads more depth and space in the mix
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

What is your budget? You can cheaply mod a tube screamer or a boss sd1 for some hot metal sounds. Or you can buy a wampler plextortion, which i think you might like. Or do both! I have a boss sd1 i modded for my hard rock solos like whitesnake, crue, evh, acdc and the wampler for megadeth, dio, ratt, testament stuff.
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

I'll suggest the Empress Heavy to you. Also better look into a heavy duty compressor and noise gate as well as a good digital mod effect you can throw in the effects loop. You'll never get that tone out of a 5150. Never.

Also listening to that track made me miss working at a printer.
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

IMO... you want the Fulltone OCD

Gain = low, Volume = high, Tone = to taste... preferrably in 18 volt mode mode (more headroom than run in 9v).

This will tighten things up, add sparkle and dynamice, and really make your tone cut. I used one with my Bogner, VHT, Engl, Marshall, and Lickliter amps for leads with great success. My modded TS9 sounded mushy and lifeless in comparison.
 
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Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

Set the tone button on the pedal in the right place and play well.
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

I have found this works best for my lead tone.

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Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

ZVex Super Hard On.

This or another clean boost of some kind.

IMO saturated tubes > saturated diodes

Conversely the tube screamer type pedals do add a little compression which is nice for soloing but if you're playing metal chances are your signal is already pretty compressed anyway from all the gain.
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

Chuck Schuldiner just plugged his BC Rich Stealth into a Valvestate with a bit of amp chorus for solos. The rest was in his fingers.
Maybe a Tubescreamer type to tighten up the low end a bit and get those highs out a bit more? You should have gain a plenty with that amp.
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

ZVex Super Hard On.

This or another clean boost of some kind.

IMO saturated tubes > saturated diodes

Conversely the tube screamer type pedals do add a little compression which is nice for soloing but if you're playing metal chances are your signal is already pretty compressed anyway from all the gain.
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

a 5150 normally gets incredible lead tone without a pedal... maybe dont crank the gain like crazy... and boost ur mids and treble, dont overpower with bass, so i would put like treble at 9 and mids at 9 and then put bass at like 5... and if u need a pedal i would just go with a tube screamer... there solid pedals for solo boosts
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

If you ask me, you need a good amp and good pedals, which you already have; good pickups (IMO, you can't beat a JB or Alternative 8 for leads); and good technique.





For the pedal, I really recommend the Fulltone OCD.

Also, be sure to EQ well. You don't really need lots of gain. Make sure the bass is around 6 at most, mids at full and treble boosted. Watch the presence knob or it will get icepicky.
 
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Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

Less of just about everything than you probably think.
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

Use your ears, turn knobs, don't be afraid of unconventional settings.

But if you must have a pedal, I would go for a Wylde Overdrive. I have a couple along with an OCD, and I prefer either of my Wyldes over the OCD. The Wylde OD brings out a lot more harmonics and growl than the OCD does, especially if you mod it for and run it at 18 volts.

I hear good things about that new Duncan 805 pedal too. The idea of a 3 band EQ on an overdrive is intriguing..........I want one.
 
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Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

Your one-stop solution... \m/




:D
 
Re: How to get the best Lead tone (metal) ?

Roll back the gain on the lead channel, you don't want as much as you have on the rhythm channel, than try the od with a delay...honesty that should be more than enough with that amp..... Most guys who have that amp, it's the 3 channel right?, just don't use as much gain on the 3rd channel and boost, I know one guy who boosts the clean channel for his leads with a few different mad professor pedals, mainly the golden cello and the evh one with reverb....
 
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