Crate help?

[Mordecai]

new to the forums and have a quick amp question, i have a crate GT3500H as my home rig's head. the problem is i cant seem to get my RG7321 to sound that great out of it. the guitar sounds great through my live rig, (mesa dual rectifier). i was just curious if any of you have owned one of these and could suggest a really good metal/low tuned type tone for this amp?

[Ishan]

I owned it for a while, great amp! If you want something good out of it you need to boost it with a TS7/9 or clone (the usual vol max, tone to taste, gain on 0).
The boosted Solo channel is just insane for Death Metal.
Putting good pickups in that RG7321 would be a VERY good idea too.

[book_of_lies777]

sounds brutal here, so the tones are in there:

[Mordecai]

Originally Posted by Ishan

I owned it for a while, great amp! If you want something good out of it you need to boost it with a TS7/9 or clone (the usual vol max, tone to taste, gain on 0).
The boosted Solo channel is just insane for Death Metal.
Putting good pickups in that RG7321 would be a VERY good idea too.

i run the thing through a sonic maximizer right now it helps a bit but i just feel like its really grainy i was trying to get a really responsive feel out of the head. i play in an F tuning, my string gauges range from .11 to 70..

i feel like i have to crank the highs to really get a bright tone with the lower tuning. my mids are barely existent, and lows are only on about 3ish?. i guess ill try putting the gain on 0 and tweaking from there.

also in regards to the 7321, i am planning on installing a crunch lab in the bridge soon. that should help a load with the tone im assuming.

[Ishan]

Drop the BBE, with these amps it just kills the sound in a band context.
Start with everything at noon on the rhythm channel and when you have a tone you like but isn't quite high gain enough switch to the solo channel, set the gain to taste and tweak the shape to slightly scoop the sound (don't over use it or you'll kill the tone).
You can do the same with a TS9 in front for a tighter/meaner tone.

edit : That Pig Destroyer is the GTX3500H not the GT3500H, different amp. the GTX sounds even closer to an Ampeg VH, the GT is like a dirtier/looser cousin

[Mordecai]

Originally Posted by Ishan

Drop the BBE, with these amps it just kills the sound in a band context.
Start with everything at noon on the rhythm channel and when you have a tone you like but isn't quite high gain enough switch to the solo channel, set the gain to taste and tweak the shape to slightly scoop the sound (don't over use it or you'll kill the tone).
You can do the same with a TS9 in front for a tighter/meaner tone.

edit : That Pig Destroyer is the GTX3500H not the GT3500H, different amp. the GTX sounds even closer to an Ampeg VH, the GT is like a dirtier/looser cousin

haha loose cousin is a good analogy, i paid 90 bucks for the head from a buddy, i really couldn't beat it for the price. ill try what you suggested and hopefully have something i enjoy out of it. i have been trying to tweak the head without the BBE for a few days. im wondering if the head just cant process a good tone with the F tuning im using.

[book_of_lies777]

the head can do it... but what cab is it going thru?

Also, like they said earlier, those pups are passable, but not the greatest.