As Ola Englund has previously suggested both versions of the Metal Zone works a lot better in the FX loop, as opposed to hitting the front end of a preamp, though the EQ section is also very amp/speaker sensitive. It can take a lot of tweaking to dial in just right and the original version gained a negative reputation partly because folk treated it like a plug & play distortion and lacked patience.
It just depends bro! There's no always better all the time. If you knew what album the metal zone was just used on, right into the front of a 68 Marrshall JMP, it might change your opinion. Point is it can actually sound great into an amp too, it just depends how you're using it, and what you're going for like with most things. I've never taken anything anyone has said with more than a grain of salt, and an open mind, because engineering, getting sounds whatever, is all about exploring options in situations, and trying to find what works best for the situation, and there's usually enough factors that what worked better in one situation might not be what works best in another.
Hah! I was shopping for a Boss volume pedal a couple years ago, and someone on Reverb was selling an FV-30H together with the MT-2 for much less than the volume pedal, so I bit, figuring the MT-2 would be fun to have, not for its actual Metal Zone function, but rather either to mod or to use for pedal experimentation. Concentric pots and accompanying knobs are actually a bit hard to find and expensive for someone just wanting a couple to experiment with (esp. small ones that can fit in a pedal). The MT-2 has two of them. My dim recollection of the one time I actually played through it is that whoever designed the circuit made the two EQ stages way too broad, with only small ranges of them actually useful. Then again, I'm not a metal fan at all, so I suppose maybe I'm just not the audience. It was cool to learn of the Waza version's C mode. -Tom
A clarification on what i hear a lot: it's not used IN the effects loop. It's best plugged directly INTO the effects loop return, bypassing your amp's preamp and replacing it altogether. Put another way: 😒✋guitar>amp input>effect send>Metal Zone>other effects e.g. delay, reverb> effect return 😎👉 Guitar>Metal Zone>other effects e.g. delay, reverb>effect return It's not a post preamp effect like delay or reverb. It IS the preamp
I still use mine (have it since the 90's), it saved me in a lot of situations, I always use it as a drive pedal, not distortion, or as a 'feedback' machine. It's very easy to get a bad sound out of it, but once you found the right settings...hard to let go. Boss did it again!
FYI, a gyrator is an active circuit using capacitors (and resistors) to emulate an inductor, so you can have an inductor in a circuit without having to actually have a coil in the device (which could pick up noise inductively). A gyrator by itself isn't an EQ circuit, but can be part of an EQ circuit. Passive EQs commonly combine inductors, resistors, and capacitors ("LRC," with L being the symbol for an inductor) to build a peak or notch kind of response. Gyrators can be used to simulate such an EQ without using an actual inductor, or allowing you to tune the inductance (via a pot) more easily than you could tune a real-life inductor (which can be done by inserting a metal core). -Tom
Boss Metal Zone is quite versatile because of that extensive EQ section, also try the Boss Mega Distortion, which is also a nice drive pedal, The one I don't have and want is Boss Power Stack ST-2, nice to see you try out a Metal Zone John, happy holidays.
Actually just started using mine again this week, first pedal I ever got back in 2003. I play Doom Metal, but I use the Metal Zone as a lead boost. It can be very difficult to dail in because the EQ is crazy sentitive, but it works really well for that context for me.
What do you use for your primary distortion? I have an assortment of fuzzes that rotate pretty much weekly. I always have a Rat clone followed by a Muff-style fuzz at the end of my overdrive chain and a vintage type at the front before my compressor, 10 band EQ and univibe. Recently, it's been the EHX Satisfaction Plus which is based on the Maestro FZ-1 but has a bias control and a fat switch. It's really versatile and can do velcro, overdrive, treble boost, traditional distortion, lo-fi glitchy sounds, lower octave and a good Muff impression in addition to early 60s fuzz. It sounds better with humbuckers but a using clean boost to feed it a hotter signal makes single coils work just fine.
Sounded pretty damn fine to my ears. Shows what can be achieved when a bit time is taken over dialling it in. For a single coil guitar that sounded, big, rich and warm without any trace of nasty metallic fizziness.
Wow, as someone that is primarily a legato lick player, that custom mode really appeals to me, I think it sounded great, very Mesa Mark-like, liquid lead tones
It makes me sad when people bash this circuit. It’s a great pedal. Biffy Clyro is textbook on how awesome this pedal is: I think it really shines with single coils into a cleaner amp. I believe this is for whom this pedal was designed: guys with single coils and not hot pickups and clean amps who want to chug. It really nails the sound here! Another memorable metalzone user is Lee Malia of BMTH who used a metalzone into a gained out Marshall. I’d be very curious to see the difference in dialing the MT-2 for single coils and humbuckers is! Thanks for the vid JNC
2007 when i built for DiazAMplification. I was given parts ta build my own 2x12 Diaz TWIN 4 holer...I put a Boss metal zone in n was BLOWN away, i was gttg very good fat EJ-ish violinish stuff bk then...if u can turn a knob, u might get rewarded w/something very kool indeed!
I love it. It's a thing of it's own. It's surprisingly versatile too and modable. Lasse Lammert (recording engineer from Germany and has a YT channel) loves it for "clean" boosting.
MT2 is my first pedal I bought in around 1991 when it was first released. I was in high school. My friends also had it but they didn't know how to adjust the damn thing and were calling me.
it has the most powerful eq stack, but the knobs are way too tiny and sensative so getting a good sound is tough. but in theory it should be quite a flexible drive/distortion sound. surprised other drives haven't used the eq style with the ability to choose the freq and sweep.
I love both the Metal Zone and the Heavy Metal too but I haven't played this Wazacraft version of the MZ though so might have a look at that. They are both truly hated yet truly loved pedals all at the same time. It is quite bizarre sometimes. As John showed in his vid you do have to spend a bit of time dialling in a sound that works for you and be mindful that even a few millimetres of a turn of any of the knobs can have huge effects on sound. But surely that's part of the fun, yeah?
I have an OG Metal Zone. It was given to me by another guitarist who was so frustrated with it that he just wanted it gone. Meanwhile, I'm like "free pedal...yea!". So I basically like the pedal, but that cocked wah tone is annoying. However I came across a mod (which I have yet to perform) that based on the video I watched seems like something that would be more to my liking. But that EQ is powerful; especially the mids. I'm not a metal player, but tone that resulted from this mod is more suitable for 80's style hard rock (maybe even hair metal).
Yes….there are several mods you can do, but the simplest is to simply remove one of the caps (the C35 if memory serves) and it essentially gives you the Waza custom mode. I did it to my Metal Zone and it sounds really good. 👍
Metal Zone is one of my favorite pedals of all time, I'll always have one. Works great in front of a high gain amp as a boost or distortion, and it works as a preamp as well.
I’ve always thought I should get another one of these someday, after learning it was a Gilmour mainstay for some years. This is one of those where I think a lot of the hate is because it goes too far and people didn’t dial it in moderately - I know I used to make that mistake often - and nowadays I think we all know a bit better now to coax sounds out, instead of bludgeoning the effects into giving them up.
Gilmour actually used the HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal on recordings such as A Momentary Lapse of Reason. As far as I'm aware (happy to be corrected if wrong) he has never used a Metal Zone, not for recording/live at least. Although there are some similarities they are different pedals though, especially how the EQ works. It seems to have fallen out of favour with Big Dave these days though with his trusty Big Muffs and Tube Drivers the preferred way to "dirty up" (his words) his Alessandro amps.
Think preamp with the Metal Zone, between 0 and 10 O'clock is great, anything past 12 O'clock..... great preamp though especially driven by your favorite drive.....
I remember when this pedal was first manufactured, circa 1991. I was excited to hear it, but when I did I thought it sounded like absolute shite. Ditto the Guvnor. My signal chain was a cheap assed Korean guitar, but with awesome stock SD Invaders, straight into a JCM800 (or 900), into 4x12 Marshall cab. Full gain, always. Huge tone. Didn't need any kind of pedal or effects. Nowt.
You think that’s bad? I had its 90’s predecessor, the Digital Metallizer. It was such a traumatising experience that I stopped playing for 12 years. 😱😂
An interesting pedal. Filtering is key. Takes single notes to a chord like full sound. Many of the analog synths from early days did a similar thing. Not sure where I would use it in my personal gigging though.
That’s (takes single note to chord like full sound) a good insight, and maybe why Gilmour used one of these. I’m trying to figure out some of his live sounds and that certainly makes some sense.
My vote is for the old DOD american metal pedal, even at its lowest setting, it was indistinguishable garbled noise-couldn’t tell one note from the next-next up would be the mad professor golden cello💩
The Waza has 2 modes…..a standard and a classic mode that is all the bees and sneeze of the originals. The standard mode sounds like every Metal Zone I’ve ever played. This video makes perfect sense…..a Metal Zone in the hands of a person who knows how to get their sound can get it.
TPS did a video a couple years ago seeing how close they could get an MT2 to sound like various other famous drives. Long story short, the eq is so poweful that they could, in fact, get pretty close to the other pedals on their board.
Keeley Filaments, Walrus Audio Eras and Fender Pugilist anyone? I always avoided the Metal Zone due to the negative reviews. It sounded ok here. A comparison head to head with other pedals eg like the ones above would benefit.
@shanetx81 This is the only video I've posted this on. Fact is: he wanted to get success off of pedal manufacturers without knowing anything about running a business and then gave a very nothing apology while deleting his previous videos on it so he looks better. It was very immature, rude, and frankly could have really hurt different businesses.
@ sure. And that was weeks ago. At this point, all you are doing is stirring shit up and giving Cordy more money via driving engagement. So, by all means, continue if you want. I suspect Josh doesn’t need or want your valiant efforts but if they make you feel better, right on man. 👍🏼 Have a good holiday!
@@shanetx81 I'm not bringing it up for Josh. I brought it up because I don't think John realizes how it makes him look. But you're right: it does just give him engagement. You too. Have a great holiday season, mate!
As Ola Englund has previously suggested both versions of the Metal Zone works a lot better in the FX loop, as opposed to hitting the front end of a preamp, though the EQ section is also very amp/speaker sensitive. It can take a lot of tweaking to dial in just right and the original version gained a negative reputation partly because folk treated it like a plug & play distortion and lacked patience.
Yeah put it in the loop - watch the Studio Rats’ vid.
It just depends bro! There's no always better all the time. If you knew what album the metal zone was just used on, right into the front of a 68 Marrshall JMP, it might change your opinion. Point is it can actually sound great into an amp too, it just depends how you're using it, and what you're going for like with most things. I've never taken anything anyone has said with more than a grain of salt, and an open mind, because engineering, getting sounds whatever, is all about exploring options in situations, and trying to find what works best for the situation, and there's usually enough factors that what worked better in one situation might not be what works best in another.
This is the only man that can make a Metal Zone sound like a Dumble.
Hah! I was shopping for a Boss volume pedal a couple years ago, and someone on Reverb was selling an FV-30H together with the MT-2 for much less than the volume pedal, so I bit, figuring the MT-2 would be fun to have, not for its actual Metal Zone function, but rather either to mod or to use for pedal experimentation. Concentric pots and accompanying knobs are actually a bit hard to find and expensive for someone just wanting a couple to experiment with (esp. small ones that can fit in a pedal). The MT-2 has two of them.
My dim recollection of the one time I actually played through it is that whoever designed the circuit made the two EQ stages way too broad, with only small ranges of them actually useful. Then again, I'm not a metal fan at all, so I suppose maybe I'm just not the audience. It was cool to learn of the Waza version's C mode. -Tom
A clarification on what i hear a lot: it's not used IN the effects loop. It's best plugged directly INTO the effects loop return, bypassing your amp's preamp and replacing it altogether. Put another way:
😒✋guitar>amp input>effect send>Metal Zone>other effects e.g. delay, reverb> effect return
😎👉 Guitar>Metal Zone>other effects e.g. delay, reverb>effect return
It's not a post preamp effect like delay or reverb. It IS the preamp
I still use mine (have it since the 90's), it saved me in a lot of situations, I always use it as a drive pedal, not distortion, or as a 'feedback' machine. It's very easy to get a bad sound out of it, but once you found the right settings...hard to let go. Boss did it again!
FYI, a gyrator is an active circuit using capacitors (and resistors) to emulate an inductor, so you can have an inductor in a circuit without having to actually have a coil in the device (which could pick up noise inductively). A gyrator by itself isn't an EQ circuit, but can be part of an EQ circuit. Passive EQs commonly combine inductors, resistors, and capacitors ("LRC," with L being the symbol for an inductor) to build a peak or notch kind of response. Gyrators can be used to simulate such an EQ without using an actual inductor, or allowing you to tune the inductance (via a pot) more easily than you could tune a real-life inductor (which can be done by inserting a metal core). -Tom
Boss Metal Zone is quite versatile because of that extensive EQ section, also try the Boss Mega Distortion, which is also a nice drive pedal, The one I don't have and want is Boss Power Stack ST-2, nice to see you try out a Metal Zone John, happy holidays.
Actually just started using mine again this week, first pedal I ever got back in 2003. I play Doom Metal, but I use the Metal Zone as a lead boost. It can be very difficult to dail in because the EQ is crazy sentitive, but it works really well for that context for me.
What do you use for your primary distortion? I have an assortment of fuzzes that rotate pretty much weekly. I always have a Rat clone followed by a Muff-style fuzz at the end of my overdrive chain and a vintage type at the front before my compressor, 10 band EQ and univibe. Recently, it's been the EHX Satisfaction Plus which is based on the Maestro FZ-1 but has a bias control and a fat switch. It's really versatile and can do velcro, overdrive, treble boost, traditional distortion, lo-fi glitchy sounds, lower octave and a good Muff impression in addition to early 60s fuzz. It sounds better with humbuckers but a using clean boost to feed it a hotter signal makes single coils work just fine.
Sounded pretty damn fine to my ears. Shows what can be achieved when a bit time is taken over dialling it in. For a single coil guitar that sounded, big, rich and warm without any trace of nasty metallic fizziness.
Wow, as someone that is primarily a legato lick player, that custom mode really appeals to me, I think it sounded great, very Mesa Mark-like, liquid lead tones
It makes me sad when people bash this circuit. It’s a great pedal.
Biffy Clyro is textbook on how awesome this pedal is: I think it really shines with single coils into a cleaner amp. I believe this is for whom this pedal was designed: guys with single coils and not hot pickups and clean amps who want to chug. It really nails the sound here!
Another memorable metalzone user is Lee Malia of BMTH who used a metalzone into a gained out Marshall.
I’d be very curious to see the difference in dialing the MT-2 for single coils and humbuckers is! Thanks for the vid JNC
2007 when i built for DiazAMplification. I was given parts ta build my own 2x12 Diaz TWIN 4 holer...I put a Boss metal zone in n was BLOWN away, i was gttg very good fat EJ-ish violinish stuff bk then...if u can turn a knob, u might get rewarded w/something very kool indeed!
Got an original Boss HM2. Great pedal, still works, Phil Campbell out of Motorhead once asked me how I got my sound.
I love it. It's a thing of it's own. It's surprisingly versatile too and modable. Lasse Lammert (recording engineer from Germany and has a YT channel) loves it for "clean" boosting.
I believe Gilmour used it for that too at one point ... probably some late 80s/early 90s point
I like your sound thru this pedal ,thank you !
MT2 is my first pedal I bought in around 1991 when it was first released. I was in high school. My friends also had it but they didn't know how to adjust the damn thing and were calling me.
Wow, you do make everything sound like you. I think you need to gig this as your rhythm/solo tone and report back.
since Metal Zone won an ice skating competition, It out spins other pedals.
Dude, you have a Fuchs amp, that's awesome. Which one is it?
The OG Metal Zone was probably my first "real" pedal when I was younger. I know it gets a lot of hate, but it did the job for me back then.
I owned an HM-2 for many years, shared it shared its colours with the Metal Zone!
it has the most powerful eq stack, but the knobs are way too tiny and sensative so getting a good sound is tough. but in theory it should be quite a flexible drive/distortion sound. surprised other drives haven't used the eq style with the ability to choose the freq and sweep.
I love both the Metal Zone and the Heavy Metal too but I haven't played this Wazacraft version of the MZ though so might have a look at that. They are both truly hated yet truly loved pedals all at the same time. It is quite bizarre sometimes. As John showed in his vid you do have to spend a bit of time dialling in a sound that works for you and be mindful that even a few millimetres of a turn of any of the knobs can have huge effects on sound. But surely that's part of the fun, yeah?
In the right hands, it sounds great. Do the DOD Grunge pedal next!
I have an OG Metal Zone. It was given to me by another guitarist who was so frustrated with it that he just wanted it gone. Meanwhile, I'm like "free pedal...yea!". So I basically like the pedal, but that cocked wah tone is annoying. However I came across a mod (which I have yet to perform) that based on the video I watched seems like something that would be more to my liking. But that EQ is powerful; especially the mids. I'm not a metal player, but tone that resulted from this mod is more suitable for 80's style hard rock (maybe even hair metal).
Yes….there are several mods you can do, but the simplest is to simply remove one of the caps (the C35 if memory serves) and it essentially gives you the Waza custom mode. I did it to my Metal Zone and it sounds really good. 👍
I have a sneaking suspicion "fight for your right" with Beastie Boys may have been recorded with this pedal ...
The biggest flaw in this pedal, is having such a powerful eq sweep, on the tiniest little trim pots.
I used to use one in front of a Marshall 100w 2203.. dial out the nasal stuff and it sounded wicked!
Metal Zone is one of my favorite pedals of all time, I'll always have one.
Works great in front of a high gain amp as a boost or distortion, and it works as a preamp as well.
The old Metal Zone plugged into the an FX loop is great for some nasty metal
I still own one of these but I might sell it as it isn't "hard" enough, it's too "fuzzy" for me. Hard to describe but there it is.
No issues with the pedal at all. Sounds great through the effects loop, if you’re will to take the time to set it up.
I’ve always thought I should get another one of these someday, after learning it was a Gilmour mainstay for some years. This is one of those where I think a lot of the hate is because it goes too far and people didn’t dial it in moderately - I know I used to make that mistake often - and nowadays I think we all know a bit better now to coax sounds out, instead of bludgeoning the effects into giving them up.
Gilmour actually used the HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal on recordings such as A Momentary Lapse of Reason. As far as I'm aware (happy to be corrected if wrong) he has never used a Metal Zone, not for recording/live at least. Although there are some similarities they are different pedals though, especially how the EQ works. It seems to have fallen out of favour with Big Dave these days though with his trusty Big Muffs and Tube Drivers the preferred way to "dirty up" (his words) his Alessandro amps.
@ thank you for clarifying! I’d rolled these two very different pedals together in my mind.
@@shanetx81 More than welcome my friend.
Think preamp with the Metal Zone, between 0 and 10 O'clock is great, anything past 12 O'clock..... great preamp though especially driven by your favorite drive.....
It’s sort of like a Rat with an envelope filter and zero gain range.
I remember when this pedal was first manufactured, circa 1991. I was excited to hear it, but when I did I thought it sounded like absolute shite. Ditto the Guvnor. My signal chain was a cheap assed Korean guitar, but with awesome stock SD Invaders, straight into a JCM800 (or 900), into 4x12 Marshall cab. Full gain, always. Huge tone. Didn't need any kind of pedal or effects. Nowt.
You think that’s bad? I had its 90’s predecessor, the Digital Metallizer. It was such a traumatising experience that I stopped playing for 12 years. 😱😂
2nd best selling Boss pedal of all time
An interesting pedal. Filtering is key. Takes single notes to a chord like full sound. Many of the analog synths from early days did a similar thing. Not sure where I would use it in my personal gigging though.
That’s (takes single note to chord like full sound) a good insight, and maybe why Gilmour used one of these. I’m trying to figure out some of his live sounds and that certainly makes some sense.
My vote is for the old DOD american metal pedal, even at its lowest setting, it was indistinguishable garbled noise-couldn’t tell one note from the next-next up would be the mad professor golden cello💩
Harsh Clipping Circuit 😁
Prince the undertaker tones
The one I tried for a while didnt have that switch. I hated it. Very square-wavey.
Wtf why does it sound so good?
Because everyone that use it is barely musician so In Good hands is fantastic pedal
I had an OD 1 and traded it for a MZ 2.
Bad mistake. From your video it sounds the same almost no matter your EQ setting.
Cannibal Corpse and Korn pedal
Welcome to the party! 😂
Heresy.
Euk😮
MT-2 is the best preamp ever ❤
The Waza version is a different circuit from the original pedal that received all the hate over the years. This video makes no sense.
The Waza has 2 modes…..a standard and a classic mode that is all the bees and sneeze of the originals. The standard mode sounds like every Metal Zone I’ve ever played. This video makes perfect sense…..a Metal Zone in the hands of a person who knows how to get their sound can get it.
Everything John plays sounds that same…
a must have ;))
Haters gonna hate!
No it's not the worst pedal the worst is the awful zendrive you are using
Yup. Time for another MT-2. Where’s the innovation? Where’s the MT-3?😂 Come on, Boss. Throw us a bone, here…
TPS did a video a couple years ago seeing how close they could get an MT2 to sound like various other famous drives. Long story short, the eq is so poweful that they could, in fact, get pretty close to the other pedals on their board.
EQ peak at 1k? Ugh. That explains a Lot.
Try, the best drive ever.
Keeley Filaments, Walrus Audio Eras and Fender Pugilist anyone? I always avoided the Metal Zone due to the negative reviews. It sounded ok here. A comparison head to head with other pedals eg like the ones above would benefit.
Ola Englund asked the same question 6 years ago. You're a wee bit late.
Awful then, just as awful now.
Did you think about doing a video titled "Are Boss Ripping Is Off?"
No one makes you troll these videos.
You can stop at any time.
@shanetx81 This is the only video I've posted this on.
Fact is: he wanted to get success off of pedal manufacturers without knowing anything about running a business and then gave a very nothing apology while deleting his previous videos on it so he looks better. It was very immature, rude, and frankly could have really hurt different businesses.
@ sure. And that was weeks ago. At this point, all you are doing is stirring shit up and giving Cordy more money via driving engagement. So, by all means, continue if you want. I suspect Josh doesn’t need or want your valiant efforts but if they make you feel better, right on man. 👍🏼
Have a good holiday!
@@shanetx81 I'm not bringing it up for Josh. I brought it up because I don't think John realizes how it makes him look. But you're right: it does just give him engagement.
You too. Have a great holiday season, mate!
Ugh . . .