How get those big 80s lead tone?

JonWormwood

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Jun 16, 2007
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Jax, Fl
Lots of verb and delay, maybe some chorus? Ive been having no luck with chorus tho, I guess I just don't have the right one.

Maybe I'm missing something?
 
For thick lead tones of the 80s 99.9% of it is modded Marshall. So go with a SLO or a JCM type amp with a boost. Add some light chorus and delay with a nice pre-delay and BOOM instant 80s

Edit: For the chorus is all about a super slow rate and a super big on the depth control. SLOW AND LOW is the way to go.
 
Lots of verb and delay, maybe some chorus? Ive been having no luck with chorus tho, I guess I just don't have the right one.

Maybe I'm missing something?

Lasse, grywolf, guitarguru :Smug:

I know you guys know haha

;)

You've got the ingredients right there. It's just a matter of finding the right ones, especially the chorus. For me, analog chorus is the best. But I even got some good sounds out of my old Alesis rack units. As far as plugs go, I still haven't found a chorus that I'm 100% happy with for this type of thing.

Chorus->Delay->Reverb would be my signal chain.

But it's also all about the tone from using the right amp and pickups. That GP-1000 should get you there, driven heavily with something. Try just boosting it with something, not cutting freq's like a TS or similar does. I used to just drive it with my compressor, cranking the output on it. The GP would start singing then. :) Or use your other guitarist's MP-1. It's MADE for that sound, no boosting required.

Got a particular sound in mind you're going for?
 
+10000000 on the MP1 its the definiteive TONE of the 80s. Especially the Sharpnel stuff, and the Hair Metal bands from 87 to 91!

Skid Row
Tesla
Racer X
Mr Big
Cinderella
Tora Tora
Dangerous Toys
Bang Tango
White Lion
Winger

All were MP1
 
The Lexicon PCM41 was a much used delay unit then. Use two delay lines with a slight modulation and high roll off with in stereo with about 25-35ms longer on one side for stereo separation. That an a bit of hall reverb being fed by the delays will get in in the territory. The chorus lead was more for pop than late 80's metal.
 
Ive been loving huge delays on solos recently. ESPECIALLY the ping pong delay in cubase. Makes the solos huge from the stereo widing the ping pong brings. Don't know if it gives the 80's vibe your looking for by itself but its awesome.
 
I personnally use CatDelay cause it's a nice lowCPU and free stereo delay. I put like 1/4 delay on the left and 1/3 on the right. Therefore it creates a nice stereo touch, low under the main track.
 
Thanks for all the advice dudes.

We've got our fleet of pointy jacksons and ibanez's, rack equipment (mp1, gp1k, quadraverb, 6l6/el34/el84 power amps) through marshall cabs haha.

I fucking love me some stryper, winger, racer x, loudness, Cinderella
 
"Yellow and Black Attack" and "Soldiers Under Command" had good guitar tone, but literally sounded like the cab was in one room and the mic was in another. "To Hell With the Devil" sounded great... but fast forward to "Reborn" and UGHHHHH. Horrid tone. Sounded like they mic'd an amp and took a DI, then simply ran the DI through a crap ampsim on the opposite side for fake stereo.
 
All the Stryper albums from Soldiers on were MarkII C+ with a MXR 10 Band EQ as a Boost. Y&B Attack was a 100w Marshall

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/57550-question-michael-wagener-guitar-stryper-albums.html

The real trick to Michael Wageners tones back then was this:
http://www.coutant.org/m11rp/index.html

and here is the info on Nunos tone on Pronografittit which to me is the the shit! Best tone to come out of the hair metal genre!
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/51393-q-michael-wagner-about-nuno-bs-guitars.html
 
All the Stryper albums from Soldiers on were MarkII C+ with a MXR 10 Band EQ as a Boost. Y&B Attack was a 100w Marshall

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/57550-question-michael-wagener-guitar-stryper-albums.html

The real trick to Michael Wageners tones back then was this:
http://www.coutant.org/m11rp/index.html

and here is the info on Nunos tone on Pronografittit which to me is the the shit! Best tone to come out of the hair metal genre!
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/51393-q-michael-wagner-about-nuno-bs-guitars.html

I have to buy one of those furmans. :Smug: Tho michael claims it was just boosting some mids/highs
 
Go with a marshall like sound (Revalver 900 works good), and overdrive/tubescream the fuck out of it.
Altough not that noticably at first, these sounds are really overgained and cracked.
Then all the verb and delay and stuff :D