A couple questions

[Miskatonic]

I've got the distortion from the amp to sound how I like it, and at a bedroom volume. However the volume for the higher strings is non existent, it seems like the lowest three strings have sucked up all the juice.  I'm going to buy an EQ and an a noise gate (to remedy these problems, as well as to clean things up when I crank the gain and master volume), have already decided on the MXR - 108, and the MXR Smart gate, now I just need a good distortion pedal. And this seems to be a topic that is all over the map.  Someone's gem is another's POS.  I'm leaning towards the Line 6 Uber Metal, but would like to hear if anybody has some criticism to offer in regard of this pedal.  I'm interested in more of a thrash/death metal tone, since 99% of what I'm interested is metal. I don't need classic rock distortion  I plan on doing a lot of fast tremelo picking, which is common with extreme metal, and want an articulate sound, not just a fuzzy wall of noise which is what my amp gives me right now. Distortion sounds great for chords and palm muting, just can't shred open string, or single notes with any real clarity.  I know part of it is my playing skill level, but even at a medium speed it sounds like a wall of sound.

Secondly. I want to know if there is any special trick to tuning a guitar with a locking nut?  I loosen up the three tabs at the top of the neck, and get all the strings in tune with an electronic tuner (so it's semi-accurate and sounds ok to the ear), but once the tabs are tightened down everything shows up on the low side of the spectrum, (the center would be in tune, not sure if the left is sharp or flat).  I just got the guitar so I'm not sure if it is due to the nut not letting the strings lie perfectly flat so they stay in tune when locked, or not.  Should I just take it to the guitar shop and have them give it a once over and check everything out? I have no experience with tinkering with guitars.

It's an Ibanez RG1570 in case anyone needs to know.

[Muttley]

I've got the distortion from the amp to sound how I like it, and at a bedroom volume. However the volume for the higher strings is non existent, it seems like the lowest three strings have sucked up all the juice.

What amp are you using, and what are the settings currently.?

I'm going to buy an EQ and an a noise gate (to remedy these problems, as well as to clean things up when I crank the gain and master volume), have already decided on the MXR - 108, and the MXR Smart gate, now I just need a good distortion pedal. And this seems to be a topic that is all over the map.  Someone's gem is another's POS.  I'm leaning towards the Line 6 Uber Metal, but would like to hear if anybody has some criticism to offer in regard of this pedal.  I'm interested in more of a thrash/death metal tone, since 99% of what I'm interested is metal. I don't need classic rock distortion  I plan on doing a lot of fast tremelo picking, which is common with extreme metal, and want an articulate sound, not just a fuzzy wall of noise which is what my amp gives me right now. Distortion sounds great for chords and palm muting, just can't shred open string, or single notes with any real clarity.  I know part of it is my playing skill level, but even at a medium speed it sounds like a wall of sound.

Not sure about those pedals, but one thing to bear in mind is that metal guitars actually don't have a huge amount of bass in the sound.  The huge guitar sound on a lots of modern metal albums (think Arch Enemy, Nevermore, etc) is down to very careful recording of the bass guitar so that the bass and lead guitars sound like one instrument.  If you are keying your bedroom sound off an album you may be falling into the trap of trying to mimic the bass and lead guitar sound in one (I know that's what I tended to do early on).

If you think about the audio spectrum in metal, the low and high frequencies are filled with drums/cymbals, the low and lo-mid are filled with bass.  So you need to slot your guitar into the mid/hi-mid range otherwise it's going to be fighting with the other instruments.

Have you got a couple of example bands who's sound you like?

Secondly. I want to know if there is any special trick to tuning a guitar with a locking nut?  I loosen up the three tabs at the top of the neck, and get all the strings in tune with an electronic tuner (so it's semi-accurate and sounds ok to the ear), but once the tabs are tightened down everything shows up on the low side of the spectrum, (the center would be in tune, not sure if the left is sharp or flat).  I just got the guitar so I'm not sure if it is due to the nut not letting the strings lie perfectly flat so they stay in tune when locked, or not.  Should I just take it to the guitar shop and have them give it a once over and check everything out? I have no experience with tinkering with guitars.

It's an Ibanez RG1570 in case anyone needs to know.

Floyd-rose style trems have a fine-tuning mechanism down at the bridge.  So the idea is to tune as close as possible with the nut open, lock it down (which inevitably puts it slightly out of whack), and then use the fine-tuners at the bridge.

HTH

Muttley

[sambo]

i could do you an uber metal clip when i get it back from my drummers house if that would interest you. thats got a built in noise gate as well which helps retain some tightness. its pretty actually... when i first got it i used it alll the time but now i barely touch it as my band dont want to go that heavy. mines for sale if you're interested...

[Kilby]

Try tuning slightly flat before locking the nut then when when you tighten the nut it raises the pitch closer to normal

Then adjust with the fine tuners.

It works for me anyway.

[Miskatonic]

It's a Peavey XXX Super 40 Combo.  I have the gain at around 12 o'clock, the volume at 9 o'clock, with the guitar volume knob all the way up, Bass is around 1 o'clock, Mids are at 9 o'clock, and the treb is turned all the way up.    It's on the Lead channel.

Floyd-rose style trems have a fine-tuning mechanism down at the bridge. So the idea is to tune as close as possible with the nut open, lock it down (which inevitably puts it slightly out of whack), and then use the fine-tuners at the bridge.

I'll try tuning it that way guys, thanks!

Sambo, I'd be interested in hearing a clip, since you can't really trust the one's you hear from the manufacturer's site.

[sambo]

yer i know what you mean about the manufacturers clips mate...

bear in mind though that i am no thrasher so the clips probably wont reflect the style of music your looking for lol... but like i said ill have to get it from my drummers house first anyway, which should be some time this week.

[Miskatonic]

Have you got a couple of example bands who's sound you like?

For specific bands/albums, I like the guitar sound on Hypocrisy's Abducted, Vader's Litany, and Death's Symbolic.  I'm pretty sure a 7 string was used on Abducted. Behemoth's Demigod is another good example.

yer i know what you mean about the manufacturers clips mate...

bear in mind though that i am no thrasher so the clips probably wont reflect the style of music your looking for lol... but like i said ill have to get it from my drummers house first anyway, which should be some time this week.

No problem man, I'd just like to get an idea what it sounds like, even if it's just chords, palm-muting, and some mid paced strumming. Just a a general idea.

If I went by sound clips I would have already bought a Digitech death metal, lol.

[sambo]

haha lol ok dude i get on to it as soon as i can...

[Ratrod]

Try screwing the polepieces of the higher strings up a bit. They should get louder that way.

[tewboss]

Rhythm guitar generally needs the gain backed off a bit. Palm muting will add weight to the sound anyway.

The AMT pedal called Du Hast (obvious Rammstein reference) is supposed to have loads of gain and had a good review in Guitarist. They've since added some more pedals to their range.

[gwEm]

listen to ratrod ;) i was about to post the same thing... (you could also adjust the lower strings down :P )