Perfect Opeth Guitar Sound

[RoadKing]

FENDER AND GIBSON FUCKING SUCK...they are overated as hell and there are many brands better

Umm... you just might want to think about that one for a minute. The list of famous musicians and songs that have featured either a Fender, a Gibson, or both is fucking STAGGERING and LEGENDARY. Against it, your statement is rendered a big ol' stinky bucket o' FAIL!

As for the Opeth guitar sound, any decent high gain amp, a few choice effects (chorus, delay, phase and a good tube screamer for a little extra lead punch) and a few good hours of tweaking time should get you close. It's basically impossible to give you anything more specific without playing through the same rig. One thing though, a lot of people (especially novice players) tend to use TOO much gain, which actually kills some of the low end definition you need for good punch. Just don't think because your gain knob goes to 11 that you have to leave it there!

I personally prefer a good JRC4558 op amp-equipped Tube Screamer/Overdrive like my Analogman Silver-Mod Maxon OD808 to any straight-up distortion pedal, but I do have a Boss DS-1 with an Analogman mod on it that sounds great. I know both Analog Mike and Robert Keeley offer mods for the Metalzone that kills a lot of their intrinsic annoying fizz and renders a far more usable and musical pedal with a dramatically improved tone sweep. Check out www.analogman.com and click the Boss pedals link for more info.

 

[HaTeMaN]

oh yes gibson and fender are legendary indeed but come on they so overrated and expensive as hell while there are better brands now(Jackson PRS ESP Caparison).However think the way you want

 

[vhou812]

^^

Fenders are not really expensive I don't think..very good value in fact. Not really made for metal but other than that very versatile. Stick a humbucker in the bridge and they rock!...works for Iron Maiden.

Gibson's are overpriced and the quality control is not the best. However, if you find a good Les Paul, it's a keeper. Nothing sounds as fat as a good les paul. Personally, I prefer Ibanez and Fender. The Ibanez SZ 520 is a fantastic guitar for the money, fat mahogany body, maple top and thru neck. I stuck EMG pick ups in and it is my number one "metal" guitar.

Also, Opeth have certainly used Les Pauls and Strats...

 

[RoadKing]

oh yes gibson and fender are legendary indeed but come on they so overrated and expensive as hell while there are better brands now(Jackson PRS ESP Caparison).However think the way you want

And Caparisons aren't expensive?! Top of the line Jacksons, ESPs and especially Caparisons are in most cases easily as expensive, if not more so, than a nice Strat or Les Paul. Don't get me wrong, they're all excellent guitars, I have a gorgeous USA SL2H Jackson Soloist that I absolutely love (it's identical to the one in my sig), but personality and soundwise, my $1400 Eric Johnson Strat is as sweet an instrument as I've ever played, and through the channel 4 modern mode of a Road King II head with the Maxon OD808, all 4 6L6s and both EL34s engaged (with silicone diode rectification selected), it will melt your face! And for cleans, unless you're going for that thicker, hollowbody archtop tone, nothing can hang with position 4 on a Strat. (as heard on Riviera Paradise, Little Wing, Lenny, etc.)

I don't own a Les Paul at the moment (something that will change in the not too distant future!), but I've played a shitload of really, really nice ones over the years, and let me tell you, as much as I love my Jackson, a choice specimen of a Les Paul will shit all over any Jackson, PRS, ESP or Caparison you want to put it up against in the tone department! Check out some recent interviews with Alex Lifeson, for example. He said that as much as he appreciates the consistently excellent playability and craftsmanship of his PRSes, they just don't have the sound of the Gibsons. Again, don't get me wrong, all the brands you mentioned make incredibly desirable guitars (personally, I want one of EVERYTHING and totally don't understand the brand myopia that a lot of people have around here!), but there's a reason why everyone else has essentially been ripping off either Fender or Gibson for nearly sixty years!

 

[HaTeMaN]

ok every brand is good but it's a matter of tastes

So lets keep helping this guy out with is guitar sound

P.D:Jackson soloist...I want one