Recent content by searanox

Not where I live. The store where I live sells D'addarios for close to $9 while Elixirs are about $13. I don't buy boxes and boxes of strings, although really, I probably should...

I know this topic comes up from time to time, but I recently decided to try out Elixir strings. So far, I'm a fan - the sustain on them is crazy (can hold an E power chord for 30 seconds and it just won't stop), the tone is great (if slightly harsh), etc However, they are a complete bitch to...

If you had issues with a 6505 not being tight you probably had the gain set too high or there was something wrong with it. 6505 has some of the tightest low end of any high-gain amp. Could be you didn't have a cab that did it justice. For the record, Marshalls can sound fucking amazing for...

The rhythm channel on the 5150/6505 is more midrange heavy and has less gain (though with a boost it can sound awesomely brutal). It's my choice for playing more traditional metal because it has a less modern sound (more like an old overdriven Plexi and less like a gain monster). The lead...

Used 6505, or get a 6505+ 112 and convert to a head if you don't want the cab (the 2 vs. 4 tube difference is almost nonexistent, volume-wise it's a few dB at most, the tone is just slightly brighter and could easily be compensated for with tubes/EQ/etc.). See here for a good comparison...

Cleans - gonna go with 3, it sounds full, warm and articulate. 1 is harsh, louder but not as interesting. 2 is slightly lifeless, though the difference between 2 and 3 is small. Rock - 3 again, it's the warmest and has the most depth of all the tones. However they all sound pretty good...

Depends on the tone you want. Traditionally speaking rhythm guitars are thicker and warmer, and leads are trebly and biting to cut through the rest of the band. For a lot of styles of music I prefer the neck pickup for rhythm, gives a weightier and fuller sound - some guitars, like Strats, I...

I love the HM-2 sound, but were you using it along with the amp's own gain? I think at a certain point it just gets too muddy and and noisy to use unless it's primarily put on the clean channel.

I've noticed that usually 16 ohms is louder and brighter sounding than 4 or 8 ohms, and that the dynamic range tends to be just a little more sensitive. Also, if you have a volume difference in output (especially between different speaker types/brands/etc.) then you may compensate and drive the...

Agreed. Old strings might sound okay in person, especially if you're used to them, and sometimes they can even sound more like guitars on albums due to the way they are recorded or EQ'd - but do any recording yourself and you will soon learn that even with EQ tweaks, mic placement etc. you...

Look into the Warwick Corvette Rockbass. They aren't as good as the more expensive ones, but they have good pickups, and are well-built and easy to play. In fact I'd say that Warwicks are by far the most "user-friendly" of any basses out there, exceptionally smooth, lightweight, with really...

You're probably right. I do know the pedals are internally the same except for the TS9/Hot switch, but build quality is going to be irrelevant when dealing with the TS7/9 unless there is an actual problem with the pedal. I have heard conjecture that the different layouts of the pedals...

To me Blackouts tend to sound very muddy on the low-end compared to EMGs - still good but I think they've become a bit overhyped as an "EMG alternative" when in reality they don't always get you the sound you want. It's cool to hate EMGs and people don't always use their ears when judging tone.

Not really. Neck-through will actually give you better sustain in many cases, but like all things it more or less just comes down to preference. Bolt-ons tend to have a little bit more brightness and attack, while a neck-through design will tend towards a warmer and thicker sound (plus...

If they're panned identically each way, what does it matter? Just depends on the arrangement which part goes where, and personal preference. For instance, I like to put the higher stuff on the right side and the lower stuff on the right side. This also applies to EQ - I like to add a bit more...