Back in 1984 I bought a 50 watt Jcm800 half stack. Not enough gain in the preamp to get what I needed for gigs I was playing and most distortion pedals at that time I didn't like.. I noticed the boss ge7 I had had a level control..I thought hmmm..let's try this to see if it gives the preamp the sound I need to play the harder stuff like Scorpians Judas Priest Van Halen etc..There was this other guitarist I knew that was running a power attenuater after his Marshall's so he could crank them up then lower the volume to a manageable level onstage..It sounded great but he was burning through tubes alot and that was expensive and added the problem of tubes blowing out during shows. Anyway I tried boosting the signal a bit and experimented with boosting certain frequencies until a had it dialed in..Nobody ever suggested this to me and there was no TH-cam in the 80s..haha. So got the killer rock tone at stage volumes that were manageable without buying the expensive power attenuater..And the tubes lasted for over 2 years of constant gigging...I found out later that Kerry King was doing pretty much the same thing..Thanks for the video..It validates what I have been doing for many years
@@PlagueScytheStudios By the way, about something you said...try an eq in a parallel loop with mix control, you'd be surprised. You can also do it in reaper (it has a mix control). I have done it in a boogie as well, no problem. In fact in marks, it's not absolutely serial (there is some minimal bleed depending on the circuit).
I love moving my looper to the front of my chain and playing with pedal settings while it’s going to dial in perfect sounds or try to find new ones. Then I move it back to the end. Such a useful tool.
An MXR 10-band EQ first in my pedal chain used to be my secret weapon back in the day. It's like turning your guitar into an active preamp-equipped instrument, hugely versatile. These days I'm using a Line 6 Helix which has the MXR 10-band modeled, and I start and finish each preset with an MXR. First, to shape the tone and level of the guitar, and last, to shape the final sound and adjust the level going into the DAW. It's the most versatile pedal I've ever owned.
Doesn't work that well with Boss EQ. It kinda sounds like the electronics can't take the gain and the distortion sounds like it's falling apart past a certain point. Plus it's noisy as hell. I would say don't jump all over that one & go with the MXR or something equal or better.
I disagree that the Boss EQs can not take ‘this’ that well. My RGE-10’s and RGE-10’s both do the in-front-off and in-the-loop sound shaping very well, also with extreme high gain, compressed signals and very hot signals coming from the FX Send output.
Hey man, thanks for justifying me buying a 31-band EQ rack unit, now I definitely know I haven't made a mistake. Great content, keep it up. SUBSCRIBED!
Hell Yeah! I just got one and used it yesterday for the first time on my Orange CR120. Completely blown away and will always have one going through the loop now. You gave me the idea of getting rid of the clean boost I'm using, maybe the EQ can have a better sound on it's own. You Rock!
I'm a noob in recording and mixing, but one thing this video showed me, is that the character and tone of the used amp does not change the slightest bit with an EQ-Pedal.
I've been using the MXR 10 band eq pedal for years and it's amazing. Especially live because I can cut or boost certain frequencies without killing my overall sound based on the type of venue.
I used to play in a band where one guitarist had all the gear because he had a job and the other had the bare minimum because he wasn't old enough to even have a job... The first one had a 7 band MXR EQ pedal and man it made a WORLD of difference in his sound
ChaosPotato those lower band mxr's seem suspect to me, but I got a 10 from a buddy, unsure if the connections needed cleaned, but it put a lot of noise in my signal. The 7 band boss I have is Rad though.
I recommend any beginner starting out experimenting with pedals to buy an EQ pedal first because sometimes they make other pedals unnecessary.. you could save a lot of money just buy first getting an EQ pedal.
I’ve used an EQ right behind my Tube Screamer on my Zoom G1XON to see what happened, and it really tightens up the low end in a way that you don’t get with a regular tube screamer while also pronouncing that midrange frequency even more.
Invaluable! The boss 7 band pedal in the effects loop tightened up the bottom end of my Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 36 amp and now it's just a high gain powerhouse. Tailoring the mids and highs is much easier now. I wish I bought an EQ pedal before all the others I have bought.
The thing I like the most about the MXR as a boost is that it takes high output pups very well without distorting unlike some clean boosts. The RC Booster also takes high output pups well.
If you're playing live or recording (unless solo at home). Usually the sound engineer has to EQ your amp or petal as well, to make it sound right. Every venue or setting will change frequency from your amp, mics, or even pickups... So when you're practicing in the garage with your buddies, you entered into a new realm going into any venue or studio. Invisible laser beams are bouncing around the room hitting the mics. High end touring groups usually do sound checks for nearly an entire day, jamming beforehand. To make sure the venue will resonate right. This takes some time even for good sound engineers. So.. sound check is pretty much the most important part. Can't go in, play one note and think the sound guy can adjust your gain and you're done. They will have to deal with every frequency you will produce in the show. Which is usually between 180-16,000hz from every instrument. Can take some time..
it makes the mix sound better in the studio too. instead of tryna use post proccessing eq to make everything fit in the mix, you can just put the eq before the amp and have the distortion emphasised naturally in the frequency range that you want it to fit into. then you wont need to do so much eq when you go to mix the song. similar ethos with the drums, if your snare is sounding dull its better to use a brighter mic on the snare rather than resort to eq-ing it after.
Man! I wanna start by thanking you for making this killer video, it really helped make up my mind on ordering one of these. It just showed up today. I can't even express how much I love this thing right now! Cheers man, much love!
I just want to give a plug for the new MXR 10 band. It's the newer silver one with two outputs. That thing is completely noiseless. I use it in the loop of my tube amp and it totally improved the tone. Saved me from wasting my money on a speaker change out.
I used a maxon OD808 in front of my 6505+ and the EQ in the loop. It was really amazing. I ended up selling all of it and grabbing a Kemper. If I go back to a regular tube amps an EQ pedal will be the first pedal I get.
Haha I'm rewarding this video after a few years. Kemper has been long gone and I just got another 6505+ and just ordered a loop. My Ares, Skeleton key, and mark iv don't need it but the mxr in the loop of a 6505/5150 kills
My MXR 10 band EQ is the most important pedal on my board. Without a doubt. It will shape your tone to whatever you need, gives you all the gain boost/cut and volume boost/cut you could ever want or need. It is like an OD pedal because it will push your front end to breakup at lower volumes. It also will quiet down noisy pedals in front of it and helps the pedals after it work better. It's magic in a box
l never thought of using an EQ that way. Makes me think that if you had a guitar that had a very clear mid ranger mid output pick up you could fake a lot of different type of pickups, very cool video
I had a boss eq pedal and dialed in a heavy tone I've never ever been able to replicate because I sold it and thought it was overkill. I regret selling it and I would definitely pick one up again if I was jamming live again.
I have the same EQ. Playing guitar and synth was thinking about putting it on a mini board with tuner, compressor and Sonic Stomp so I can use all of them for either guitars or keys.
@@alvarg Basically the fact that Mesa Boogie Mark series have traditional tone controls like every other amp out there, that shapes the tone in the preamp stage (bass, treble, mid, etc), but then also puts a graphic EQ in the effects loop stage before the power amp, and after the preamp, which allows you to dial in and out frequencies before it gets amplified. It provides a great range on control over your tone, and allows you to really smooth out your tone to a degree that traditional amps do not allow
A noisegate in front of the Amp and in the effects loop at the same time is really useful in a 5150. If you just put it in the loop, the fx loop still bleeds direct signal. The noisegate built into the overdrive actually wolves a problem a lot of people don't know they have. That's why Periphery (when they used amps) and KSE use two noisegate at the the same time. One in the loop, and one around an overdrive, both at the same time. There are other things that make an overdrive not just an EQ pedal. Sure, some of the features are like high pass and carefully selected frequency boosts (in the djent world that is around 1.4k), but a boost does more. Take a Maxon for example... Even if you lower the volume below noon and actual have it set to less than the direct signal, you get increase harmonics that allow you to do stuff like better pinch harmonics and have longer sustain. This is because the extra gain stage adds a subtle compression effect. With an EQ pedal, you can get something similar, but it's more a function of raising the gain going into the Amp. I'm not saying an EQ is not useful.. It is very useful for shaping tone.. But it doesn't do the exact same thing as an overdrive. Similar, but not the same. I have all the overdrives and all the EQ's (well, I have at least 100 Pedals including all the usual suspects.. I had more but trying to sell some off because I don't have the time to use them all lol). They each have their flavors and uses. Some you won't be able to tell in a sound comparison that much.. Until you do harmonics it try to hold a note for as long as possible.
@@shadesofgold24 In theory, that is certainly true. However, in practice I have found the effect of the extra EQ on the Mark amps to be not that significant. Feel like it serves the merchandising more than anything else.
I’ve been waiting for a video like this. I was wondering what the Grind and Precision Drive frequency range was. You saved a few people including myself some money. Awesome content!
I use this EQ in my pedal chain to "clean up" my sound in a setting where I don't like what the sound guy is giving me, and most importantly as a boost pedal so I increase my volume when jumping into a solo, or flashy part. Great video, great advice!!!
A cheap 30€ second-hand big racked EQ totally saves my tone in that chain: engageable OD just for extra boost> versatile fx pedalboard assuming pre-EQ/gate/OD or big muff/light reverb > mooer dual-cali preamp > that magic EQ > 60w public address power amp > old marshall cabinet. Post-EQ is really awesome to fix your tone exactly as you want
Cheers for this video. What I thought I was doing, was killing my tone. I have have a really good sound, can't wait to record in future. All my stuff sucks but still learning.
Just bought my first ever 6 band eq pedal! Wow! I will never again ever play an amp with out a 6 band at least. I gotta learn more about the 10 band (hence why I’m here)
Tried one out today and it makes a major difference because most amps lack a decent EQ with the exception of the Mesa Boogie Mark V that has a large EQ built in. Same for noise gate and compression pedal. Not flashy or fun but essential for tone shaping.
This is it! I’ve used a tube screamer forever. Also got a plumes and a dirty tree. They all sounds awesome in their own way. I’ve used an eq in the loop for a long time to boost solos. Putting the eq in the front using some of these suggested setting gets me where all of the OD and boost pedals can go with so much more flexibility. And now I can actually use my clean channel without extra distortion or dirt that I don’t need or want. First time ever I’ve considered getting rid of some of by boost pedals. Try these suggested setting with eq in the front, you won’t be sorry!
EQ - the secret sauce. I have that 10 band MXR. I use in the fx loop. RC boost on the front end which is fairly transparent set at 12 o clock on the tone controls. I like my pickup sounds. In the front sometimes I use an EQ on my digital setup. Nice to make a hum bucket sound like a single coil or vice versa. Can also help if you have cheaper speakers in your cab. You can take a bright sound from brighter speakers and tune it more like a greenback sound.
I was doing this 18 years ago. I had a boss gt6 and my tone stack through the loop was a sansamp gt2 with an MXR 7 band eq. It was through a Kustom KT100 tube head with an x pattern of unknown speakers and a couple of Lansings. Put that on top of a cab with 2 Scorpion 15s. Brutal as hell
I find that to be the best way to explain for my friends why they might wanna cut the lows for a more articulate distortion. Lows usually have the highest energy and compress first!
Plague Scythe Studios , I have the evh 5150iii 50w, and a boss ns2 and mxr 10 band. I use the ns2 in 4 cables method. Should I put the mxr between guitar and ns2 or between effect loop and ns2?
I’ve never owned or needed an overdrive pedal or a distortion pedal, just this MXR ten band eq. Played live with it for years through a Bugera 333XL and loved it.
This is a good eq, the problems I had with this are the hiss and pop & crackles if your dont clean the sliders and even the 18v volt input monthly. the positive terminial of power input must be sanded down if it has a thin film of dirt due to aging. If you want a prestine sounding 10 band get the new version but if dont mind then hiss get this. Oh it's clipping.
Video is right-on. I was using an MXR 10 band and TS 808 in '82 with two Marshall 50 watt stacks. Then alesis rack eq in the loop of a 5150 in '97, replaced the alesis with a Furman PQ3 in '98 or so. EQ is the way to go!
You just resurrected my MXR!. I was very frustrated trying it with my Randall Satan and a Randall RG 212, in front and in the fox loop, but didn't find a decent curve to improve the sound. I will give it another try with your suggested settings. Thanks a lot!
I have a GE-7 in my loop that I've always used and it makes a world of difference. For recording only, I go through a 31 band Peavey rack unit on the end of the chain just to handle the chug flub that sometimes happens and deal with it before it even gets to the DAW or I turn off the GE-7 entirely. It's funny how a recorded amp and one IRL are two different animals.
Thank you for making this video and putting my mind at ease cause i thought I was going crazy with my axe fx 2 geq. I would put it before everything else and boost 2k and 4k cause I have nazgul pickups that have a high frequency range for the mids and some of the tone and it made it so tight that I didnt even wanna use an overdrive. Solid video dude
No joke I bought an mxr ten band and it said 18v power supply so I plugged a laptop charger into it and it started to smell like smoke. Some people will always be dumb.
Been using one channel of a 2 channel, 11-band (per channel) 70's rack EQ in my effects loop for years now. Found it for $15, probably because the pots are dirty and sounded like hell if you adjusted them with the unit on. It really does turn my mediocre Valveking into a beast, it's always on.
Thank you for sharing a few curves - this is a great video with some good info. I have a dozen eq pedals, I think they're the most useful tool on a board.
Yes and no. Overdrives also give you subtle compression. On a Maxon, even if you turn the gain down so it's not boosted, but actually less volume, it will increase the sustain on harmonics. You can do that with an EQ pedal by boosting volume into the front end of your amp and trying to compress it that way, but essentially, you are basically doing something more similar to turning up the gain on your amp. Tone-wise, it's a great shaping tool though, and can give you a volume boost when needed.
Using a grind in the front tried my Eq after it like you said but it sounded like crap I find it works better in the loop with the grind , currently running a 6505 MH
I just bought the silver MXR 10 band and it has 2 outputs (I guess I could run it to 2 cabs or whatever) but the blue LEDs are insanely bright. Just figured I'd give you the heads up
Ya man been using a eq for years, now I feel naked without it. I always underestimated it till I used it. Probably the most overlooked, yet most bang for your buck.
Call me lazy but I've almost always just used the basic EQ knobs on the panel of my Katana Artist. I'll sometimes adjust the tone and bottom settings for the built in effects and that's probably it for EQ outside the panel knobs. Somehow I've gotten really good (to my ears) high gain tones from mainly using the panel knobs. The amp does have built in parametric and graphic pedal sims and you can use up to four of them at once, so maybe I'll finally try using them soon.
Started using my Vintage Ibanez GE-9 in my effects loop. Use that to tweak my tone before it hits the power amp. Let’s me keep away from EQ’s in the preamp stages with much better control. I can also boost or cut my signal if I want, but a generally keep it pretty neutral.
I've got the newer version of a Peavey Bandit, which to my ears is VERY bass heavy on the distortion setting. I do use an Ibanez mini tube screamer to help fix this, but doesn't fix it 100%. So to solve this I have been debating getting an EQ pedal, which by watching this video it sounds like getting an EQ pedal might help
I have been using EQ's in my loop for decades. Nothing shapes tone better.. Plus it lets you hit the power tubes harder. The only time I go in front is for a low out pickup that im trying to boost essentially
I use the same 10 band eq in front of my recto.I crank that volume to max and its bad ass! Even the harmonics get better,I just rolled the gain back to 6
e flat tuning, custom j.c.m. 800 marshall, amp heads ,running more mids than a lot of other metal players , they dont scoop the crap out of the mids like everyone else. thats what i read somewere ,i could be mistaken and im sure someone will tell if i am lol.
I've been advocating an EQ and a compressor into a killer amp instead of overdrive for years. I use rack stuff since it's out of vogue and super cheap rn,
I will always vote the Boss GE7 as the best boost/low gain OD ever made. The MXR 10 band is great as well, maybe even better for active pickups, but I just like the sweetness the GE7 adds to passive pickups
If I have an amp (Diezel VH4) should I use the Parallel or Serial loop? I had a credit with a store so I grabbed 2.... one for the clean (clean is not great on a VH4) and one for the main OD channel (channel 3). EditL The Parallel loop has a blend knob on the front of the amp as well where I am running it now. I have one in the parallel and so far it sounds pretty good. Curious on your opinion. Thanks for the videos!
If you really want fun, get an Empress Effects ParaEQ MKII and run that through the FX loop along with a ten band EQ, also in the loop...what whatever boost in the front AND another EQ... you're gonna be completely original.
Awesome and informative for us just starting to get feet wet in the endless ocean of pedals. Got my Deadhorse OD Deluxe first, then TC Electronic Sentry Noise Gate second. Now probably going to invest in that MXR 10 Band because it makes all the difference in sound. And that I can't afford a Strymon Big Sky.
I´ve got a GE-7 by Boss, use it in the FX-Loop of my Marshall to boost for solos. I use an SD-1 (when needed) to push the input of the amp. Works like a charm.
I typed American hillbilly Jesus. End up spending 155 euros on guitar equipment.
This was one of the most hilarious comments I've seen TH-cam ever
Wait till you start buying vintage gibsons
Back in 1984 I bought a 50 watt Jcm800 half stack. Not enough gain in the preamp to get what I needed for gigs I was playing and most distortion pedals at that time I didn't like.. I noticed the boss ge7 I had had a level control..I thought hmmm..let's try this to see if it gives the preamp the sound I need to play the harder stuff like Scorpians Judas Priest Van Halen etc..There was this other guitarist I knew that was running a power attenuater after his Marshall's so he could crank them up then lower the volume to a manageable level onstage..It sounded great but he was burning through tubes alot and that was expensive and added the problem of tubes blowing out during shows. Anyway I tried boosting the signal a bit and experimented with boosting certain frequencies until a had it dialed in..Nobody ever suggested this to me and there was no TH-cam in the 80s..haha. So got the killer rock tone at stage volumes that were manageable without buying the expensive power attenuater..And the tubes lasted for over 2 years of constant gigging...I found out later that Kerry King was doing pretty much the same thing..Thanks for the video..It validates what I have been doing for many years
Trey from Morbid Angel uses a Rane 31 band eq the same way. Keeps it flat and cranks the volume.
@@0421072theres no point in having more than one band.
It's this kind of content that sets your channel apart. Excellent video! I'm not scared to use an EQ anymore.
Its amazing how you operate the pedal with your hand and not miss a chord on your riffing.
Can't tell if sarcasm or not... lol. I looped the riffs on my AX8 and played it through the pedals after the fact.
@@PlagueScytheStudios By the way, about something you said...try an eq in a parallel loop with mix control, you'd be surprised.
You can also do it in reaper (it has a mix control). I have done it in a boogie as well, no problem. In fact in marks, it's not absolutely serial (there is some minimal bleed depending on the circuit).
hes playing with his feet
I love moving my looper to the front of my chain and playing with pedal settings while it’s going to dial in perfect sounds or try to find new ones. Then I move it back to the end. Such a useful tool.
An MXR 10-band EQ first in my pedal chain used to be my secret weapon back in the day. It's like turning your guitar into an active preamp-equipped instrument, hugely versatile. These days I'm using a Line 6 Helix which has the MXR 10-band modeled, and I start and finish each preset with an MXR. First, to shape the tone and level of the guitar, and last, to shape the final sound and adjust the level going into the DAW. It's the most versatile pedal I've ever owned.
It's unbelievable that people aren't jumping all over these. It's the most customizable OD pedal you can buy. Just perfect...thanks for presenting!
Doesn't work that well with Boss EQ. It kinda sounds like the electronics can't take the gain and the distortion sounds like it's falling apart past a certain point. Plus it's noisy as hell. I would say don't jump all over that one & go with the MXR or something equal or better.
100% agree
I disagree that the Boss EQs can not take ‘this’ that well.
My RGE-10’s and RGE-10’s both do the in-front-off and in-the-loop sound shaping very well, also with extreme high gain, compressed signals and very hot signals coming from the FX Send output.
SUPER MARIO BROTHAS 2 BABY BEST GAME OF THE YEAR BABYYYYYYYYYYYY
Hey man, thanks for justifying me buying a 31-band EQ rack unit, now I definitely know I haven't made a mistake. Great content, keep it up. SUBSCRIBED!
Hell Yeah! I just got one and used it yesterday for the first time on my Orange CR120. Completely blown away and will always have one going through the loop now. You gave me the idea of getting rid of the clean boost I'm using, maybe the EQ can have a better sound on it's own. You Rock!
I have the same amp. So I should run it through my loop and not in my pedal board chain after my distortion pedals
I'm a noob in recording and mixing, but one thing this video showed me, is that the character and tone of the used amp does not change the slightest bit with an EQ-Pedal.
I've been using the MXR 10 band eq pedal for years and it's amazing. Especially live because I can cut or boost certain frequencies without killing my overall sound based on the type of venue.
I used to play in a band where one guitarist had all the gear because he had a job and the other had the bare minimum because he wasn't old enough to even have a job... The first one had a 7 band MXR EQ pedal and man it made a WORLD of difference in his sound
ChaosPotato those lower band mxr's seem suspect to me, but I got a 10 from a buddy, unsure if the connections needed cleaned, but it put a lot of noise in my signal. The 7 band boss I have is Rad though.
Robert harling Hmmmm it might have been a 10 band but I remember it smaller than that... Maybe Ryan is just tiny and it's an illusion :D
Robert harling the black mxrs are noisy
He said Honkey!
I recommend any beginner starting out experimenting with pedals to buy an EQ pedal first because sometimes they make other pedals unnecessary.. you could save a lot of money just buy first getting an EQ pedal.
Good advice I'll second that
thank you for looking out for us Metal Players Ryan, this was very helpful.
Damn 3 mins in and I’m already looking at EQ pedals online
I’ve used an EQ right behind my Tube Screamer on my Zoom G1XON to see what happened, and it really tightens up the low end in a way that you don’t get with a regular tube screamer while also pronouncing that midrange frequency even more.
Invaluable! The boss 7 band pedal in the effects loop tightened up the bottom end of my Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 36 amp and now it's just a high gain powerhouse. Tailoring the mids and highs is much easier now.
I wish I bought an EQ pedal before all the others I have bought.
The thing I like the most about the MXR as a boost is that it takes high output pups very well without distorting unlike some clean boosts. The RC Booster also takes high output pups well.
Came to get some tricks and was blown away by your playing. Keep killing it!
That sounds great. I used to have one, and used it as a lead boost. Never thought about using it as an always-on.
If you're playing live or recording (unless solo at home). Usually the sound engineer has to EQ your amp or petal as well, to make it sound right. Every venue or setting will change frequency from your amp, mics, or even pickups... So when you're practicing in the garage with your buddies, you entered into a new realm going into any venue or studio. Invisible laser beams are bouncing around the room hitting the mics. High end touring groups usually do sound checks for nearly an entire day, jamming beforehand. To make sure the venue will resonate right. This takes some time even for good sound engineers. So.. sound check is pretty much the most important part. Can't go in, play one note and think the sound guy can adjust your gain and you're done. They will have to deal with every frequency you will produce in the show. Which is usually between 180-16,000hz from every instrument. Can take some time..
it makes the mix sound better in the studio too. instead of tryna use post proccessing eq to make everything fit in the mix, you can just put the eq before the amp and have the distortion emphasised naturally in the frequency range that you want it to fit into. then you wont need to do so much eq when you go to mix the song.
similar ethos with the drums, if your snare is sounding dull its better to use a brighter mic on the snare rather than resort to eq-ing it after.
Dude I just found ya last week. I am hooked. You a very good at this. I really want to tell ya about my Jackson sometime... thanks! -Orlando, FL
Man! I wanna start by thanking you for making this killer video, it really helped make up my mind on ordering one of these. It just showed up today. I can't even express how much I love this thing right now! Cheers man, much love!
I just want to give a plug for the new MXR 10 band. It's the newer silver one with two outputs. That thing is completely noiseless. I use it in the loop of my tube amp and it totally improved the tone. Saved me from wasting my money on a speaker change out.
I've been addicted to EQs since I started playing in the 80s. Great video.
I used a maxon OD808 in front of my 6505+ and the EQ in the loop. It was really amazing. I ended up selling all of it and grabbing a Kemper. If I go back to a regular tube amps an EQ pedal will be the first pedal I get.
EQ in the loop, hell yes
Haha I'm rewarding this video after a few years. Kemper has been long gone and I just got another 6505+ and just ordered a loop. My Ares, Skeleton key, and mark iv don't need it but the mxr in the loop of a 6505/5150 kills
My MXR 10 band EQ is the most important pedal on my board. Without a doubt. It will shape your tone to whatever you need, gives you all the gain boost/cut and volume boost/cut you could ever want or need. It is like an OD pedal because it will push your front end to breakup at lower volumes. It also will quiet down noisy pedals in front of it and helps the pedals after it work better. It's magic in a box
l never thought of using an EQ that way. Makes me think that if you had a guitar that had a very clear mid ranger mid output pick up you could fake a lot of different type of pickups, very cool video
I had a boss eq pedal and dialed in a heavy tone I've never ever been able to replicate because I sold it and thought it was overkill. I regret selling it and I would definitely pick one up again if I was jamming live again.
I have the same EQ. Playing guitar and synth was thinking about putting it on a mini board with tuner, compressor and Sonic Stomp so I can use all of them for either guitars or keys.
Passive Pre & active post is the secret to one of the greatest tone machines ever.... The Mesa Mark series.
Amen.
what do you mean, don't know what most amps have, can you explain why its a benefit. serious question not a troll.
@@alvarg Basically the fact that Mesa Boogie Mark series have traditional tone controls like every other amp out there, that shapes the tone in the preamp stage (bass, treble, mid, etc), but then also puts a graphic EQ in the effects loop stage before the power amp, and after the preamp, which allows you to dial in and out frequencies before it gets amplified. It provides a great range on control over your tone, and allows you to really smooth out your tone to a degree that traditional amps do not allow
A noisegate in front of the Amp and in the effects loop at the same time is really useful in a 5150. If you just put it in the loop, the fx loop still bleeds direct signal. The noisegate built into the overdrive actually wolves a problem a lot of people don't know they have.
That's why Periphery (when they used amps) and KSE use two noisegate at the the same time. One in the loop, and one around an overdrive, both at the same time.
There are other things that make an overdrive not just an EQ pedal. Sure, some of the features are like high pass and carefully selected frequency boosts (in the djent world that is around 1.4k), but a boost does more.
Take a Maxon for example... Even if you lower the volume below noon and actual have it set to less than the direct signal, you get increase harmonics that allow you to do stuff like better pinch harmonics and have longer sustain. This is because the extra gain stage adds a subtle compression effect.
With an EQ pedal, you can get something similar, but it's more a function of raising the gain going into the Amp.
I'm not saying an EQ is not useful.. It is very useful for shaping tone.. But it doesn't do the exact same thing as an overdrive. Similar, but not the same.
I have all the overdrives and all the EQ's (well, I have at least 100 Pedals including all the usual suspects.. I had more but trying to sell some off because I don't have the time to use them all lol). They each have their flavors and uses. Some you won't be able to tell in a sound comparison that much.. Until you do harmonics it try to hold a note for as long as possible.
@@shadesofgold24 In theory, that is certainly true. However, in practice I have found the effect of the extra EQ on the Mark amps to be not that significant. Feel like it serves the merchandising more than anything else.
I’ve been waiting for a video like this. I was wondering what the Grind and Precision Drive frequency range was. You saved a few people including myself some money. Awesome content!
I use this EQ in my pedal chain to "clean up" my sound in a setting where I don't like what the sound guy is giving me, and most importantly as a boost pedal so I increase my volume when jumping into a solo, or flashy part. Great video, great advice!!!
A cheap 30€ second-hand big racked EQ totally saves my tone in that chain: engageable OD just for extra boost> versatile fx pedalboard assuming pre-EQ/gate/OD or big muff/light reverb > mooer dual-cali preamp > that magic EQ > 60w public address power amp > old marshall cabinet. Post-EQ is really awesome to fix your tone exactly as you want
Cheers for this video. What I thought I was doing, was killing my tone. I have have a really good sound, can't wait to record in future. All my stuff sucks but still learning.
Awesome video. Precise and to the point, no BS. Lots of information. Didn't know the channel. Subscribed!
Just bought my first ever 6 band eq pedal! Wow! I will never again ever play an amp with out a 6 band at least. I gotta learn more about the 10 band (hence why I’m here)
Tried one out today and it makes a major difference because most amps lack a decent EQ with the exception of the Mesa Boogie Mark V that has a large EQ built in. Same for noise gate and compression pedal. Not flashy or fun but essential for tone shaping.
2:24 Djentle slope
The MXR 10 band boosts vol in two places. I love that.
I put a boss ge7 in my effects loop. Boosts my low end and girth so much the cab growls and booms
How does that stand out in a mix/live situation?
This is it! I’ve used a tube screamer forever. Also got a plumes and a dirty tree. They all sounds awesome in their own way. I’ve used an eq in the loop for a long time to boost solos. Putting the eq in the front using some of these suggested setting gets me where all of the OD and boost pedals can go with so much more flexibility. And now I can actually use my clean channel without extra distortion or dirt that I don’t need or want. First time ever I’ve considered getting rid of some of by boost pedals. Try these suggested setting with eq in the front, you won’t be sorry!
EQ - the secret sauce. I have that 10 band MXR. I use in the fx loop. RC boost on the front end which is fairly transparent set at 12 o clock on the tone controls. I like my pickup sounds. In the front sometimes I use an EQ on my digital setup. Nice to make a hum bucket sound like a single coil or vice versa. Can also help if you have cheaper speakers in your cab. You can take a bright sound from brighter speakers and tune it more like a greenback sound.
This guy really knows what he's talking about !
Awesome review ! 👍👍
Thank you so much for posting this video. You've just saved me, and probably many others, quite a bit of money!
I usually do a “U” with my eq to get a really clean sound then I hit it with gain/distortion on top.
I was doing this 18 years ago. I had a boss gt6 and my tone stack through the loop was a sansamp gt2 with an MXR 7 band eq. It was through a Kustom KT100 tube head with an x pattern of unknown speakers and a couple of Lansings. Put that on top of a cab with 2 Scorpion 15s. Brutal as hell
Or by pushing certain frequencies you are compressing those areas first. Another similar choice would be a good Parametric EQ.
I find that to be the best way to explain for my friends why they might wanna cut the lows for a more articulate distortion. Lows usually have the highest energy and compress first!
A lot of good info here, buying a 10-band for my 6505 soon.
Also, nice dunkey shirt, man!
Spaghetti and meatballs! 🍝
EQ is a 5150's best friend, you won't regret it.
@@PlagueScytheStudios yup I need to get one for my 6505 amp. Makes a world of difference. Used are cheap like $70 used vs $130 new.
Plague Scythe Studios , I have the evh 5150iii 50w, and a boss ns2 and mxr 10 band. I use the ns2 in 4 cables method. Should I put the mxr between guitar and ns2 or between effect loop and ns2?
@@bertrandcomeau EQ works best in an FX loop.
I tried several settings, it definitely gives me more radical change through the effects loop (peavey 6505+ and Randal Diavlo Rd100)
I want to get a 10 band for my 6505+, I'm thinking I can squeeze a little more bite and crunch out of the rhythm channel.
I can't wait to watch this video... 8 more times.. excellent content and thank you for spreading the knowledge.
I’ve never owned or needed an overdrive pedal or a distortion pedal, just this MXR ten band eq. Played live with it for years through a Bugera 333XL and loved it.
This is a good eq, the problems I had with this are the hiss and pop & crackles if your dont clean the sliders and even the 18v volt input monthly. the positive terminial of power input must be sanded down if it has a thin film of dirt due to aging.
If you want a prestine sounding 10 band get the new version but if dont mind then hiss get this.
Oh it's clipping.
I found that MXR EQ to be very noisy
Video is right-on. I was using an MXR 10 band and TS 808 in '82 with two Marshall 50 watt stacks. Then alesis rack eq in the loop of a 5150 in '97, replaced the alesis with a Furman PQ3 in '98 or so. EQ is the way to go!
You just resurrected my MXR!. I was very frustrated trying it with my Randall Satan and a Randall RG 212, in front and in the fox loop, but didn't find a decent curve to improve the sound. I will give it another try with your suggested settings. Thanks a lot!
Awesome vid. Had my 10 band for years now and just starting to dial it in good for live shows
I have a GE-7 in my loop that I've always used and it makes a world of difference. For recording only, I go through a 31 band Peavey rack unit on the end of the chain just to handle the chug flub that sometimes happens and deal with it before it even gets to the DAW or I turn off the GE-7 entirely. It's funny how a recorded amp and one IRL are two different animals.
If I plug straight into my 6505 does that mean I'm grandpaw
13:35 this is the tone I wantt
I hope your kidding
@@bayrod15 right lol that sounded like ass in a garbage can
Thank you for making this video and putting my mind at ease cause i thought I was going crazy with my axe fx 2 geq. I would put it before everything else and boost 2k and 4k cause I have nazgul pickups that have a high frequency range for the mids and some of the tone and it made it so tight that I didnt even wanna use an overdrive. Solid video dude
I refer to this video so many times after I knock the setting on my pedal. Thanks for such a useful video. I especially like 9:41 and 11:26
No joke I bought an mxr ten band and it said 18v power supply so I plugged a laptop charger into it and it started to smell like smoke. Some people will always be dumb.
oh god man, definitely buy a proper power supply
I looked and tried a used one today but it was missing the power supply so I had to pass as I don't have any 18v on my pedal board free now.
If you get a good deal on that pedal, you should go for it.
You can get an 18V power supply for under 20$. @@GuitarsAndSynths
You make the magic smoke come out... It don't work no more.
Freebase that smoke
Been using one channel of a 2 channel, 11-band (per channel) 70's rack EQ in my effects loop for years now. Found it for $15, probably because the pots are dirty and sounded like hell if you adjusted them with the unit on. It really does turn my mediocre Valveking into a beast, it's always on.
Thank you for sharing a few curves - this is a great video with some good info. I have a dozen eq pedals, I think they're the most useful tool on a board.
@10:27 thanks. my co-workers were looking at me as I was trying stifle my laughter
The last EQ setting sounded like every impulse response on the POD X3
That shirt earned an instant sub.
excellent work. kerry king made that pedal famous for his reverse smily face setting ----boosting mids into a jcm800. his tone has cut and clarity.
Yes and no. Overdrives also give you subtle compression. On a Maxon, even if you turn the gain down so it's not boosted, but actually less volume, it will increase the sustain on harmonics.
You can do that with an EQ pedal by boosting volume into the front end of your amp and trying to compress it that way, but essentially, you are basically doing something more similar to turning up the gain on your amp.
Tone-wise, it's a great shaping tool though, and can give you a volume boost when needed.
Thankyou for your video! I'm going to try your rhythm curve with my new 10 band into the effects loop of my 6505+112.
I been using an eq in the fx loop since 1996
The Eq is an excellent tool...I use one in the loop of my jvm 410H..killer killer tone..thanks for sharing w/us man...Great vid..!!!..
Using a grind in the front tried my Eq after it like you said but it sounded like crap I find it works better in the loop with the grind , currently running a 6505 MH
Very relevant to me as I've been considering a purchase! Helpful to many, Thanks Brother!
I just bought the silver MXR 10 band and it has 2 outputs (I guess I could run it to 2 cabs or whatever) but the blue LEDs are insanely bright. Just figured I'd give you the heads up
Ya man been using a eq for years, now I feel naked without it. I always underestimated it till I used it. Probably the most overlooked, yet most bang for your buck.
Add in a boost/OD pedal as well so you can clean up the tone of dark amps like the 6505 or Mesa.
If you use an equalizer before an amp sim in your daw, you can automate the EQ to make sort of a wah pedal-like effect
I need to dust off my MXR 10 band eq now 👍🏽
Call me lazy but I've almost always just used the basic EQ knobs on the panel of my Katana Artist. I'll sometimes adjust the tone and bottom settings for the built in effects and that's probably it for EQ outside the panel knobs. Somehow I've gotten really good (to my ears) high gain tones from mainly using the panel knobs. The amp does have built in parametric and graphic pedal sims and you can use up to four of them at once, so maybe I'll finally try using them soon.
Started using my Vintage Ibanez GE-9 in my effects loop. Use that to tweak my tone before it hits the power amp. Let’s me keep away from EQ’s in the preamp stages with much better control. I can also boost or cut my signal if I want, but a generally keep it pretty neutral.
I've got the newer version of a Peavey Bandit, which to my ears is VERY bass heavy on the distortion setting. I do use an Ibanez mini tube screamer to help fix this, but doesn't fix it 100%. So to solve this I have been debating getting an EQ pedal, which by watching this video it sounds like getting an EQ pedal might help
Brad Middleton i have the same amp and i agree it is very bass heavy. Setting the damping switch on the back to medium or tight helps a bit.
9:20 100% agreed, my diezel was like that, a phantastic high quality high gain beast but in a band setting i'd take my trusty jcm2000 any day.
I have been using EQ's in my loop for decades. Nothing shapes tone better.. Plus it lets you hit the power tubes harder.
The only time I go in front is for a low out pickup that im trying to boost essentially
Where would an EQ pedal fit in my pedal board chain? My current signal chain is such.
Tuner>Compressor>Distortion>Noise Gate>Reverb>Delay
Lose the compressor distortion and the gate. Buy an eq and an overdrive with a built in gate.
I use the same 10 band eq in front of my recto.I crank that volume to max and its bad ass! Even the harmonics get better,I just rolled the gain back to 6
I,bought a mxr 10,band just for the slayer method.
How to set slayer sound??
Whats that. Explain
e flat tuning, custom j.c.m. 800 marshall, amp heads ,running more mids than a lot of other metal players , they dont scoop the crap out of the mids like everyone else. thats what i read somewere ,i could be mistaken and im sure someone will tell if i am lol.
Make a frown with the sliders.
I am a proud member of the EQ pedal cult. I would pit them against any "transparent overdrive" on the market.
I've been advocating an EQ and a compressor into a killer amp instead of overdrive for years. I use rack stuff since it's out of vogue and super cheap rn,
I will always vote the Boss GE7 as the best boost/low gain OD ever made. The MXR 10 band is great as well, maybe even better for active pickups, but I just like the sweetness the GE7 adds to passive pickups
I love using my EQ to dial out the hissy high mids because I hate that sound in high gain amps. Reminds me of a Metal Zone.
If I have an amp (Diezel VH4) should I use the Parallel or Serial loop? I had a credit with a store so I grabbed 2.... one for the clean (clean is not great on a VH4) and one for the main OD channel (channel 3).
EditL The Parallel loop has a blend knob on the front of the amp as well where I am running it now.
I have one in the parallel and so far it sounds pretty good. Curious on your opinion. Thanks for the videos!
If you really want fun, get an Empress Effects ParaEQ MKII and run that through the FX loop along with a ten band EQ, also in the loop...what whatever boost in the front AND another EQ... you're gonna be completely original.
One of the best videos I’ve seen in a while! Well done mate!
I used to run an MXR 10 band EQ in the effects loop of my ENGL Savage 120. It was epic!
Awesome and informative for us just starting to get feet wet in the endless ocean of pedals. Got my Deadhorse OD Deluxe first, then TC Electronic Sentry Noise Gate second. Now probably going to invest in that MXR 10 Band because it makes all the difference in sound. And that I can't afford a Strymon Big Sky.
Hey man,. Grandpas chug too~!
The eq is the best pedal I've invested in on my board.
EQ before or after the ISP Noise Decimator ? -> Wah -> Tuner -> TSmini -> EQ -> ISP or -> Wah -> Tuner -> TSmini -> ISP -> EQ
I´ve got a GE-7 by Boss, use it in the FX-Loop of my Marshall to boost for solos. I use an SD-1 (when needed) to push the input of the amp. Works like a charm.
Great Video Game Dunkey tee shirt!!!! and great vid
Keep these videos up!!! Great job.
You look like Jesus cos-playing as Dimebag. Love it.