Metallica distortion sound

[high tek]

when i was a kid, i was somewhat of a big Metallica fan and i used to love the low bottom / punchy mid sound of their guitars (especially on 'And Justice For All...')

i was curious if anyone knows what MICs/micpres were used and what processing/techniques were done in the process of recording that album.

the best 'heavy' sound that ive been able to get was with a boss metal zone pedal through a yorkville bass amp into an old fostex 4track tape recorder (model280) with a sm58
that was years ago.
lately, going straight to the motu (828) with a sm 58 from a yorkville bloc80
is not yealding the best results, and not quite as good as through the fostex.

so i was wondering if anyone has any tips or tricks on how to get a somewhat similar sound to metallicas "and jusitce for all..."

cheers

[Everybody's X]

flying v into a boogie mark II C, double tracked on each side TIGHT
tracked in copenhagen through a fog of Jagermeister

[Rick Hunter]

Dont foget to grow your hair long and wear leather pants...TIGHT.

[joeysimms]

The best advice is to hit the tape HARD with shit. Go around the neighborhood, get yourself a big pile of it, and hurl that shit to tape, HARD. Then growl over it with cheesy just-started-voice-lessons-with-a-crotchety-old-german-lady vibrato.

[high tek]

regardless whether you like metallica (or not) as a band or what clothes they were wearing, or how advanced hetfield was as a singer is not really the issue here.

i am referring specificaly to the 'super-lo mid distortion' sound that is the topic of the thread.

coincidently, is there anyone that has ever been able to actually get a tight/fat dsitortion sound into a computer without using a MIC?

ive used/tried things likea SANSamp, POD, various "amp emulators' which have low impedance output, however always lacking the dynamics.

i always thought that the best way to record a truly "heavy" sound was MICing it, but had always dreamth of finding a box that can do it ...well.
am i still dreaming?

[phalex]

I plug my Guitar straight into my Soundblaster's mic input to get a sound that resembles that.

[Rick Hunter]

regardless whether you like metallica (or not) as a band or what clothes they were wearing, or how advanced hetfield was as a singer is not really the issue here.

i am referring specificaly to the 'super-lo mid distortion' sound that is the topic of the thread.

coincidently, is there anyone that has ever been able to actually get a tight/fat dsitortion sound into a computer without using a MIC?

ive used/tried things likea SANSamp, POD, various "amp emulators' which have low impedance output, however always lacking the dynamics.

i always thought that the best way to record a truly "heavy" sound was MICing it, but had always dreamth of finding a box that can do it ...well.
am i still dreaming?

You can get a pretty heavy sound by turning up your amp and micing it. Direct guitar is for the birds. You can quote me on that. I have a few friends that swear by it, but they are retarded and their guitar sounds like balls. If you want a heavy guitar sound, turn up your amp, get a decent pre, and rock out.
Dont listen to those POD tools who say that there is no way you can tell they are using PODS, you can tell and they suck. Sans Amps are cool, but I wouldnt use one by its self.

Oh yeah, get some really tight leather pants and grow your hair long. that should help too,

[MichaelAlan]

Lars is gonna be furious when He finds out yer trying to rip thier guitar sound! You want a lawsuit on your hands?

I say use what you have and screw with all of it untill you get the best sound you can...or at least the one you like the most..whether it sounds like mettalica or not. Truth is, you're NOT going to get your stuff to sound like thier stuff unless you go buy the same exact stuff they used. And it will probably end up being cheaper to have kirk come over and tear it up in your room himself, than to buy all the gear your gonna need to get the Mettalica guitar sound.

[trodden]

Plus add in the leather pants. shit.. that's a lot of cashish.

Get a Marshal 800, a good guitar, and a plethora of guitar pedals. Find your own sound and go for it with a mic into a pre into recording device.

[KennyLusk]

I've heard a Marshall JMP-1 preamp in front of a JCM800 with a Gibson Flying V pushing it all get that exact sound.

Otherwise, I think you've gotta go with Mesa Boogie...(dual rectifiers?) and a Les Paul, V, or Explorer up front.

[trodden]

I've heard a Marshall JMP-1 preamp in front of a JCM800 with a Gibson Flying V pushing it all get that exact sound.

Otherwise, I think you've gotta go with Mesa Boogie...(dual rectifiers?) and a Les Paul, V, or Explorer up front.

Don't forget some leather pants and Jagermeister.

[andyg666]

everybody's X has it--hetfield did indeed use a mesa mark IIC for the old metalica stuff. not sure about what cab, what mic placement, what mic, what pre, what tape machine, etc... double tracking and hard panning is essential to the metallica rythym guitar sound. simply must be done if you're going for the same thing.

i think a metal zone might be your best bet unless you want to break the bank on amplifiers and turn them up to holy heaven... i've gotten syck metal tones from a metal zone through a fender deville (4x10"). sm57 straight into a tascam 424MKII.

[space_ryerson]

I have read that Hetfield hates distortion pedals, and only likes using amp distortion. Apparently Ride the Lightning was the last album that he used a distortion pedal on (tubescreamer). I've gotten similar tones on a Marshall JCM800 ages ago, but I hear it was a Mesa Mark II as well. I would definitely drop the mid knob on whatever you are using to zero. Until 'Load' Hetfield actually had his amp's mid knob taped to zero somehow. The sound really depends on the amp as to what frequencies the middle knob affects. You may want to try a SM57, as opposed to a 58, but that's just my opinion.

[bobbydj]

In one mag I read years ago Hatfield said something to the effect that it's all about the plectrum gauge. Jim Dunlop .88mm, if memory serves. But they have to be rubbed with an emery board (like your mom uses for her nails). Roughen the edge with it and seriously - this will transform your sound. You have changed the stock Gibson V pickups for Seymour Duncan Invaders, right?

[Bear]

I tried to get that guitar sound forever. I tried different amps, direct, mic'd with everything I could get ahold of. Nothing worked. But then I put on some leather pants and it fixed everything. Even without distortion, my guitar sounded like that. Hell, I started playing a banjo, and it was all "Chug-Chug-Chug-Chug." And when I hit an e-minor, my hair grew like a foot long, and the c minor that followed whipped that sucker into a pony-tail, with beads in it and everything. And I started singing all snarly and came up with the line: Weeee alllllllll burrrrn in the darnesssssss-ah! And when I looked down, my shirt had a wolf on it, and the wolf was playing this sweet axe made out of human bones.

So it all comes back to leather pants. It's the key to everything ever.