I just read EVERY post in this entire fucking thread, and I still have questions. Questions are highlighed in red for convenience.
I'm seeking to replicate Alexi's Follow the Reaper/Hatebreeder album sounds as closely as I can. I'm comfortable with a soldering iron. I have built moderately difficult guitar pedals before without any problems.
Gear:
Black/white Alexi-600 (Stock; seymour duncan model with volume, no MM-04/JE-1000; hand signed by Alexi)
Spare parts mutant flying V guitar I wired up myself with EMG-81s and a 24mm sanwa killswitch (serves as my work horse I beat the living sh!t out of)
decimator, and a bunch of homemade pedals
Mesa Boogie Stiletto Ace 2x12 Combo (can bypass preamp completely and be used as a power amp; has EL34 tubes)
I was thinking I'll build a JE-1000 in pedal form so it can be used on any guitar. It seems I should get good results by mounting in a
Hammond 1590BB (click) aluminum enclosure and grounding everything to it with shielded wire. I can even paint and pinstripe it =] I already have the designs and schematics for this.
#1: I assume this will produce precisely identical tone as if it was installed in the guitar?
#2: I also plan to shop for a GP-1000 '88 model, and it looks like the Alexi tone is better nailed with the below changes. Plus you also need to adjust the gain trimpot on the motherboard as Rune describes here:
One other thing, If you guys bothers to open up your GP-1000's you could easily get a little bit more gain, cause there is a trimpot in the middle of the motherboard which controls distortion level and gain amount. This cannot be turned on max because it will make the tubes give a plate sound, but you could put them pretty close to max if you got good tubes.
After modification (Replaced the purple/pinkish capacator (22uf) with a purple and blue (0.68uf). And replaced the resistor to the left of it in this picture 1,5kohm to 825 ohm) :
> Rune's Picture of This (click) <
#3: What is the best pickup for the job? Alexi used the J-50 BC for the albums I mentioned above, but <Arcane> said in a previous post:
I just want to tell you that I've swapped the J-50BC with my EMG HZ-H4 and it sounds soooooo much better. The tone is less crunchy yet which is the only thing what I don't really like but the overall tone is much cleaner, with less noise and it has much more power. I didn't expect much but HZ-H4 + Je-1000 is the best combination I've ever had.
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#4: What is the correct volume pot for this pickup - 250K?
#5 Does anybody have some good recommendations on suppliers/manufacturers/models of high quality zero resistance pots (turn easily)? Links please!
To sum it up, proposed signal chain:
Modded Alexi-600 with J-50 BC or EMG HZ H4 -> Decimator noisegate -> homemade JE-1000 pedal -> GP-1000 modded with Rune's suggestions -> power section of Stiletto Ace 2x12 Combo
At some point I will also pick up an intellifex too, but I absolutely don't want to change amps. I think this combo amp with ENGL34s and 2 x 12" Celestion speakers should suffice just fine. Anybody disagree?
