Adam Jones tone on a budget (not anymore) for Tool cover band

[BeZo]

Y'all missed the Rivera. He has a Knucklehead in the mix in between the Recro era and the all Diezel era. It used to be the Marshall, Diezel, and a Rivera.

Really, the Knucklehead would be the right middle ground between the Marshall and the Diezel. First gen Knuckleheads can be found used for cheap, and that will cover it.

 

[CoreyW]

I could be wrong on this, but isn’t his main core tone mainly the Marshall with the feed to the Diezel on a volume pedal and he rolls it in as needed?

 

[JDs Couch]

Don't sleep on rolling the tone knob for a lot of his tones too...

 

[DrewJD82]

Didn’t see this mentioned, but I hope you’re not planning on going direct with this rig, OP, not unless you got yourself a big ole powered monitor that you can use to get all the feedback you’re going to need for those songs. If you’re going to play Tool songs, you need to figure out a way to get the feedback, amp or modeler.

Hahahaha it’s no fuckin’ surprise how Adam does it-

Dude’s got those 3 floor monitors pointing up at him, sme more monitors to his left under the keyboards, the sidefills a couple feet behind those and then his wall of 4x12’s sitting at chest level behind him. A silent fart would get his rig screaming!

And while Epiphone will have the Silverburst, they’re not anywhere near the quality you’ll get with an Edwards. I was very hopefully those AJ’s would be at least measure up to an Edwards, but not with that shit fretwork and overall fit/finish they put out.

 

[bubbastain]

Do you want to look the part too? If so, I agree any Les Paul will do but obviously some sort of silverburst will add to the look.
As far as sound goes I think it’s pretty easy and you can sound pretty damn close with just about any modeling device and some tweak time. Just about any amp and a couple of pedals will get you guys sounding pretty spot on to everyone except the die hard tool guitar player tone chasers. That is only true IF you guys can play the tunes tight and with a good feel.

 

[SFW]

This is really going to come down to how much gear you want to carry. If you want to go analog, then I really think any good high gain amp will get you in the ballpark and any agonizing over tones will be by you and not the audience. I saw a Tool tribute a couple of years ago and the guitarist was using a Mesa DC-10, and it sounded just like Tool to me. If you go the QC direction, you can setup a multiple amp preset that will allow you to cover a myriad of tones. I would highly recommend something like the Laney LFR212 for stage volume. There are quite a few presets on the Neural DSP cloud for Adam Jones and Tool.

For originals, I like to bring a real amp and be loud. For tribute gigs, I prefer the modeler, as it allows me to dial in for that particular band. All in one box.

 

[anomaly]

Yes maybe. I think a diezel and a marshall would nail it very good but the question is Synergy vs Quad Cortex from my side

Personally, I'd go Synergy cause I like real amplifiers, but you can't go wrong with a Quad Cortex either.

 

[Toneboner]

the right middle ground between the Marshall and the Diezel

Easy to have the "budget friendly" requirement left out when talking to gear heads lol

I just picked up a Crab Marcus and as my only Mesa-ish amp I hear it's dna in lots of the epic Tool tunes. It's an actual beast of an amp,, still get the honeymoon giddy excitement before I fire it up . I have a few other hand wired boutique amps to compare it to and it absolutely hangs perfectly well tone-wise and function-wise. Light as hell and LOUD if u need it ,, but the master let's it sing at any reasonable stage volume.

That with a simple pedal board,, delays, wha, boosts, chorus/flange, OR all in one type pedal H9, valeton equivalent on the cheap end + LP = spring boner.

 

[skoora]

Your definition of budget, friendly, and mine are certainly different

 

[Toneboner]

yes for some guys it means leaving the r9 at home and taking the crappy standard instead

 

[mermer]

Didn’t see this mentioned, but I hope you’re not planning on going direct with this rig, OP, not unless you got yourself a big ole powered monitor that you can use to get all the feedback you’re going to need for those songs. If you’re going to play Tool songs, you need to figure out a way to get the feedback, amp or modeler.

Hahahaha it’s no fuckin’ surprise how Adam does it-

View attachment 450209

Dude’s got those 3 floor monitors pointing up at him, sme more monitors to his left under the keyboards, the sidefills a couple feet behind those and then his wall of 4x12’s sitting at chest level behind him. A silent fart would get his rig screaming!

And while Epiphone will have the Silverburst, they’re not anywhere near the quality you’ll get with an Edwards. I was very hopefully those AJ’s would be at least measure up to an Edwards, but not with that shit fretwork and overall fit/finish they put out.

This was very helpful many thanks! I am also feeling closer to Edwards. Or a Maybach Lester.

I was thinking exactly the same thing, how to get all this feedback / noises with a modeller. A simpler version of this rig might be a 2x12 with a couple monitors. But not sure, it may not be cost efficient.

 

[mermer]

Your definition of budget, friendly, and mine are certainly different

yes for some guys it means leaving the r9 at home and taking the crappy standard instead

I am just trying not to loose money. Building a rig in any budget will cost money, I am trying to act intentionally so I do not buy a dud while trying to go cheap. Instead if I can buy some “budget friendly” gear that I would enjoy in any term, that would be the real win

 

[BeZo]

Easy to have the "budget friendly" requirement left out when talking to gear heads lol

I just picked up a Crab Marcus and as my only Mesa-ish amp I hear it's dna in lots of the epic Tool tunes. It's an actual beast of an amp,, still get the honeymoon giddy excitement before I fire it up . I have a few other hand wired boutique amps to compare it to and it absolutely hangs perfectly well tone-wise and function-wise. Light as hell and LOUD if u need it ,, but the master let's it sing at any reasonable stage volume.

That with a simple pedal board,, delays, wha, boosts, chorus/flange, OR all in one type pedal H9, valeton equivalent on the cheap end + LP = spring boner.

If OP is already justifying $1800 for a Quad Cortex, you can get a Knucklehead for less than that. Here is one for $1400. Same price as a used QC.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/R...LKeUC6TjCbgHaB98ZkOJthSdsmto1g6xoCk_AQAvD_BwE

You need a cab for both either way, and a used 4x12 is more authentic than a FRFR cab.

 

[mermer]

If OP is already justifying $1800 for a Quad Cortex, you can get a Knucklehead for less than that. Here is one for $1400. Same price as a used QC.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/R...LKeUC6TjCbgHaB98ZkOJthSdsmto1g6xoCk_AQAvD_BwE

You need a cab for both either way, and a used 4x12 is more authentic than a FRFR cab.

I am curious about that amp. I have Wizard amps at home and am unwilling to bring them on stage, (might try after I get used to, would be fun to hear them loud). I would like to make a hybrid setup that would combine the versatility, easiness and liveliness.

 

[mermer]

If OP is already justifying $1800 for a Quad Cortex, you can get a Knucklehead for less than that. Here is one for $1400. Same price as a used QC.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/R...LKeUC6TjCbgHaB98ZkOJthSdsmto1g6xoCk_AQAvD_BwE

You need a cab for both either way, and a used 4x12 is more authentic than a FRFR cab.

Another option, probably the one which is the most authentic but less easy is having an early 80s JMP, boosting it with good-old SD1 or Diezel VH4 pedal.

I have no experience with Rivera’s and they are rather harder to sold since not many people are seeking them.

 

[tjnx]

For originals, I like to bring a real amp and be loud. For tribute gigs, I prefer the modeler, as it allows me to dial in for that particular band. All in one box.

Have you ever tried your modeler through a high quality PA speaker (12-15", $1k+)? Just curious as to how the Laney would compare. I would like to but have never seen one of those Laney cabs in store.

 

[Reverend Bow]

This was very helpful many thanks! I am also feeling closer to Edwards. Or a Maybach Lester.

I was thinking exactly the same thing, how to get all this feedback / noises with a modeller. A simpler version of this rig might be a 2x12 with a couple monitors. But not sure, it may not be cost efficient.

My Edwards E-LP-85 JS model came with Duncan Distortions installed

I go the direct route for recording and use and Friedman IR-J for the Marshall side, a Demon FX DH4-2 for the Diezel side into a Joyo Cab Sim (loaded with the Captures from the IR-J), and a Digitech Freqout for the feedback on command... And run in stereo

Cause I'm a fairly frugal (cheap) bastard

 

[skoora]

I am curious about that amp. I have Wizard amps at home and am unwilling to bring them on stage, (might try after I get used to, would be fun to hear them loud). I would like to make a hybrid setup that would combine the versatility, easiness and liveliness.

Oh Man, I f I had a Wizard and was gigging at all, it would be mandatory to get in a live band situation. Gotta let that Stallion run a little.

 

[mermer]

My Edwards E-LP-85 JS model came with Duncan Distortions installed

I go the direct route for recording and use and Friedman IR-J for the Marshall side, a Demon FX DH4-2 for the Diezel side into a Joyo Cab Sim (loaded with the Captures from the IR-J), and a Digitech Freqout for the feedback on command... And run in stereo

Cause I'm a fairly frugal (cheap) bastard

There is nothing wrong with this setup, sounds super cool. I will check Digitech Frequoy

 

[mermer]

Oh Man, I f I had a Wizard and was gigging at all, it would be mandatory to get in a live band situation. Gotta let that Stallion run a little.

Feeling similarly. I think I will also bring the Wizard MTL MKII eventually but at first I would like to have a feeling of the stage, space, security etc.