I want an 80's Metallica sound...

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: I want an 80's Metallica sound...

As well for MoP tones you're going to need an Explorer-ish guitar. The shape of a body does have an effect on the tone. I tried an Invader in a Strat-type and it was meh compared to MoP. Put it in a Jackson Warrior and it was a lot closer.

Not to mention you're dealing with two guitar tracks layered, and probably EQd slightly different to keep them from being simply doubled (which would overpower everything else and kill the mix).

So you want 2 amps (doesn't matter if it's Boogie or Marshall or poweramps+cabs) and 2 pedal chains: guitar into a BOSS SuperOverdrive set merely to boost, not distort. Split that into an MXR Distortion+, then into one amp. The other split from the SD1 goes into an Applause SuperDistortion pedal (good luck finding one), then into a Chorus pedal of some sort set for 0 Sweep, 0 Rate, and 20ms Delay for thickening and slight mid-shifting.

 

[Brown Note]

Re: I want an 80's Metallica sound...

Mark series amps will get you in the ballpark, though the "simul-class" power stage is not the best possible for rhythm tones. For the pickups I'd go with dirty fingers or invader. The 85' explorer was originally shipped with a dual dirty finger setup and I'm fairly certain that that's what was in James' explorer.

 

[jmh151]

Re: I want an 80's Metallica sound...

Years ago I was in a Sam Ash and played a stock Jackson RR-1 into a Marshall VS-100 Valvestate Combo, and was able to suprisingly dial in and copy the Master of Puppets tone.

What I contribute to this is that at least Kirk was using the APA MP-1 preamp at the time, which the VS-100 sounded similar to. Second, the Valvestate had this "contour" knob which changed the shape of the mide from a classic Marshall to a heavy scooped sound- the way Metallica was scooping their Marshalls. I think Marshall went and tried to copy the MOP tone when designing the countour control on this amp.

For Kill Em All, I have a Marshall JCM800 2100, and running a distortion class pickup straight into it gets you the MOP rhythem tone.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: I want an 80's Metallica sound...

They definitely didn't use actives for MoP. What I'm not sure of is if they used them on Garage Days Revisited. By the sound, I believe that they did. The MoP sound is so huge, thick, and layered that it is hard to nail it, but an invader with an explorer into a IIC+ or similar high gain amp would probably come close. (or probably some type of modeling amp) Of Metallica's early tones I'd want to emulate the sound on RtL, Garage, or the latter half of AJFA if I had to choose. It's no wonder that I like the sound of an OD pedal in front of an amp, even using less gain on the amp, since I really like the tone on RTL and that's what James used.

 

[Binnerscot]

Re: I want an 80's Metallica sound...

Prior to MoP you need something Marshall flavored with some added gain and EQ (a Duncan Distortion will do just fine).

You can nail a MoP tone with a Dual Rec (no need to mid scoop and no need to crank the low end) and Duncan Distortion, nothing hard about....no crazy EQs, stomp boxes, etc. I am pretty sure the Dual Rec was designed as a response to get those tones out of the box.

AJFA was mixed much differently than most of their recordings and really requires a Duncan Distortion or EMG '81 (they both accomplish the same task under high gain) and a MarkIVA (a Mark V will do also - though the recording was done with a Mark IIC+). The Mark has a deep whomp instead of a solid thump when the low end is pushed and and edgy high end that will get the clinical sounds of AJFA.

Anything after can be done with a Dual Rec and some knob tweaking.

I grew up on those tones and know them well.

 

[DonP]

Re: I want an 80's Metallica sound...

Moreover, Why?!?!?!

You know, a lot of us can't stomach what you call "music" either!

 

[DonP]

Re: I want an 80's Metallica sound...

I love this tone. I have a KE3/DK1 with DUNCAN DESIGNED pickups (HB103 set) and this going into my DSL100 with the bass boost on red channel nails it. I have an EQ in the loop, but I don't really need to scoop.

The Full Shreds were close, the BL USA L500XL was closer, but the DD's have that gutteral lower mid that is the key.