Metal pedal for a DR.Z RT66

you're definately going to need something with a big scooped out EQ. I think your amp has plenty of girth to give it decent bottom end. It'll sound much better with a 4x12 cabinet, but perhaps something like Keeley's modded metal zone, or maybe something from MI Audio. You need something with a flexible EQ to play with to get it right.....and A LOT of VOLUME! It needs to be loud, this kind of thing dosen't really sound right in a bedroom.

The zoom is a good idea as well. Essentially the best way to do it is like Soldano and Mesa do it.... cascading gain stages, but that dosen't generally come on the cheap.

 

Nano Metal Muff
Zoom Tri-Metal
Maybe Boss Metal Core (have one on the way and can confirm later)

 

Had an OCD when I had my Rt. 66. It was the most metal I'd ever played through, including Mesa Rectifier. I had an MDEQ at the time, too, and figured I'd need to scoop the mids, but the voicing of the OCD through the 66 and a Bogner 2x12 was perfect without any scoop.

 

didn't love pedal make a pretty killer one a while back? "Black Magic"?

OCD does sound pretty cool for that actually. Honestly I think as long as there is enough power and clarity to get the mud out I think the mids don't need to be completely out to get a good forceful tone. They all just sound like mud without clarity and I think that's probably what led people to dial out the mids in the first place.

I'm not sure exactly what you have now, but occasionally just stacking a few good boost with a good distortion can get you there. I used to use a Direct Drive and a Keeley Rat.

I'll see if I can find some good clips of the 6 knob MI tube zone.

 

6 knob MI Audio Tubezone.

 

Not doubting it, but would love to hear some clips to confirm. I own a road king and think that channel 4 is METAL at it's finest(other than maybe a Diezel).

 

Not necessarily a scooped mids pedal but a very Diezel/Recto saturated and compressed "modern metal" sound is Diamond Fireburst (mid boost on) through my Route 66 ... Cusack Screamer Fuzz is a close second. I tried tons of pedals for heavy high-gain sounds out of my Route 66 and those two are the shiznit.

 

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=xW12PGG2LsY&feature=related

This is fun. MI Tube Zone.

 

http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=16

These are $150 I think the triple diode mode probably sounds best of those clips for the application.

 

No...the Nano does not really sound better than the full blown Metal Muff (which I have)...I just do not find the treble boost very usable and small size of the Nano would be a plus!

Check the emporium...lots of used Tube Zone pedals available...including mine!

Best regards,

-Thad

 

For "Metal" I like the Metal Muff better...the Tube Zone however is MUCH more versatile...rectifier tones, smooth leads, and can get pretty close to the MI Audio Crunchbox JCM800 type tones.

 

I just received one of those Hi-gain lovepedal units today. Awesome tone! It can do EVH to Mesa to heavy metal, no problem. It blew away my tubezone and classic distortion. I really like it! It's worth the trouble to track one down IMO. Stack it with a Super 6!

 

I usually use a ADA MP-1 preamp for metal.. they are pretty much the ultimate overdrive/distortion in my opinion.

However, I recently stumbled upon a Danelectro Fab Tone pedal & its the closest to that marshallesque / whitesnake'ish overdrive I have heard from a pedal. I love it.

 

Just got my Boss Metal Core ML-2 and compared it side by side with my EHX Metal Muff w/ Top Boost.

First off...both sounded much better thru the Marshall channel of my Rivera Chubster than the Fender channel. That being said, here are some early comparisons:

Better for chords: Muff
Better for single notes: Core
Dynamics: Core
Natural sounding: Muff
Classic metal: Muff
Modern metal (Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, etc.): Core
Build quality: Equal
Higher pitch: Muff
Lower pitch: Core
Variety of tones: Equal

One certainly has to play more precisely with the Core than the Muff, the dynamics do not let you get away with sloppy playing.

Best of luck, as of right now both pedals are keepers for me. I'll part ways with one of them when it comes time to put together a pedal board. Both are very nice pedals, bargains on the used market, and definitely METAL!!!