# What amps does Trey Azagthoth use?



## Doomcreeper (Jan 14, 2008)

I was wondering what Trey used for amps becuase I really like his tone. For those who don't know he's the guitarist in Morbid Angel


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## zimbloth (Jan 14, 2008)

I'm fairly certain they are Marshalls.


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## maliciousteve (Jan 14, 2008)

He uses JCM900's the 2100 model with a ProCo Rat. I bought a JCM900 2100 because I wanted a Morbid Angel tone and with a SD-1 in front of it and I got very close.


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## Doomcreeper (Jan 14, 2008)

I still have intentions of getting a stiletto deuce which seems to be a bit of a mix between mesa and marshall tone so I should be be able to get something similar for morbid angel stuff right? I also plan on getting a UV7BK or UV7GR shortly after I get my mesa. Won't be for a little while but the wait while saving up should be well worth it.


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## maliciousteve (Jan 14, 2008)

You could probably get something similar yeah. But if you really want something close to Trey's I'd really suggest the 2100. You can find one on Ebay or a local guitar shop for something like $400 - $500 I think (I'm guessing because I'm from the UK)


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## Edroz (Jan 14, 2008)

JCM900s huh? my first tube amp was JCM900 50 watt dual reverb... i absolutely hated it


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## maliciousteve (Jan 14, 2008)

From what I know the Master Volume 2100 models are surposed to be the best of the 900's. The SL-X models are apparently the worst, going by what I remember of the SL-X 100 dual reverb an old friend had, I'd agree with that. Because it sounded like absolute crap.


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## Austin (Jan 14, 2008)

The Rane graphic EQ is a big part of his sound too... Guitar -> Rane EQ -> Rat -> JCM 900 (100 watt). In FX loop: Eventide UH + many other pedals, like MXR flanger, Rotovibe, etc. I wish I knew his EQ settings.


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## angryman (Jan 14, 2008)

Trey definitely uses the JCM900 2100 but I don't know the secret to his Tone cos it's awesome. I've had quite a few Marshalls & pretty much hated everyone of them that said I do love the Tone Karl Sanders gets out of his JCM2000.


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## 7 Dying Trees (Jan 14, 2008)

Any time you play a marshall remember the cardinal rule : It has to be cranked.

And yeah, trey is marshall, with marshall cabs (maybe that's why i like my marshall cabs...hmmmmm....)


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## Toshiro (Jan 14, 2008)

maliciousteve said:


> From what I know the Master Volume 2100 models are surposed to be the best of the 900's. The SL-X models are apparently the worst, going by what I remember of the SL-X 100 dual reverb an old friend had, I'd agree with that. Because it sounded like absolute crap.



The SL-X and 2100(mkIII) are basically the same amp. It is the single channel dual master volume "metal" JCM900. It's also the only amp in the line that doesn't use diode clipping in the preamp. It's the best 900 they made, IMO.

Trey runs a parametric EQ in his rig as well. Pretty much all the very early 90's death metal is boosted marshall tone.


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## Austin (Jan 14, 2008)

It's a 30 band Rane graphic EQ (ME 30B). I bought the same one based on Erik Rutan's recommendation. Anyway, here's what Trey says about his setup:

"As with all the other recordings we made I use 2 Marshall JCM 900 high gain dual reverb amps and classic 1960s bottom cabs. For my basic tone I use the Rat distortion and a Rane EQ. Guitar into Rat into Rane into Amp. As for FXs I have a Univibe, MXR Phase 90, and a Morely Bad Horsie, all of these go in front of the Rat. I have the Univibe on a midi effects loop to go in and out of the chain via midi because the Univibe is a nasty, leaky box. I use the Eventide H3000s in my rack, via the left and right effects sends/returns from my amps, to create the Stereo Imaging that builds the Lava Landscapes. I use the H3000s for my stereo delays and other cool textures. I've got all kinds of guitars that have custom pickups and wiring for my solos, single coil pickups and/or humbuckers with split coil tap, phase switch. All kinds of tone options there in combining different pickups and electronics."

guitar6.com : Morbid Angel interview - Morbid Angel is one of the founding fathers of the style dubbed "death metal". With brutal speed and riffs, plus low and powerful vocals, Morbid Angel established themselves in this realm. Trey Azagthoth, the gu


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## Edroz (Jan 14, 2008)

wow, he actually used the same JCM900 i used to own. i could never get any sounds i liked from it. just goes to show, it's not the gear, but how you use it.


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## Toshiro (Jan 14, 2008)

Ah, okay, knew it was an EQ.

Sounds like he's using the Rat for all his gain.


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## ibznorange (Jan 14, 2008)

7 Dying Trees said:


> Any time you play a marshall remember the cardinal rule : It has to be cranked.




a dangerous thing, sometimes 

yeah really though, you cant underestimate how important that is with a marshall. it turns into a whole different animal


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## God Hand Apostle (Jan 15, 2008)

My first head and cab was a Marshall JCM900 Dual Reverb...HATED IT!! 

I should point out that every time I've seen Morbid...Covenant tour onward...Trey has had an old 80's ProCo Rat R2DU Rack unit, and not the pedal.


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## DeathShred1 (Jan 15, 2008)

God Hand Apostle said:


> My first head and cab was a Marshall JCM900 Dual Reverb...HATED IT!!
> 
> I should point out that every time I've seen Morbid...Covenant tour onward...Trey has had an old 80's ProCo Rat R2DU Rack unit, and not the pedal.




This is true! He might have both but I have a couple of magazines that has a interview with him were he does say he uses the rack version!


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## CrushingAnvil (Nov 18, 2008)

Well - If anyones chasing his tone its obviously saturated like fried fuckin' chips.

was thinking of getting an Azagthoth type setup at first...

a friend of mine has a 50w dual reverb and he says "bro you wont be able to play Morbid Angel on this piece of shit" everytime I offer to buy it


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## JMP2203 (Nov 18, 2008)

Doomcreeper said:


> I still have intentions of getting a stiletto deuce which seems to be a bit of a mix between mesa and marshall tone so I should be be able to get something similar for morbid angel stuff right? I also plan on getting a UV7BK or UV7GR shortly after I get my mesa. Won't be for a little while but the wait while saving up should be well worth it.



if you use a rat pedal as a boost you will get close. no problem


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## petereanima (Nov 18, 2008)

JMP2203 said:


> if you use a rat pedal as a boost you will get close. no problem






and "holy bump batman!!!"


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## cybermetatron (Nov 20, 2013)

I've got a Proco Rat rack unit R2DU and a JCM 900 dual reverb, I just put an EQ between Rat and amp and I get Trey's tone !! I plug the Rat into the channel A (clean/crunch) of the amp, gain at 10 !


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## warlock7strEMG (Nov 20, 2013)

Yeah as those above stated, JCM900, ProCo Rat and Rane EQ. Kinda of weird to think he got that tone from that amp. But if you have ever used a Rat, it's pretty easy to see. They have a tendency to kind of "muddy" up whatever they are in front of, especially when you used as a boost for an amps existing gain. Sounds cool but not my thing. I imagine that Rane EQ is huge part to making the combination of the Rat and JCM900 actually sound as awesome as he makes it sound. 

I think it's worth mentioning that I believe his JCM900's are the ones with 5881's/6L6's(whichever version that is) and not EL34's. Sorry not too familiar with the 900's as I'm not a fan of them. 

I played on a Rat into my Peavey Butcher into a Line 6 SpiderValve cab(V30's) using it similar to the way he uses it with his 900(Rat as a boost with the distortion around half, amp gain dimed, bass at 7, all other EQ and presence at 5) and with an Ibanez RG7 with stock passives I was able to get something along the lines of his tone. With an EQ pedal I am willing to bet I could have gotten spot on. 

I think one of they key elements to his tone is passive pickups, specifically into a boosted British voiced mid-to high gain amp with 6L6's. The reason I say that is I also tried the above set up but switched out the Rat for my TS7 and honestly was still close to his tone. Very close actually. With an EQ pedal I could have nailed it, I know. Which is odd because that set up is what I normally use but with my guitar it doesn't sound as much like his tone(I use active, EMG 707). But with the passives of that RG, it made playing "Where the Slime Live" sound a lot like the tone on the album. 

If you want the Trey tone, I would suggest an old Butcher. With the right boosting and EQ and passives, it will nail his tone. Plus unlike the 900's, they actually sound good for a other things too haha. Not to mention, much cheaper.


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## karjim (Nov 20, 2013)

Blaze Pickup + Universe (light strings not a 74 for a B !!!) + British Amp with 6L6 bossted + Eq....and it gets closer. Of course you must have his nasty attack to hit that mushy brit extreme tone. 
If it works for him not sure it works for everyone.


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## FireInside (Nov 20, 2013)

I love Trey's tone. Kinda surprised he is using a 900, I would Have guessed JCM 800. Always had a soft spot for those 900's so that's cool.


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## ArtDecade (Nov 20, 2013)

... seriously ...

This thread is from 2008, guys. Ha.


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## warlock7strEMG (Nov 20, 2013)

ArtDecade said:


> ... seriously ...
> 
> This thread is from 2008, guys. Ha.




Oh shit!! It is huh?? My bad


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## neoclassical (Nov 20, 2013)

NVR MND


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## VBCheeseGrater (Nov 20, 2013)

warlock7strEMG said:


> Oh shit!! It is huh?? My bad



Thats ok im stuck waiting at doctors office, gave me something interesting to read! 

I remember trying a RAT in my teenage years and thinking they sucked horribly, but ive heard of lots of guys using them to good effect. Maybe ill give it another go one day.


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## FireInside (Nov 21, 2013)

Trey might disagree though......


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Nov 21, 2013)

RATs seem good if you wanna boost for amp for a pretty raw sounding tone... Just listen to Metallica's Kill 'Em All and, obviously, Morbid Angel.


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## Krucifixtion (Nov 22, 2013)

JCM900's boosted with a ProCo Rat Rackmount. He probably used that to add a lot more gain. Only time I ever played a legit JCM900 was many many years ago and I don't think the guy new what he was doing with it and I think the tubes were old as shit. I remember not liking the DSL's, but then a friend of mine recently got one and I played out of it and I liked it way more than I used to.


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