Gimme that sound

[Benzine]

At the moment my guitar has the same pickups that came with it which aren't very good. when i play distortion it just sounds pretty bad. what pickup could i get (and amp etc) to get that crunchy distortion like on 'Symphony X - Wicked'? That would be cool.

 

[Divine Wings Of Tragedy]

Dimarzio Tonezone

 

[Zax666]

Romeo is currently using Line 6 Vetta amp. The same technology is employed on the PODxt so you can be cheap there. If $400 is cheap for you, anyway!
Pickups: Romeo is using Dimarzio X2N for a bridge pickup and Tone Zone for the neck.
His guitars are ESP MII Deluxe's (No longer made, closest stuff: ESP LTD DELUXE M2000, unless you order a custom shop piece. The MII was mahogany, tho... :/ ).
Make sure your style can push around this ton of midrange DiMarzios generally produce, especially with Mesa/Boogie amps. Romeo's tones are generally based on the Mark IIc+ Boogie.


Now that's for the exact sound.

My suggestion: Buy a guitar that is actually descent (say, a Yamaha RGX420) and some amp modeler (say, a Digitech RP300) and THEN think if you need to be THAT pro.
You won't hear the difference if MJR played my suggestion or his rig. At least not unless you A/B them, try 'em in a mix, e.t.c..
Like YJM would say "Play with your ears".
(I love that advice!)

 

[Benzine]

I already have an RP300, wouldn't really know how to use it to get the sound though. Not much support for it and how to use it

 

[metropolis2k X]

Romeo's tones are generally based on the Mark IIc+ Boogie.

I wouldn't agree with that. I think Michael's rhythm tones are more like that of a Dual Rectifier but there is an amp which I know he likes that can do both sounds (and I wish he played it more often!) and that's the Engl Powerball.

 

[Zax666]

I wouldn't agree with that. I think Michael's rhythm tones are more like that of a Dual Rectifier but there is an amp which I know he likes that can do both sounds (and I wish he played it more often!) and that's the Engl Powerball.

I still think that at least on the earlier albums (before he went Line 6) the rhythm tones were the MarkII, not recto. He kind of messed up his tone in V and went for something completely different in The Odyssey. King of Terrors's rhythm tone is most definitlelly a Recto.

 

[Yngvai X]

I still think that at least on the earlier albums (before he went Line 6) the rhythm tones were the MarkII, not recto. He kind of messed up his tone in V and went for something completely different in The Odyssey. King of Terrors's rhythm tone is most definitlelly a Recto.

I actually asked Romeo what amp models hes using on his Line 6 Vetta, and he said for leads hes using the Bogner model, and for rhythm hes using the Engl.

And M-IIs are still made, its just production ESPs are no longer available in the US. In fact, the same model Romeo uses is still being produced in Europe and a slightly different version is available in Japan. If you live in the US I think the best bet would be to find a dealer that can get European guitars, real ESPs absolutely slay LTDs. And M-IIs are alder, not mahogany.

 

[Zax666]

I already have an RP300, wouldn't really know how to use it to get the sound though. Not much support for it and how to use it

Have you tried to turn off the speakersim?