# Amptweaker Tight Metal Review



## grunge782 (Jul 14, 2012)

Magnetic battery holder...Isn't that cool?









I recently got an Amptweaker Tight Metal in a trade so here's what I think-

This pedal does a great job of being the drive section you need to go from clean and crunch tones to thick metal tones. The sounds I tried to go after with this pedal were Recto tones and 5150 tones. 

I found the pedal worked best with everything actually at around noon, but the tight knob was used to go from looser rectoish tones to tighter 5150 tones. Of course I will experiment some more with the gain and level's, but the tone knob is best set somewhere close to noon. The mid switch works like it should and both settings sound good. 

When I experimented with Recto tones, it didn't get quite as loose and responsive, but it was able to sound fat and articulate. It was loose enough to stay responsive to my playing and had some of that spongy feel I like so much. When turned towards more of the tighter setting (and with some added mids) it really stayed articulate and heavy sounding. It doesn't have the same bite a 5150 has, however it nails those tighter lows and clear technical playing a 5150 can handle well on the higher strings. 

The gate is just a switch, but works VERY well. No complaints, it cuts the noise when it should. 

One thing it does lack is a little bass on the 9V setting. Not by a whole lot, in fact most 5150 fans would be perfectly happy with the amount of bass. However in the 18V setting it can get some big fat metal tones, but doesn't sound overly "squarish" and harsh like many metal pedals. 18V sounds pretty similar to the 9V, just a bit more lows and oomph. 

*TL;DR: I'd give it a 7/10-8/10 in terms of tone compared to tube amps. Most metal pedals i'd give a 4/10-5/10. Definitely worth the money for guys who want both good cleans and gain tones, or need a more affordable (and house friendly volume level) option before getting a more expensive tube amplifier. I found it worked very well with my Tweaker 15 to cover just about any tone I needed. * 

I want to upload some gut shots, but its kind of a pain to take apart because of the unique battery door. The pedal does use a TL072CP (you can switch it for another since it uses an OP AMP socket and isn't directly soldered).


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## wakjob (Jul 14, 2012)

Try a NE5532 op amp. I love em'.

I watched a comparison vid between the Tight Rock and Tight Metal. I liked the Tight Rock a little bit more. But that's just my style.

Congrats!


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## grunge782 (Jul 14, 2012)

wakjob said:


> Try a NE5532 op amp. I love em'.
> 
> I watched a comparison vid between the Tight Rock and Tight Metal. I liked the Tight Rock a little bit more. But that's just my style.
> 
> Congrats!



I would agree the Tight Rock is a great pedal and sounds better overall, but this pedal is designed to add a very hi-gain metal channel to a CLEAN amp in one nice compact box, something the TR can't do. It does exactly as advertised. 

I can do my cleanish/indie pansy tones and then stomp right into my bad impressions of Amon Amarth/Gojira songs.

I will have to give an NE5532 a try. Nice thing is when you open the battery door the OP AMP is close enough to change from the opening.


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## schizoidasylum (Jul 15, 2012)

its a great pedal for sure. i find that it it is a very convineint for live work to get that real chunky metal tone. sounds great at high volumes.

may I ask waht color is the switch that your has inside? Is it green or blue?
just look in the battery door inside the pedal.

Thanks


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## grunge782 (Jul 15, 2012)

schizoidasylum said:


> its a great pedal for sure. i find that it it is a very convineint for live work to get that real chunky metal tone. sounds great at high volumes.
> 
> may I ask waht color is the switch that your has inside? Is it green or blue?
> just look in the battery door inside the pedal.
> ...



Blue. Why do you ask?


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## Krigloch the Furious (Jul 15, 2012)

Can the tight rock get osdm tones? 
or would that have to be the tight metal?

I've been thinking about making a 1x12 with a pedal, and a poweramp pedal. I have an Eminence Manowar just sitting in the basement.


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## danger5oh (Jul 15, 2012)

"indie pansy tones"... hahaha 

Thanks for the review. I've been debating picking one of these up for awhile. I'm glad you did a 9v/18v comparison. GAS: officially increased.


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## schizoidasylum (Jul 15, 2012)

grunge782 said:


> Blue. Why do you ask?



First editions had green chineese switches that had problems, the quality was not great so they would choke the signal.....they need to be changed.....James brown provides great customer service.


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## grunge782 (Jul 15, 2012)

schizoidasylum said:


> First editions had green chineese switches that had problems, the quality was not great so they would choke the signal.....they need to be changed.....*James brown* provides great customer service.









????


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## MetalDaze (Jul 16, 2012)

Wrong James Brown


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## Wookieslayer (Jul 17, 2012)

Nice review man. I've had my TMP for some time now and it always puts a smile on my face when I plug in. For bass and guitar. 



schizoidasylum said:


> First editions had green chineese switches that had problems, the quality was not great so they would choke the signal.....they need to be changed.....James brown provides great customer service.




Hmm... I haven't seemed to have any issues with mine yet... what do you mean choke the signal? Is the switch just the stomp on/off switch?


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## Sephael (Jul 17, 2012)

For extra you can get the TM modified with the SideTrak that the TR has. This lets you do great things like have the TightMetal run directly into the power amp, turn the effect off and the sidetrak can reroute the signal to the preamp and then any associated fx, with the normal loop of the TM used for what ever fx you want with the TM on. One stomp clean to gain with all effects 'switched' also.


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## schizoidasylum (Jul 17, 2012)

Wookieslayer said:


> Nice review man. I've had my TMP for some time now and it always puts a smile on my face when I plug in. For bass and guitar.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Yes...its just the stomp switch....not all of them have issues, maybe he got a bad batch. 

I have the two tight metals and tight rock....all had green switches and both tight metals had issues. When i stomped on the switch it would not let the signal throught loud and clear. It sounded as though it was cutting in and out, I wiggled the switch and then it was ok. James Brown sent new switches so I replaced them. My tight rock still has a green switch and its working fine. Ive read other poeple had problems with the green switches also. anyways...its a very easy thing to replace...takes about 5 minutes.


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## wakjob (Jul 17, 2012)

schizoidasylum said:


> Yes...its just the stomp switch....not all of them have issues, maybe he got a bad batch.
> 
> I have the two tight metals and tight rock....all had green switches and both tight metals had issues. When i stomped on the switch it would not let the signal throught loud and clear. It sounded as though it was cutting in and out, I wiggled the switch and then it was ok. James Brown sent new switches so I replaced them. My tight rock still has a green switch and its working fine. Ive read other poeple had problems with the green switches also. anyways...its a very easy thing to replace...takes about 5 minutes.



So, what's your opinion of these two pedals seeing as how you have both?

Ever swap Op Amps?


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## schizoidasylum (Jul 17, 2012)

both pedlas are very different...the tight metal is definitely my favorite...it sounds extremely heavy, clear and has tube like response. Its not gonna replace a tube amp, but if you like solid state distortion that has tube like response, then the tight metal is it.

the tight rock can get pretty heavy also but it retains more a british tone (like Marshall), doesnt get too modern sounding. also has tube like response. at higher gain settings it can get pretty noisy. the noise gate works fine but some of the hiss goes through. I use this when I play more classic rock stuff.

some people love the tight rock for metal. it does it well but the tight metal sounds crushing.

I use external noise gate pedals with both anyways, so they are dead silent between palm mutes.

Ive played and have owned many pedals, from many manufactures and brands. Ive never heard anything like these amptweaker pedals. They have a very different feel and response. The tight control works extremely well in making the pedals chug.


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