Boss MT2 Metalzone

[shredmonster]

I don't normally use a pedal because I have a Framus Cobra. But I have an MT2.

This past weekend I hooked up with these guys who have about 8 amps at their space - Dr. Z, Bad Cat, Marshall JCM800, Rivera, Mesa - all combos.

I plugged in the Metalzone and it sounded thin and lifeless in the mix when all the instruments were playing. I couldn't believe it. It sounds great at home with my Marshall combo. I even put in a new battery.

Some guy had a Fish Factory pedal and it just at the Metalzone up. Even a Bad Monkey sounded better. I don't get it. Lots of people like the Metalzones and I have had it for some time and always thought it sounded good.

These guys all had really good gear - top notch stuff. I was stunned at how bad it sounded.
I am looking for another pedal but the good ones like Z Vex, Landgraph, Bad Cat - the boutique ones are $300 to $400 which I think is crazy.

[UFORocks]

I don't normally use a pedal because I have a Framus Cobra. But I have an MT2.

This past weekend I hooked up with these guys who have about 8 amps at their space - Dr. Z, Bad Cat, Marshall JCM800, Rivera, Mesa - all combos.

I plugged in the Metalzone and it sounded thin and lifeless in the mix when all the instruments were playing. I couldn't believe it. It sounds great at home with my Marshall combo. I even put in a new battery.

Some guy had a Fish Factory pedal and it just at the Metalzone up. Even a Bad Monkey sounded better. I don't get it. Lots of people like the Metalzones and I have had it for some time and always thought it sounded good.

These guys all had really good gear - top notch stuff. I was stunned at how bad it sounded.
I am looking for another pedal but the good ones like Z Vex, Landgraph, Bad Cat - the boutique ones are $300 to $400 which I think is crazy.

I never really liked the metal zone myself. Some pedals you really have to tweak, A LOT. And a pedal can sound completely different from one amp to another. I used to never use my Boss DS-1 but I decided to give it one more try before I ebay'd it; after about an hour I found something I really like and am still using it. I run an Ibanez metal screamer overdrive into my boss ds-1 and then into the amp (DSL 401; clean channel at about 4 on the gain), no FX Loop.

I can take the whole setup and plug it into my valvestate amp; using the same settings on the amp, and it will sound completely different, like crap actually.

You just have to spend some time tweaking. Hope this helps.

Later,

Steve

[catzodellamarina]

I had a MZ years ago with the same experience. It sounded razor sharp in my dorm and got lost in the band mix. Looking back, I'd say the scooped sound I was worshipping at the time was to blame. I know you can get the MZ modded and there are some sound clips on analogman.com.

If I was into distortion pedals, I'd pass on the MZ and try some of the newer stuff out there. A recent Guitar Player mag had a pile of them they reviewed.

[Chad]

The Metal Zone has been one of the most loved AND most hated pedals Boss has ever made....that's no secret. If you want a really sterile, cold, heavy sound for jamming at home they can be fun. But you're not the first person to say they get lost in the mix and sound like garbage while playing in a band situation. However, they have been successfully used as a "clean" boost by some pro players.

[toejam]

Just let your amp get your distortion. If you need more, then use an OD pedal in front of it to boost it. Try and stay away from pedals with the word "metal" in their name... they're pretty much a joke. Though, you can take advantage of the Metal Zone and keep it set lower for an OD/clean boost sound and use its added parametric EQ features.

[bonghits]

Just let your amp get your distortion. If you need more, then use an OD pedal in front of it to boost it. Try and stay away from pedals with the word "metal" in their name... they're pretty much a joke. Though, you can take advantage of the Metal Zone and keep it set lower for an OD/clean boost sound and use its added parametric EQ features.

I agree with Joe completely. But if you have or need more boost then give the Dunlop Zakk Wylde OD pedal a try. It'll give your sound a good kick in the ass without coloring it too much.

[shredmonster]

I am hearing good things about the MI Audio Crunchbox.

[donvandam]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul4DSi8cLIk

[Big D]

Send your MetalZone to Analog Man and have him mod it. I never liked the stock MZ, but his mod makes a big difference and it will cut through the mix just fine. Also, don't scoop the mids and don't turn the distortion about 3 or 4.

[horns666]

A little to brash and harsh for my liking..a pretty brutal distortion stomp none the less..

I like the discontinued Korg Hyper Distortion best..just warm, edgy and pretty cool in general..

[shredmonster]

Send your MetalZone to Analog Man and have him mod it. I never liked the stock MZ, but his mod makes a big difference and it will cut through the mix just fine. Also, don't scoop the mids and don't turn the distortion about 3 or 4.

Yeah I have read this a couple of times now.

So I am narrowing my choices down here to:

Modify the Metalzone
OR
Get a MI Audio Crunchbox

OR... the more expensive way to go and maybe not necessary...
Bad Cat X-treme Tone Overdrive Pedal

[Dreamland_Rebel]

use the amps distortion channel and push it with the boss SD-1 (yellow) with the gain down and level up.

once you do that, you'll be like, "oh that's how they did it".

[metalhead28]

The worst thing to use for metal is anything that says "Metal" on it.

Like others have said, the best metal tones to be had will come from a decent amp with maybe an overdrive out front.

I used to use a metal zone into a solid state amp with the mids cranked to hell, with an EQ pedal in the loop with the mids cranked even more I do believe. That was back when I was all about the most offensive death metal howling tone imaginable. In other words....when I didn't know shit about tone.

[charvelguy]

personally, I think the stock form of a MZ is useless from a tonal standpoint. Modded, like by Keeley, it shows some usefulness. I've always thought it sounded horrible.

[the_wall]

use the amps distortion channel and push it with the boss SD-1 (yellow) with the gain down and level up.

once you do that, you'll be like, "oh that's how they did it".

I heard this only sounds good with Tube amps, not solid state. Am I right??