# How can I get an Opeth tone with my gear?



## Darkanus (Nov 23, 2011)

For some time I try to immitate their Blackwater Park/Ghost Reveries albums heavy sound but with no success.
I like how it stays so clear, natural and articulate. It seems that there isn't much gain involved, while it still sounds really heavy and aggressive.
I have a Carvin V3M equipped with a full JJ tubes set, both EL84's and 12AX7's, so it sounds much tighter than the stock one. The cab is a MESA 2X12 Rectifier, GT10 for effects and EQ [I plan to trade it for a POD HD500], and the guitars I use are a CORT G290 and a Cort X6 [BKP Aftermath in the bridge....yeah, I know what your'e thinking...].

Can you please give me some directions? Amp's EQ/GT10 settings/etc...
Maybe I need to get a boost pedal [TS808?] for extra tightness/clarity or the GT10 will do?
Any piece of advice will help. Thanks in advance! [=


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## BabUShka (Nov 23, 2011)

More mids, less gain and pick harder instead of adding extra gain to distort the sound  
I dont know how the Carvin sounds, but try to imitate the Marshall/Laney-ish sound without the multi-fx in front.. Really clear distortion at lower gain settings. 
Adding a TS in front might help too, when I play opeth with my JVM i always turn down the gain knob and pick a little bit harder.. Sometimes boost the signal with a TS for more clarity, less mudd and still tight bottom


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## cGoEcYk (Nov 23, 2011)

It's hard to immitate the sounds on albums, there is so much going on with any mix (got to admit that guy gets amazing clean tones, especially on new stuff... IMO the more recent albums have overall better sound quality). I can assure you, Opeth doesn't even sound like Opeth!

Are you way off base from the tone you want to get, or almost there?


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## Stealthdjentstic (Nov 23, 2011)

^ Did you even listen to the last album? It sounds like they used gp5's distorted midi sound.


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## thedarkoceans (Nov 23, 2011)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> ^ Did you even listen to the last album? It sounds like they used gp5's distorted midi sound.


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## Underworld (Nov 23, 2011)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> ^ Did you even listen to the last album? It sounds like they used gp5's distorted midi sound.


 

Ahah! This, or they forgot to check the guitar's controls and played the whole album on the neck pickup with the tone knob at zero


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## Lycanthropy1313 (Nov 23, 2011)

The rhythm guitars for Heritage was all Stratocaster (SSS) and JCM-800 2210...with some PRS and AxeFX here and there. It was supposed to sound thinner. Mike said he was tired of hearing that generic thick huge Rectumfrier guitar sound.


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## Double A (Nov 23, 2011)

Lycanthropy1313 said:


> The rhythm guitars for Heritage was all Stratocaster (SSS) and JCM-800 2210...with some PRS and AxeFX here and there. It was supposed to sound thinner. Mike said he was tired of hearing that generic thick huge Rectumfrier guitar sound.


And Lars was also sick of hearing clear and pounding drums when Metallica recorded St. Anger...


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## Lycanthropy1313 (Nov 23, 2011)

Hahaha St. Anger...Metal's funniest joke.


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## Quax (Nov 23, 2011)

You're not seriously comparing St. Anger to Heritage?
As for Opeth, try to go for a Rectifier-like Sound and tweak it a bit. That should probably do it.


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## Droman (Nov 23, 2011)

Double A said:


> And Lars was also sick of hearing clear and pounding drums when Metallica recorded St. Anger...


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## Double A (Nov 23, 2011)

Quax said:


> You're not seriously comparing St. Anger to Heritage?
> As for Opeth, try to go for a Rectifier-like Sound and tweak it a bit. That should probably do it.


Of course not, I am just saying that the guitar tone on Heritage, no matter how vintage they were going for, was about as good of an idea than was the drum sound on St. Anger.


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## Dvaienat (Nov 23, 2011)

If what I've read before is correct, Opeth have used a Boss GT-10 through Laney amps on those albums. So if you want to nail the tone, your GT-10 is ideal. You won't be needing an HD500.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Nov 23, 2011)

Their tone uses very little gain in order to keep those big chords clear.


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## asher (Nov 23, 2011)

According to their own website, Blackwater Park was a Laney VH100L, an "ENGL 100W" and a Peavey 5150.


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## Darkanus (Nov 24, 2011)

I know they use the GT10 mosty live, not sure about studio use. Their live sound is amazing, and Mikael said they are using the GT10's distortion rather than the amp's. I find it hard to believe this. I can't get a descent clear, distorted sound from my unit, no matter how i tweak it. I mainly use it's effects, looper and usb for recording. A pod has all this+higher quality amp sim's and much more..And I want to use it for modern high gain deathcore stuff aswell...

Heritage lacks that signature Opeth heavy tone, but I think it still sounds pretty great in its way. Mikael wanted to do something different...St Anger isn't a comparison 

Generally, I know how a Rectifier/Marshall sounds like, but the problem for me is to understand their character and nuances to a level that I can utilize my hearing to immitate these sounds. My ears aren't developed enough yet.
So if possible, specific directions like EQ/amp setting/effects/etc will be more helpful.

Maybe my demands are too high, but it seems for now that i'm far off my goal. \=



Double A said:


> And Lars was also sick of hearing clear and pounding drums when Metallica recorded St. Anger...


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## Stealthdjentstic (Nov 24, 2011)

When I saw them here I hated his tone.


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Nov 24, 2011)

St Anger was a bad attempt at a metal record.

Heritage is a good attempt at a prog-rock record by a metal band.

I don't think it is even worthwhile to compare the guitar tones on Heritage to other Opeth recordings. For starters Heritage was recorded mostly on strats at standard tuning which already puts it far from their previous work. I have had Heritage on high rotation for a few weeks and I'm really enjoying it.

FWIW I agree with the less gain, more mids, harder picking thing. I also think that it's always really hard trying to cop album sounds with a single guitar and amp setup, when in all likelihood what you hear on the record is a mixture of several different guitars/amps/takes.


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## BabUShka (Nov 24, 2011)

Lycanthropy1313 said:


> Hahaha St. Anger...Metal's funniest joke.



No.. Thats Lulu..


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## Go To Bed Jessica (Nov 24, 2011)

BabUShka said:


> No.. Thats Lulu..



Some things are so bad that they become good. Lulu is not one of those things. I think it went all the way full circle and became bad squared.


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## All_¥our_Bass (Nov 24, 2011)

Go To Bed Jessica said:


> Some things are so bad that they become good. Lulu is not one of those things. I think it went all the way full circle and became bad squared.


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## Dead Undead (Nov 24, 2011)

Try a VH100R/GH100L. They have a voice that is undeniably Laney, and undeniably Opeth. I can get pretty close to his rhythm and clean tones (that truly awesome lead tone still eludes me) with my VH100R through an Emperor cab. It doesn't take much gain, as everyone has said. A powerful picking hand is your friend.

I'm not exactly familiar with your gear, but you could probably get close to it. Be generous with mids and presence.


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## havocvulture10 (Nov 25, 2011)

I'm pretty sure they've listed the gear that they used for each album on their website. Yes i realize you might not have what they used but it might give you an idea.


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## Lycanthropy1313 (Nov 25, 2011)

If you want to try for an earlier Opeth tone, MAYH and Still Life were Gibson + 5150


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## Key_Maker (Nov 25, 2011)

If the only thing that you listen is metal, metulz and brootalz, it's natural to find the Heritage tone horrible, thank jebus, internet and my father, i listen more stuff and i really think that the guitar sound totally fits the album.

If you want Opeth tone you need meaty sound from your guitar (PRS), Medium gain pickups, a very articulated amp (GH50 it's awesome, Renegade65 works, jvm too) and a bit of tweaking.


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## TheKindred (Nov 25, 2011)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> When I saw them here I hated his tone.



agreed. Katatonia stole the show by playing some of their older heavy shit. I was not expecting that and was pleasantly surprised. 

The Opeth side of the show seemed lacking from a sonic point of view.


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## Darkanus (Dec 5, 2011)

When I saw them here in Israel, their sound was as good as in their studio albums. Get the Damnation DVD, can you really say that sounds bad?

Unfortunetly, I don't have a PRS\Rectifier\5150\VH100R. I can't really notice any unique character in my V3M, and I don't have a lot of experience to compare it to other amps. So what I need is some basic directions of what effect to use and how to tune my EQ.
I think I'll get an OD808 and by that lower the amp's gain and achieve more clarity while maintaining a heavy and aggresive tone. Then, I'll try to tweak it some more with the GT10's EQ\COMP...


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