[InTheRavensName]

OK, new band, and I figure I'd like to try and go rack for my rig...I've had a 2112 for a while but never really got into learning the ins and outs of it...but it has such a good rep. I figure it's worth trying, plus I'm kinda missing my tube warmth. Here's the rest of the gear...

ESP H307 (EMG 81-7 and 707 incoming...standard tuning)
ESP M350 (EMG 81, SA, 85 + standard)

Digitech 2112
(Mesa 2:50 probably...unless I score a cheap VHT or ENGL )

Marshall 1960A

I'm looking for a kind of prog/power/death tone. Nevermore, Kamelot, Iced Earth and Sonata Arctica are probably good examples...basically tight high gain but with a growl in the mids...not the sterile Pantera kind of gain.

If anyone can help, I'll be much obligied, will offer rep and gear pr0n in return


tl;dr got 2112...want moar Loomis sound

(P.S. Lozek, if you read this, how does the 2112 stack up against the SE pre and can you get an ENGL-ish tone from it? thanks )

[InTheRavensName]

bump for great justice

[Lozek]

Hello mate. OK, I've been using my 2112 for about 5/6 years now, I was originally using it as a main pre-amp through my 2:90, moved to an original JCM800 for a year then moved back to the rack and got the Engl.

The 2112 is a really good unit, especially for the price you can pick them up for. In all honesty, the 2101 is slightly better but you need a degree in computer programming to use that thing, the interface for the 2112 is very simple and self explanatory. In fact, so much so that i still control all my Midi switching with the 2112. The effects on it are simple & powerful and pretty transparent.

The pre-amp section of it is really good value, you've got multi-mode solid-state gain and the valve gain both with their own EQ section and blendable/phase reversable. When you're dialling in your tone, be sure to not go too far with the EQ because you can quickly screw things up. I found I got the biggest tone leap when I made sure that I wasn't boosting a frequency in the solid state EQ, the valve EQ and then a master EQ layed across the blended sound, you can see how that might totally skew your sound without you even realising why.

The other thing that i did with my 2112 was to change the pre-amp valves. In the front left corner there is a pair of Sovtek 12ax7's (presuming your unit is still stock). I changed mine out for a set of NOS Mullards and it made a huge difference. (nb, the allen bolts on the unit are American Metric rather than European Imperial, make sure you've got a set of keys to cover it if you do it).

In terms of the tight, solid sound that you are looking for, it's definitely achievable with a 2112 if you're willing to spend a little time setting it up, I just used trial & error and slowly developed the sound over a few years.

The only two criticisms I have of the unit, and the reason that i looked elsewhere, is that there is a 'distance' to the sound which you can never quite dial out, it's not quite a 'present' as i wanted it to be if that makes any sense. There was also an ever so slight harsh fizz in the upper mids which ,again, i could never quite dial out. But for both of those we're talking Mr Fussybollocks Guitarist levels of geekdom.

Stacking it up against the Engl, well we're comparing a couple of hundred pound 'all singing all dancing effect/pre-amp' unit against a couple of grands worth of dedicated pre-amp, so of course it's never gonna match up, but i would say that the sound you're looking for is definitely achievable from the 2112. With some tweaking and the set-up you're talking about, you can definitely have something that puts most other guitarists you play with to shame.

[InTheRavensName]

Jesus, I never saw this reply...thanks man, I owe you one!

[Hcash]

I love it... Been playing on it for two years and I'm working on building up my gear around that... Wonderful piece of equipment. I'll never let it go....

[InTheRavensName]

care to share any presets etc?

oh, and nice S prestige, I need to post some pics of mine to see if you guys can identify it :P

[InTheRavensName]

kind of a bump, kind of a different problem

trying to run my 2112 into the FX loop return of my HD147, just so I can fine tune the sounds for when we use rehersal spaces with amps etc that I can just stick the 2112 into...but through the HD147 its REALLY FUCKING QUIET :|

I mean, barely audible, let alone loud enough to work with, I've set the FX loop control on on my FBV but still nothing, all levels are maxed and the sound is quieter than my guitar unplugged

any ideas?

[loktide]

is the loop set to serial?

[Hcash]

Thanks. Ummm.... I can put up the settings I use later tonight. But I pretty much just use allot of distortion with a little delay or reverb. And how do you have the 2112 plugged in. Check the input and output volume on the 2112. I've freked out a bunch of times and it ended up being someone had turn my input knob all the way down...

[InTheRavensName]

I maxed the output, even tried maxing the input to no avail, loktide do you know to set the loop between serial and parallel?