Any DIY guys doing the Metal thing? (Plus a list of things on my agenda)

[aut0tek]

Anyhow, most people have seen my posts and understood that I am a self-proclaimed N00B!!!!111oneone!1!   haha anyhow, I see the vast majority of DIY pedals are the soul-tone, if you will... fuzzes, ODs, etc... What about the nasty, raunchy, pinch harmonic-ey stanky stuff? Anybody play Metal? I'm exclusively Metal and I've been looking for good, simple circuits to do... I know one thing you guys CAN help me with is a good simple clean boost... Right now I'm using my Boss Loop Station with the level and input cranked and it's almost a key ingredient, because when I took it out my tone suffered... I'm guessing it's just being a clean boost and I need to replicate that.

As far as others, I've got a couple things I need to do...
I think a compressor would help my Pinch Harmonics sustain longer... That'd be a nice addition... Also any way I can go off my amp's channel switcher to turn on/off my OD pedal (Without using one of those rack-mounted gizmos with a foot controller) that'd be a big bonus...
I am still working on my Bobtavia even though I don't need it anymore... I bought a Whammy and that thing owns...
EQ'ing is also on the agenda... I have a GE-7 (I haven't seen a schematic on the Sniper mod) and I would like to have more EQ settings to choose from to "shape" then go to a different EQ, then a different one, etc. that'd be all kinds of nice.
umm... I guess that's about all I'm after right now. any cool squeelies with sound samples are cool too.  OH. and I wanna make that A/B/Y switcher too! I have 3 amps and it'd be nice to be able to use 2 at once for weird stereo stuff while playing live.

MEH-TUL... Lol.

-aut0

[ildar]

For a simple clean boost that does metal, try the Microamp project-if you don't like it, it can easily be converted to a Dist+ 
For a simple metal distortion, the Metal Simplex comes to mind. Haven't built it myself, but I've heard some good things.

[d95err]

Also any way I can go off my amp's channel switcher to turn on/off my OD pedal (Without using one of those rack-mounted gizmos with a foot controller) that'd be a big bonus...

If I understand correctly you want the amp channel to switch when you turn on (or off) a pedal. (E.g. to get one very heavy OD+amp crunch sound and one really clean sound, or one amp crunch sound and one OD+clean amp sound).

If you build an OD pedal, you could add a jack for the amp footswich. Use a 3PDT footswich and a Millennium bypass. This frees up one pole that you can use to switch the amp channel. To avoid ground loops, you should probably make sure the footswitch jack is isolated from the stompbox enclosure.

[MetalGuy]

I'm open to different styles of music but Metal/Death Metal is my first choice. What I would recommend is not for beginners but it's worth the effort.
I'm using a modified MT-2, but I'm most satisfied with Marshall's  JMP-1 drive channel. I  built it separately with some modifications. Very important is the passive fixed tone stack section - don't miss it out! The front end has been "metalzonized" according to this schematic:

http://www.mif.pg.gda.pl/homepages/tom/files/hotrod.gif

The clipping section is as the original one. I usually connect those to a switch box and then to the FX In of my 4xEL34 tube amp. This way I can use my SLO drive channel for some soloing. Also to get tight, smashing sound you MUST use closed back cabinet.
After several years of experimenting I haven't been able to get the metal sound I want from an all tube configuration. IMHO if you have a tube amp, to get  descent metal sounds from it you'll need at least an overdrive pedal or a booster.

[tomwarrior]

i play metal(slayer, death, pantera, sjr, morbid angel, ect.)

first off, what kind of guitar pickups and amp do you have?
i play guitars with emg81's(like kerry king) in the bridge position and an el-cheapo 90's valvestate vs100 like chuck shuldiner did in DEATH. in my fx loop i use a BBE sonic maximizer(cant live without it) and inbetween my guitar and amp i use either a tube screamer or a sd-1.
the trick is, if you have a decent sounding amp, is to boost the signal going into it and attenuate the lows. i set my pedals with the distortion all the way down and the level maxed(just to boost the signal). my tone settings are anywhere between 5 and 10 depending how much high freq i can tolerate that day. both of these pedals will kill a little bottom end and boost the mids witch i think is important cause too much bass signal going into a distorion circut(preamp) will sound like shit/muddy. i use the maximizer to boost the bass freq up after the preamp distortion to get that "kick in the chest" thump when palm muting.
whenever you boost the gain it improves sustain and pinch harmonics. i would build one of these pedals and/or any clean boost and add an input cap(from the input jack to the begining of the circut) in the range of .001 to .1uF.
im a metalhead from way back(venom, celtic frost, ect.) but after discovering some convincing tube preamp emulators ive been rediscovering my classic rock roots. if you have any specific metal tone questions feel free to e-mail me at cadmobile500@msn.com.

[RDV]

Ever use that EQ in yer effects loop?

RDV

[mojotron]

One of the best metal pedals I've made was a modded Guv'nor http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/guvnor_sc.gif

The mods I make are:
1) Short the wiper on VR1 (the gain knob) to the side of VR1 that connects to C3 - tons of crunch!
2) Make R1 a 5kB or 10kB pot - (10kB w/C1=.2uF) in mid position it's more like the normal circuit - with more resistance settings  of VR1 you get a tighter low end (for mud reduction) and at lower settings you get a deeper punch to the sound.
3) Use 3mm red LEDs for the clipper diodes
4) Optionally - use 25kA pots on the tone pots - this gives you a bit more range in the tone control. But, I like the 10KA pots a little more for the tone section.
5) Add a switch to switch in/out the LEDs - you get a bit more crunch without the LEDs for backing sounds.

This is my favorite metal sound from a pedal with all of these mods, except #4.

[MetalGuy]

tomwarrior: I'm happy to see that you mention Chuck Shuldiner. R.I.P. This was a big loss for the metal community. DEATH /Chuck Shuldiner/ was one  of the few groups with ever evolving music - every album was better than the preceeding.
Chuck was one of the very few people that used to play live only through a single  Marshall Valvestate head without any additional effects and stuff.
RDV: An EQ in the FX loop can make big difference!

[AzzR]

I play heaps of CKY but fnding out exeactly what effects they use is a nightmare, If anyone knows then please can they PM me.

Also if anyone here listens to Dimmu Borgir can they please tell me if they know, Is Dimmu using a seven string in the song Puritana?

Thanks

Dream

[ildar]

Not to throw a wet blanket on any of your suggestions, -which are all great, btw-but autotek has asked for simple builds to get a metal sound. Some of these builds and mods aren't too simple.
Sorry if I'm nitpicking, but it always bothered me when I got all these suggestions for complicated builds when I was still a rank newbie. Not that I'm too advanced now. 

[tomwarrior]

metal guy,
chuck used an ibanez tub screamer. his setup was;
b.c.rich guitar w/dimazio xn2 bridge pickup>ibanez tube screamer>vs100>stock vs100 cabinet.
i think the older vs's used better speakers(my freinds old vs combo has 12gt75's) than the new ones. i use a 1960a w/12gt75's.

build a tubescreamer, leave the diodes out.---tom

[mojotron]

Not to throw a wet blanket on any of your suggestions, -which are all great, btw-but autotek has asked for simple builds to get a metal sound. Some of these builds and mods aren't too simple.
Sorry if I'm nitpicking, but it always bothered me when I got all these suggestions for complicated builds when I was still a rank newbie. Not that I'm too advanced now. 

Well, there might not be really simple builds related to metal... but given a patient approach any of these could be done correctly. The only way to get to the next level is to try more complicated things - and I would say that the Guv'nor/Tube Screamer/... would be doable for a new person. But, of course a booster may be an easier place to start.... Depends on where you want to go with this stuff - it has to be noted however that DIY stompboxes is not really about saving money at all - and to make stompboxes you would be proud of you have to be interested in the electronic/mechanical design.... The funny thing is, while a gradual approach is the only way to do this, after I finished a build that I thought was going to be really tough - it ends up not being that tough at all.

The major ways to simplify any build is to buy the PCB from GGG or TonePad, GEO.... it's simpler than stripboard too..

[Transmogrifox]

I have heard good things about Obsidian and Blackfire by Joe Davisson.  If it's not exactly what you're looking for, it may be moddable to what you would like.

Otherwise, I would have to put in a vote for Howie's Metal Simplex, and Aron's SmashDrive for simplicity (though I know from experience that the SmashDrive does not quite have the gain I like for good squealey pinch harmonics and such)

[aut0tek]

Well, pertaining to the newbness, the ASSEMBLY of a circuit is no problem for me... As I've said before, I've been a C-17 Avionics tech for 3 years now, so soldering, assembly, repair, wiring maintenance, multimeter usage are things I see quite frequently, and to wild specifications (imagine, US Military standards, ensured to be airworthy... It's rediculous sometimes.)

As far as my tone... I definitely need a boost similar to whatever I'm doing with my BOSS Loop Station (I'm guessing here... a "Clean Boost" )

Anyhow, here's the setup:  Jackson Kelly w/ Seymour Duncan SH-11's and Dean ML with a SH-13 "Dimebucker"
Going into Digitech Whammy WH-4, Ibanez weeping demon Wah, into a Wylde OD with the output at 10, gain at about 2-3. tone in the middle... Then out to the amp... IN THE EFFECTS LOOP: Boss GE-7, Boss Loop Station, BOSS NS-2 (Rarely Used now with new tubes) into a BBE Sonic Maximizer with the Process dimed and the Lows at about 2.

I might set the mic up tomorrow night and see what happens.  If you wanted to show someone what your tone was like, where would you mic the cab? (I've never mic'ed a cab before.)

But that way I could show you guys the difference between Loop Station and no loop station (You won't believe the difference.)
And generally introduce myself to the forum as a freak. ;-)

But yes, I'm thinking boost projects might be good starters, I'm going to start looking because I know there's a ton.

-aut0

[tomwarrior]

wow, thats alot of stuff for playing metal!!! i like to keep it simple and quite.
you still havent mentioned what type of amp your using. is the cabinet sealed?
ive heard a wylde od into a fender twin and it sounded awsome. heard its the same as a sd-1.
for my prefered metal sound try plugging your guitar into the wylde w/gain "0" level "10" then into the amp. leave just the maximizer in the loop and set both controls between 5 and 9.
set you amps controls to; gain 10 bass 10 mid 10 treble 5. if you have a contour control set it in the middle. i think that too many effects may be loading down your guitars signal. the loop station might be just boosting your volume or it could be re-e.q.ing your sound. a simple buffer inbetween your guitar and first pedal may help. what specific bands sound are you trying to emulate? if your going for that oldschool slayer, celtic frost, venom sound, boost your mids. post a sound clip. miking the center of the speaker will boost the highs and miking towards the edge will boost the bass. do you have a guitar with a different pickup?

[ildar]

Well, pertaining to the newbness, the ASSEMBLY of a circuit is no problem for me... As I've said before, I've been a C-17 Avionics tech for 3 years

Well, I didn't mean to imply that you were incapable, just reminding everyone that you had asked for simpler projects...to get your feet wet maybe?
That's what happens when I try to help...

[Clipped]

Ok, not pedal related, but for that squeal and pinch harmonic (If you mean in a Zakk Wylde sort of way) thing, I found that swapping out my Duncan Distortion for an EMG-85 (or 81) active pickup helped that a TON without other mods. I can't speak to the Dime pickup, but the Duncan was pretty loud and the EMG just ate it alive. Since I don't play leads really, I like the extra thickness of the 85 over the 81, but *I think* the 81 is actually higher gain?

Anybody remember the Barb Wire active pickup? (Duncan made it I think). That thing was so raunchy it distorted my guitar even when it wasn't plugged in 

Alot of good suggestions for easy boosters on here though.

R

[aut0tek]

Ildar: no no no no no it's not like that at all, my post wasn't in any way a reply or retalition towards yours... I was just telling everyone the state of my experience in the field of building stompboxes, which is none, but doing electronics, I'm better than average joe that can hotwire a pre-87 chevy or whatever. LOL. But no, you're definitely cool w/ me, I didn't take your post as degrading at all... As I've said many times I AM A N00B to the DIY stopmbox stuff, and I'll be the first to tell ya. I was just letting everyone know I won't burn myself soldering or catch my clothes on fire or anything. (Not to say it hasn't happened 11 years or so ago. HAHAHA) ;-)

Okay, so to let everyone know, I thought I posted the whole rig, but I missed one... yea, what's that thing called, oh yea THE AMP!!! lol.

Those recordings were on a P.O.S. Marshall MG30... I normally use a Crate Blue Voodoo (all tube) 1/2 stack, gain at about 5, amp eq all at about 7 including the presence.

-aut0

[tomwarrior]

i dont know if its posible to make a mg series marshall sound good, but i know canibal corpes uses crate amps and they have a great sound. try my sound recipy on the crate and get back to me.

[Connoisseur of Distortion]

i play through a Blue Voodoo sometimes. i keep the mids, treble, and presence dimed and back off of the bass significantly. i also keep the gain at 10, but i keep the master volume at about 8 at the most (it seems to just get alot bassier after that)

i actually find my favorite tones in the world of digital. my favorite sound is the insane channel on my Line 6 combo. the distortion is absolutely wonderful. i'll try to post a clip if it really interests anyone...