Getting X japan sound with limited amp/pedals

[Hito]

Okay, i mainly play x japan songs.
Am getting a new amp this week. Initially, i had done many researched on solidstate amp and somehow decided on ROLAND Cube 30/30x.
But after doing some more researching on the internet, I found boss MT-2 is able to get the x japan sounds (which i mostly need).

So the question is: 1. Should i get the roland cube 30x and try to get the x japan sound from those preamp settings.
2. Should i get another amp eg. Marshall AVT20 with a boss MT-2 pedal?
3. I live in HDB, will the Marshall sound too loud? I got no experienced with Marshall's hybrids amp.

I must as there is a fellow softie selling Avt20 now. =x

 

[LadyInTears]

actually, the mt2 does not get that x japan sound. i know, ive tried it and it just doesnt do well enough.

another point to note is that x japan's tone is relatively low gain, and you dont need alotta gain to play them, and a cube 30 would do fine, though not exactly replicating the tone.

 

[Hito]

okay thanks!
To be honest, I'm only finding people to convince me on cube 30 as i had already decided on that. haha.

 

[LadyInTears]

haha then go for it, the cube 30 is a solid amp!

 

[velvetrevolver]

i was hoping someone would talk bout the cube 30! just my luck!
hey guys any idea how much it is?

 

[LadyInTears]

yup its replaced with the cube30x with some non essential upgrades
used to own the cube30, was a great amp for its price, and frankly, roland shouldnt have discontinued it.

 

[rimuel]

why marshalls anyway? i presume by x japan,you meant hide's tone yes? he uses peavey amps.

 

[velvetrevolver]

yup its replaced with the cube30x with some non essential upgrades
used to own the cube30, was a great amp for its price, and frankly, roland shouldnt have discontinued it.

ah no wonder lah. i thot it was cube 30x that was already discontinued.
*wipes sweat off brow*

 

[Hito]

haha, there are a lot discussion on soft about roland amp. 8 over 10 of them are positive replies bah. I went to sl this week and they have a 40% discount for roland cubes. 270/280 for 20x. 330 for 30x. Getting it real soon i hope. =)

 

[Hito]

issit?! I cant find any info about his gears. Will digg more into it. Thanks! I'm always welcome for more choices. haha.

 

[PinkSpId3r]

i did read before hide uses ada mp-1 in the early days, and switch to Engl savage 120 & sansamp psa 1 =)

 

[psyence4]

Being a huge X Japan fan and having owned a Cube 30 for 2 years I can safely say that you DEFINITELY CANNOT dial in an X Japan sound with a pedal-free Cube 30, the R-fier is way too harsh and the metal channel doesn't have enough gain... just doesn't have that punchy sound. Used it with a PRS Paul Allender Custom SE. That being said the black panel channel of the Cube 30 is pretty good as a clean channel to take pedals. The Cube 30 is a great amp, just make sure you like what you're paying for because the Swee Lee regular price is way too much for what you are getting IMHO.

I agree that the MT-2 MetalZone is not what you want for X Japan tone. What I'm currently using now is a Digitech RP350 multieffects pedal, I used a patch which modelled a TubeScreamer pedal plus the Marshall JCM900 combo and that gives a decent (but not great) approximation. Currently I'm feeding it through a Marshall 15 CDR clean (eaurgh) but I tried out the Vox Pathfinder 15R, it sounds great through that. I don't know how good the AVT-20 is but it sounded similar to the 15CDR and I've had a not very good experience...

You might want to consider the MI audio crunchbox distortion pedal, this is what my friend recommended when I asked him for help. It sounds pretty good and I'm thinking of getting one myself if it pops up on soft.

Watch a demo of the audio crunchbox here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTdoq7FmLhQ

Also I have a vid on Youtube where I am playing with my RP350 and a Cube 30 set to black panel gain at 12 o'clock, it really fattens the sound.
Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_cXZQDb5p8

 

[LadyInTears]

no offence, your tone is really screeching, nothing like how art of life sounds.
gotta cover art of life one day soon, when i memorise all the solos

 

[hide]

hide (ard blue blood era) uses Peavey VTM120, roland jc120, ENGL tube preamp and Boss OD1 boosting into a 4x12 Hiwatt SP cabinet w/celestion vintage30s. He also uses effects like TC 2290 and REV5 reverberator, all in all considered mandatory to get u in the ballpark.

i have friends who swore by MT2 into peavey bandits for all that matter, i don't like their tones but they are monster players, still gets the job done.

Limited amp/pedals for x japan sound -- at least the "amp w/drive"+"od"+"reverb"

Whatever makes u feel u're playing like hide goes!

 

[Hito]

okay thanks for all the comment. Guess i am not getting the roland cube already. Since my main interesting in guitar is x japan. I emailed swee lee regarding the peavey vypyr amp. They are bring them in later this year. Guess i'm going to get peavey instead of roland cube. Viewed some reviews and demos about peavey and i think is much better than roland imo. Yeap, any hide fans to comment about peavey vypyr series amp? Think i'm getting OD pedal too.

 

[Hito]

AND hide! so you're they one that took away our nick! hahaha. I always wanted my nick to be hide. =(

 

[Hito]

psyence, saw your cover on art of life. It sounds kind of darker and thicker compared to the original. But still a good job done. =)

 

[psyence4]

LadyInTears: You're right, that was an early attempt (about 7 months ago) and the tone wasn't good, it is too trebly sounding even though I cut the treble a lot on the eq. Also the tone in the video isn't the tubescreamer/marshall patch I mentioned in my post, its a different amp model which sounds too metal-ly for me (still playing with the patches on my then new RP350). Sorry for the confusion but the purpose was more to demo the cube 30. It's actually even more screechy/thin on the clean channel.
I've changed the patch and also it sounds a lot more right through a pathfinder which warms and thickens it a lot. Only thing is that I can't make a demo as I don't actually have a pathfinder =(

hide: where did you get this info on hide's rig, are there gear sources for other jrock artistes too? Also do you know if he uses the tc 2290 only during solos or during rhythm parts as well.

Hito: IMO the peavey bandit is a pretty good amp too. On board distortion sounded good when I played through it briefly. Only thing is that it looks pretty big and heavy (might be hard to transport) and I think its 100W. Good luck on your quest for hide's tone.

P.S. I thought the cover wasn't too good as I left out quite a bit of bends and vibrato all over. And the tone came out even worse through the camera mike ;p

 

[superpotato_30]

LadyInTears: You're right, that was an early attempt (about 7 months ago) and the tone wasn't good, it is too trebly sounding even though I cut the treble a lot on the eq. Also the tone in the video isn't the tubescreamer/marshall patch I mentioned in my post, its a different amp model which sounds too metal-ly for me (still playing with the patches on my then new RP350). Sorry for the confusion but the purpose was more to demo the cube 30. It's actually even more screechy/thin on the clean channel.
I've changed the patch and also it sounds a lot more right through a pathfinder which warms and thickens it a lot. Only thing is that I can't make a demo as I don't actually have a pathfinder =(

hide: where did you get this info on hide's rig, are there gear sources for other jrock artistes too?

Hito: IMO the peavey bandit is a pretty good amp too. On board distortion sounded good when I played through it briefly. Only thing is that it looks pretty big and heavy (might be hard to transport) and I think its 100W. Good luck on your quest for hide's tone.

P.S. I thought the cover wasn't too good as I left out quite a bit of bends and vibrato all over. And the tone came out even worse through the camera mike ;p

Bro did i meet u at beez? i was the one with the emg strat. hahahs. you brought ur aerodyne and prs along.

 

[psyence4]

Yeap yeap hi! Haha you like x japan too? I'll probably be popping by beez again tomorrow... Hows the strat serving you?

P.S. A bit off topic. lets take this offline ;p