A
Antroid
New member
Lows and highs from the VH4 and mids from the Plexi. Adam Jones -style...
Vigier Arpege
New member
So the Plexi's highs are no good? 
xXxGhotimanxXx
New member
I would start out by getting the best tone (to your ear) with each one independently. Then, switch them both on and adjust bass, mid, and treble via the amp that is strongest in each.
Nice Plexi...you build that?
J
Nice Plexi...you build that?
J
FourT6and2
Well-known member
VH4 Channel 3:
Gain: 1:00
Channel: To taste
Treble: 1:30
Mids: Maxed
Bass: 2:30
Presence: 2:00
Deep: 2:00
Master: 1:00
Plexi:
Jump the channels
Presence: 11:00
Bass: Off
Mids: Maxed
Treble: 10:30
Bright Gain: 2:00
Normal Gain: 10:30
Try that and see if you like it. Will depend on your speakers as well. I prefer the VH4 thru V30's and the Plexi through Greenbacks.
This will get you the Adam Jones sound. If that's not what you're going for then just mess with the EQ until you're happy.
Gain: 1:00
Channel: To taste
Treble: 1:30
Mids: Maxed
Bass: 2:30
Presence: 2:00
Deep: 2:00
Master: 1:00
Plexi:
Jump the channels
Presence: 11:00
Bass: Off
Mids: Maxed
Treble: 10:30
Bright Gain: 2:00
Normal Gain: 10:30
Try that and see if you like it. Will depend on your speakers as well. I prefer the VH4 thru V30's and the Plexi through Greenbacks.
This will get you the Adam Jones sound. If that's not what you're going for then just mess with the EQ until you're happy.
xXxGhotimanxXx
New member
Where did you get this? Your own ear or did you read it somewhere on the net?
J
FourT6and2
Well-known member
xXxGhotimanxXx":ffkyjauz said:
Just the way I dial it in. If you want to copy what Jones does, exactly, then here is a picture of one of his old VH4's that he sold. Just keep in mind the OP said nothing of trying to copy Tool's sound...
xXxGhotimanxXx
New member
Cool. I have that pic and it's the way I dial mine in. Sounds pretty close with the other gear I have.
J
J
Vigier Arpege
New member
Always interesting to see what others do/like 
I like to push my mids, but AJ's settings may be too much.
Thanks for the input!
I like to push my mids, but AJ's settings may be too much.
Thanks for the input!
A
Antroid
New member
Whoa. No way can I run my Deep as high as Adam does. Pretty interesting, that pic. I might have to try it out, although I'm not 100% sure that's the way he runs his VH4.
FourT6and2
Well-known member
Antroid":1wpopfr7 said:Whoa. No way can I run my Deep as high as Adam does. Pretty interesting, that pic. I might have to try it out, although I'm not 100% sure that's the way he runs his VH4.
Look at the markers, not where the knobs are.
A
Antroid
New member
Yeah, but the Deep is pretty damn high. What I meant was, he might just mess with people and change the markers for the photo. 
What I meant was, he might just mess with people and change the markers for the photo.
FourT6and2
Well-known member
Antroid":2m9z0mwd said:Yeah, but the Deep is pretty damn high.
I don't see why anybody would go through that much trouble. I come to realize over the years that the members of Tool do not create any mystery or conspiracy theories. The fans do.
That photo is of one of Adam backup VH4's that he got at Salwender. His Blue Face was in the shop getting worked on and this one was a loner he was given. Once he was through with it, he sold it. So, take it or leave it. Regardless of where you put the knobs on a VH4, it will still sound like a VH4. So don't worry about it so much.
M
MrNixon
New member
FourT6and2":3ozh6q4z said:Antroid":3ozh6q4z said:Yeah, but the Deep is pretty damn high.
I don't see why anybody would go through that much trouble. I come to realize over the years that the members of Tool do not create any mystery or conspiracy theories. The fans do.
That photo is of one of Adam backup VH4's that he got at Salwender. His Blue Face was in the shop getting worked on and this one was a loner he was given. Once he was through with it, he sold it. So, take it or leave it. Regardless of where you put the knobs on a VH4, it will still sound like a VH4. So don't worry about it so much.
+ true to form, only channel 3 has markers.
Ventura
Well-known member
Not to mention you kinda have to know what his fingers, pressure, feel and touch are all about on his No.1 and No.2 Silverbursts to get that perfect AJ grace...
I find emulating someone else's tone not my thang, but to each their own. If I was in a cover band, most certainly, but personally, I dig exploring sounds that others haven't yet explored or exploited, or, coversely, just find what sounds good to my ear and work from there. Having played a lot of Tool, there's a lot of boring shit in between the oom-pah-pah with their music. Gotta thank Chancelor, Carey and obviously MJK for filling in the empty patches
To me, they're the epitome of "synergy" in a band context.
V.
I find emulating someone else's tone not my thang, but to each their own. If I was in a cover band, most certainly, but personally, I dig exploring sounds that others haven't yet explored or exploited, or, coversely, just find what sounds good to my ear and work from there. Having played a lot of Tool, there's a lot of boring shit in between the oom-pah-pah with their music. Gotta thank Chancelor, Carey and obviously MJK for filling in the empty patches
To me, they're the epitome of "synergy" in a band context.
V.
M
MrNixon
New member
not to debunk AJ's mysteriousness, but i tried those settings out on both a VH4 and an Einstein Mega channel, and as long as you have a 24 3/4 scale guitar and listen to AJ's phrasing, it gets you that percussive gainy attack. I'm sure with a Plexi filling out the mids, you'll get even closer, but just a Diezel gain structure @ those settings will get you that HUGE but defined and clear tone that is a huge part of AJ's identity.