Orange for Mesa

[Klosure]

I have a great Orange OTR120(set to 80 with 2 valves)

Its a great amp loud as hell but I think its time to face facts, it wont really do metal - well not metal like I know, might pull of some black sabbath crap (sorry not a fan) but it wont do full on stuff.

So what you think. How do you feel with Mesas. I have heard them and seen other bands use them and it always does THAT tone, the one that gets used a lot.

My orange, i dont think there is much I can do to make it have that high gain sound. Should I care? I use a demonizer in front but it sounds thin.


But individual bands seems to have different amps. Katatonia claim to use Laboga, yet blatently the best stuff on the albums is with a mesa.

 

[AHChris]

I have a great Orange OTR120(set to 80 with 2 valves)

Its a great amp loud as hell but I think its time to face facts, it wont really do metal - well not metal like I know, might pull of some black sabbath crap (sorry not a fan) but it wont do full on stuff.

So what you think. How do you feel with Mesas. I have heard them and seen other bands use them and it always does THAT tone, the one that gets used a lot.

My orange, i dont think there is much I can do to make it have that high gain sound. Should I care? I use a demonizer in front but it sounds thin.


But individual bands seems to have different amps. Katatonia claim to use Laboga, yet blatently the best stuff on the albums is with a mesa.

Go and test some amps before you buy one! You like what you heard from mesas? Cool, but that doesn´t mean it´s the right amp for you and your playing style. Maybe you´ll like a Peavey/Laboga/Framus/VHT/Engl/whatever better. Be sure that you want THAT amp before dropping the cash.

 

[Klosure]

I agree but its more in the sound. I know mesas are a really funny amp but I thurst after it a lot.


They are so damb expensive thats the only issue.

 

[Sly]

Choose the right amp that fits your tastes, you can find tons of infos on here : samples, videos, reviews etc... The best way is to try when you can.

I think Orange amps don't do high gain, but I had great result with a good tubescreamer (Maxon OD series) adding the right amount of gain. I'm using the OD-820 right now and it's amazing how this pedal adds to reach "modern high gain tones". OD-808 are really cool too, a bit thinner but same color.

 

[Sly]

And used Peavey 5150s are beasts even after trying tons of amps.

 

[zver]

And used Peavey 5150s are beasts even after trying tons of amps.

+1

 

[DigitalMetal]

yeah dude stick a Tubescreamer or a Boss SD-1 in front of it, driven with a pedal it should do Metal fine, if i can get a metal tone from my little Peavey Royal 8 which has very little gain, it does a crunch at best, surely you can with your Orange and a pedal.

 

[Klosure]

so the tube screamer really is the key to getting good metal tones?

I love the orange and I see many metal bands use similar amps ie lower gain amps but I have obviously misunderstood the tube screamer.

I sued to have a turbo tube screamer but it didnt really do what I wanted, either I didnt get it or the turbo version is pants.

 

[Sly]

Yes, I do love Maxon tubescreamers, very nice mid color and tightness. An used OD-808 (OD-820 if you have the money !) should work very fine with your amp. Try settings like drive 9 o clock, tone 11 o clock, balance 12 o clock, they adjust the gain on your amp to get a tight but big sound !

 

[DigitalMetal]

A massive misconception with tube screamers is that they alone give you a high gain sound, for example people buy them plug them into a solid state amp and get very disappointed with the weak crunch tone they get.
This has been documented many times but il say it here just for a quick run-down.
A tubescreamer is meant to go in front of a tube amp, its purpose is to drive the tube amp harder than it can do naturally and make your tubes scream it will give you a high gain result.

Everyone here loves the Maxon 808 Tubescreamer (maxon built the original ibanez TS808 units and now make reissues under their own name)
These use symmetrical diode clipping and a JRC4558
They are pretty darn expensive because of the hype around them,

A cheaper alternative that i actually like a lot is the Boss SD-1 it uses almost the same circuit except it has one extra diode in the clipping circuit to produce asymmetrical clipping, which sounds a bit smoother than symmetrical, and it uses the same chip as the 808.

There are also many other alternatives of a similar design at verying prices,

They key thing about a tubescreamer is that it drive the valves of your amp but very slightly cuts the low end - thats what makes them popular for lead tones as it cuts through the mix well when the low end is cut a bit, like a low cut filter.
Listen to SRV a very famous user of the tube screamer, there is almost no low end to his tone but it sounds great for leads.

Anyway im sure some far more knowledgeable people than me may have something to say, or search the forum it has been discusses many many times.

 

[Klosure]

Fanstastic Tube screamer I get it now to make tubes scream not to emulate a tube pedal... damb thanks for that!

 

[DigitalMetal]

Fanstastic Tube screamer I get it now to make tubes scream not to emulate a tube pedal... damb thanks for that!

Yes exactly

 

[Sly]

+1

Tubescreamers are made to go with tube amps of course. When you use a tubescreamer (guitar => ts => amp) it produces more distortion before reaching the amp. Then you get a tighter sound (more gain = more compressed, less dynamics) with a slight more controlled low end, meaning a different balance in the tone ; it helps the mids and highs to cut through nicely. And you get tight high gain tones easier.
With some amps if you try to reach that same tightness level by bypassing the tubescreamer and raising the gain on the amp, it may become a bit flat and "dirty" sounding.

 

[Klosure]

So its worth trying other pedals as well.

I have a boss ds-1 more of a nirvana pedal but I might try it again

 

[Klosure]

I heard using a sansamp can be good fun too as that sorta emulates stuff like this, does it?

 

[BrettT]

So its worth trying other pedals as well.

I have a boss ds-1 more of a nirvana pedal but I might try it again

DS-1 will give you more gain but won't get you a tight sound at all.

 

[DigitalMetal]

So its worth trying other pedals as well.

I have a boss ds-1 more of a nirvana pedal but I might try it again

Again dont get confused by the name, it should be used to drive a tube amp not as a stand alone distortion,

Its almost the same circuit as a tubescreamer, it depends heavily on the specific type of components used as to waht sound you get,
I made one of these:
http://www.tonepad.com/getFile.asp?id=81
and its completly different to anything else ive used before because i used what type of components i could get hold of as opposed to the exact ones used by Maxon.