Another Pro Mod question

[unearth198]

Hey guys, first post here. So I just found at about Splawn's today.... and nearly every clip I've heard from youtube or the Splawn website has blown me away!

But I was wondering do you think you could get a good CoB style tone using a Pro Mod? I'm not after the EXACT same sound. but something pretty darn close so I can cover some of their songs etc. I know these guys use Lee Jacksons, but there suppose to be a hot rod Marshall sound just like Splawns so they might sound similar!

I'm after that crazy crunch they get you know, really clear tone with tonnes of mids! Like in the songs Like In your Face, Sixpounder etc... If you guys haven't listened to em, youtube the songs and have a quick listen on the tone... Or probably a perfect example of the tone I'm after is as seen on this clip
www.splawnguitars.com/DirrtyCraig_QR3gearmed.mp3
About 40secs in.... thats the kind of crunch I'm after! but just a heavier version of it you know. And the lead tone sounds almost exactly the same to me as the kind of tone Laiho had on Sinergy. Really beautiful bright tone. I could definetly use a tone like that everyday!

But that guy uses a Quick Rod, apparently there not as dark as Pro Mods? The guitar I'm buying is most probably gonna be a ESP RV... maybe the slight darkness of the Pro Mod might be better for me as I've heard RV's tend to be a real bright guitar? (Alder body, Maple Neck, Ebony fretboard, EMG 81)

Do you think also with a Mahogony bodied guitar, tuned 2 steps down, I'd be able to get a sweet In Flames kind of tone? (Like on Clayman, Colony era tone) I'm sure the 5150 does that best.... but maybe the Pro Mod could do that too and that would be a bonus???

Anyways if anyone could answer my many questions, I'd appreciate it!

[TJ]

Dude if you dig the tone Craig has on the QR you'd love a ProMod. It's more modern sounding in tone and it's just one of those great amps that you just plug in and VOILA!! Tuning 2 steps down would definitley sound quite on the heavy side. 2 steps down?? That's like playing spaghetti. There are some more Promod soundclips on Hacks site. www.guitarstudio.tv/Splawn/

[eric]

Tuning two steps down is metal! \m/

The Pro Mod should make you very happy!!

[unearth198]

Hi. Yeah the whole 2 steps down is only for In Flames... I love playing their music but they just tune so fricken low! I'd have to buy a new guitar set up for C standard to play that sh!t... But that would be in the near future. The tuning I mainly play in is D tuning and Drop C.

I'm not sure if I worded it correct, but do you think since the Quick Rod is suppose to be brighter and less modern voiced, with the guitar I'm getting (ESP RV/SV) It'l make it TOO bright? That's why I was wondering about the Pro Mod, maybe it'l level out the tone more since it's suppose to be a bit darker?

Hope that made sense

[TJ]

I think for the style you play the ProMod would be the amp of choice. They're both very similar amps. The only difference between the two are the tubes and wattage. The KT-88's give you a more modern "metal" type sound whereas the EL-34's are more of that 80's metal vibe.

[jacka199]

I use an ESP SV with my promod and i love the tone i get. There's just something i don't like about the emg pickups with the splawn...

[brian]

the pro mod is the way to go!! i have been running mine with a zw-44(zak wylde pedal) in front as a clean boost (volume wide open and the gain knob is barley above all the way off,about 7:30-8:00ish) and it is KILLER!! it is a almost recto thick distortion but way cleaner and more focused than a recto..i sold my triple rec so i know! i play a lot of different tunings-e--drop d--full step down--drop c--two steps down--drop b and none of these tunings sound muddy or loose at all!! if you like the sounds on here then don't wait another second just pull the trigger and you will not be disappointed!!!

as for the pickup,i have been trying a bunch of different ones and i like them all for different reasons. i have a duncan JB (sh-4) a duncan custom(sh-5) and a patb-1 (parallel axis) each one has some things i really like. i have to wait until i get my new cabinet to make a final choice since my mesa cab is a little dark sounding and want to try them all again with my new setup before i make a what stays and what goes decision.

later,
brian

[unearth198]

Man having a hard choice between the Cobra and Splawn . Their both probably gonna cost me around the same money. But Cobra will be about $200AUD more expensive I guess. But I know the Cobra I'll need to get a Hotplate to play at home, where as the Splawn has a half power setting, and I'll prolly have to look into buying a noise gate and possible a OD pedal for either of em. So the Cobra will prolly end up costing me nearly $800AUD or maybe more. Also i'd have no idea what to do with the Splawn if it fooks up cause I'm in Australia :\

Maybe there's a few people that's had experience with both of these amps and could give a quick recap on both?

Also jacka199, if you have any clips of the ESP SV and the Pro Mod, please post them =) I'm very curious to how they would sound together, as I'm looking at ESP SV's or RV's also.

Cheers

[DonaldDemon]

The Pro Mod rips at metal tones IMO. If you want loose, satutarated gain tones then it may not work for you but if you want tight, crushing metal than it is tops!

I use mine for metal and I don't even use a boost. The solo function works perfect for that.

Keep in mind the half power setting will not get you bedroom levels though. It just lowers the headroom before it breaks up. There are tricks such as volume pedals, eq pedals, and rack sytems levels in the loop to get the amp to the sweet spot if you plan on playing at bedroom levels. I live in an apartment so I don't use the Splawn for home use. I just use it for band practice and of course, live shows.

See my review on Harmony Central for my full opinion. This amp is amazing and you will not be dissapointed!

[unearth198]

I definetly don't want a loose saturated tone. I dunno I just haven't really heard any clips of the Pro Mod doing what I wan't it to do

I don't know but to my ears the 2 clips I heard on the website of winsenpan playing Redneck and Colony, to me that sounded 'loose' you know, I didn't like that type of chug he was getting from the Palm Mutes at all. I guess that guy was scooping his mids?

I like that kind of tone when you can still chug, but it still sounds crunchy you know,The only way I can describe it is CoB kind of tone, or maybe the type of tone you know like what you Hear on Trivium's latest album, The Crusade, the breakdown section for To The Rats, you could say a good 'thrash' tone.

I don't know maybe the Pro Mod isn't for me, maybe it's just too clear sounding for me. I like crunchy but still brutal distortion, maybe the Quick Rod might be more for me? Or maybe I just haven't heard enough Pro Mod clips?

Anyways I still have a few good months before I get enough money for a new amp, I'm just doing my research now because I'll never get to play a Splawn in person you know. I know I will get to try the Cobra in person and possibly the JVM (which I'm 90% sure I'll ditch for a Splawn) but I know for example the Cobra is gonna sound weak until you mod it you know, and add a hotplate. The stores usually never have guitars in the tuning you play or a guitar with similar spec to what your getting.

I should also state I'm what you call a bedroom player lol, And this will be my first tube head. I'm not the type of person that's gonna buy some crappy bottom of the range tube head, I'd rather save more and buy quality stuff that I could use if I we're to join a band someday. I've seen lots of people make 100W+ tube heads work at home with 4x12 cabs and make them still sound good. My plan is to get a good 100W head that I can run with a hotplate (unless it's sporting a half power option like Splawns, then no hotplate) and a 2x12 cab and get a crushing tone. But I'm also consideing a 4x12 cab as some people I've talked to say there not so much louder than 2x12's, just a 'bigger sound you know. Oh and Donald, I heard a dude using a Quick Rod at bedroom volumes on youtube and I thought it sounded great!

P.S. Holy batman that was a long post

[jacka199]

unearth,

Sorry i don't have any clips for you, but i am pretty sure you would be happy with the pro mod. I use a rocktron intellifex and i can get close to Alexi's tone. Like Donalddemon said if you want a tight crushing metal tone this will work for you.

[brian]

i have played the framus stuff and i can tell you if your going to go that route you might as well get a mesa recto! the cobras sounds really close to my triple recto head,i have talked to a bunch of guys that use or used to use them and they all said they are pretty prone to problems.a lot of them use them in the studio and don't take them on the road due to problems. not to say that you'll ever have a problem with one but they do have that track record, framus stuff is pricey as well for what you get,you can get the mesa recto for 1700 new or e bay for a lot less!! i really think for what you want you will not go wrong with the pro mod,i was in your shoes a ways back and pulled the trigger on a splawn after hearing one in person and i swear by it ever since. the only other head i would own is the vht deliverance head. i am trying to get some really crushing clips to put up on this site for all the guys like you and myself that have or had doubts about this beast!! for a good example of what you will be getting go to www.stuckmojomedia.com and listen to rich's pro mod scream on some of those tracks!!

[DonaldDemon]

Yeah, those Stuck Mojo clips with the Pro Mod are freakin killer! I wish I had the means to record as well but I don't right now. I would throw some heavy stuff out there for people wanting to hear that.

As for the hot plate, I have heard of people not getting good results with Splawns and them. And again the half power switch is not going to make much of a difference in volume. I'm not saying you can't get good bedroom tone at all, because you definitely can. I just love the sound when the amp gets to gig volumes.

Based on what you are looking for I really think the Pro Mod would be more what you want then the Quick Rod. Then again they both sound great so just get a Splawn!

[unearth198]

jacka199: Yeah I don't really wanna copy his tone, Just using it as an example for the style of tone I'm after . I'm pretty sure Splawns should handle a similar tone with no problem, since they are like hotrodded jcm 800's... and CoB have a typical marshall sound to my ears

Brian: I guess it depends where you live man . I'm not really looking at 2nd hand amps, I don't really trust ebay etc. But brand new man... Mesa Dualie's are like 4.5k here brand new in Australia, and the Cabs are like 1.5k just for the 2x12!!! 2k for the 4x12... I can get a Cobra for 3.5k New with a matching 4x12 cab for 1.5k you know... The Splawn I think might cost me around 3k and probably around 1.5k for the cab as well. Cheapest of the bunch don't know until Scott gets back to me on the email I sent him.

And I always got the impression that the Cobra was kind of a Mix between a Mesa and Marshall, but tighter sounding then both of them. Like on the Crunch channel you got a marshall kind of sound, hit the notch to scoop the mids and you got a recto kind of sound (which I don't want) and the lead chan was apparently very Mesa like, and the cleans apparnelty are probably the best out out there for high gain heads.... (and they seem VERY clean from the clips I heard!)

Don: Yeah I don't think I'll ever get to play any amps I get at gig volumes but I should be able to get them work at bedroom volumes easily and for recording, and I must say my bedroom volume is louder than most lol, I don't live like right in town so I can get the volume going a bit more you know.

Anyways thanks for the tips everyone, I'll keep my eye on this thread just incase some clips pop up

[TIBrent]

Ok, I gotta come on here & say something. You've been going on about how you want to sound like in flames & what have you...(a mediocre metal tone band in my own opinion)but then when Brian shows you what the pro mod can do in Rich Ward (The DUKE OF METAL)'s hands you say that you don't want to copy his tone. Ok, that is cool, appreciate that but...well what is it. Are you afraid of what a real toneful amp can do for you. CoB play a lee Jackson amp, that is a custom made pre-amp that if you want to fork over 4K & wait a half year, you can own too. The only reason they play that one too, if I recall is because of Lee Jackson's infamous work on Page Hamilton's (helmet)amp. But man...to then even bring in a framus cobra...do you want to be branded by the times & have your tone dated back to half of these "metal" bands that wont be around in two more years when the scene is done with them? I would really hope not man. Personally I think the pro-mod is a no bull amp. If you play sloppy it shows it, if you play crispy & tight it will do things for you that the mesa/marshall, diezel, krank could NEVER EVER dream of doing. So if you want to be just another aspiree to the current 15 minutes of fame, cool...we'll see you on mtv, but if you want an amp that can take you away from the common & out of the typical box...the Splawn is the amp. It is just as/if not more heavy than any & all of the other amps you have mentioned, but it wont date you, or lie to you. You can't crank up the gain & slack on solos, you can't flub notes & expect no one to notice, but you can get AMAZING sound of this beast.
Sorry if there was any rudeness to that at all, it was more like a "you should really think about this".
All the best of luck in your search for the ultimate metal amp.
-Brent