What is the Diezel 'tone'?

Donnie B.

Donnie B.

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I've owned numerous amps from Boogie, Marshall, and Bogner - so I've been able to find really legit
captures of each for the Quad Cortex.

Never got to play a real Diezel. The QC has both models of a VH4 and captures of a Herbert.

Where would a signature Diezel tone fit in between a JCM800, Boogie Mark, and 101B in the crunch spectrum?

Also, I play 6 string string in standard tuning. Are Diezels designed more for lower tuned/strung guitars?
All the demos I've seen are using lower register axes.

Thanks.
 
They have a comparatively high amount of compression, an immediate attack, and stop-on-a-dime note decay. The distortion character is on the smoother side of the spectrum with a fair bit of hair and tons of low end. I would say they don't growl/grind as much as other high-gain designs. I've had a Herbert, VH4, and Einstein. Can't speak for their other amps.
 
More low mid centered Modern high gain. Too much compression for my taste-the VH4 ch 3 is the exception that sounds rather Marshally if dialed in that way. There are mods to decompress them if you want. Not my thing but the modern high gain player, I can see why they are great for that style. If you can find an early Blueface VH4 I have heard from guys I trust that they are special and are worth every penny.
 
I would add that the VH4 I played really had its own thing separate from an 800, Mark or Bogner. Ch 3 was closer to a modded 800 maybe, darker/smoother with more gain. But still it’s own thing.
 
Diezel's are their own thing. Peter found a niche that's not like "other" amps.
You can certainly dial them in to get "closer" to a more Marshall-type sound, yet why would you.

That said, there are plenty of Diezel flavors that give range to the "Diezel" sound. I still own 2 Diezel's, Herbert and Hagen.

Herbert is actually quite versatile, with it's 3 channels and 180 watts. Tons of gain available, yet not necessary to tap all the time. I LOVE the clean on this amp and it can literally give you a lot of different options tonally. Adjustable mid cut, channel 2 has two modes, individual channel volumes and well as dual Master Volumes...The channel modes on channel 2 make it very cool, blues to crunch in the flick of a switch. Channel 3 is every METAL guy's dream, yet can also be used as a great lead option to a crunchy channel 2 if the gain on ch3 is dialed back a bit and a little volume boost is added. Again, lot's of options. Tight sounds.

Hagen is totally different, yet again Diezel. More open is what I've heard many say. It's got 4 channels, like the VH4, yet with a different character that I think is more usable across the spectrum. Nice clean, yet push it a bit and it's AC/DC-like crunch. Channel 2 picks up where ch1 stops and can get more crunchy, basically you have 70's tones on up with 1 and 2. Channel 3 starts to ROCK harder, yet still with that "open" quality. Channel 4 is more than I need most of the time, yet can be a great lead option since each channel has its own Master Volume, Gain controls, and EQ section. Shift the EQ and add a bit of volume and searing leads abound from here.

I let go of my Einstein and my VH4. Haven't tried the newer VH2, Big Max, etc...They are kind of of shoots of the originals, IMO.
I feel like I'm covered with these two amps. Not that I don't own plenty of other kinds of heads.

So, if you are trying to compare Diezel to other amps, don't bother...they are their own animal. Like a Mesa Mark, it's not like other amps.
If you are simply asking where the gain structure lives, that really depends on the user. Diezel can do some amazing cleans, great bluesy tones and gets excellent lower gain sounds as well, although they are clearly more well known for the more BRUTAL tones.
Well known users, Metallica, Tool AND many studios.

In fact, Tim Pierce, amazing player and go-to studio guy has a VH4 that you've probably heard on many albums and would NEVER think it's a Diezel. He's not necessarily known for being a HIGH GAIN guy, more of a super tasty player with amazing phrasing.

Long post, hope it helps.
 
I should add I've very familiar with Friedman and his smoother take on the modded Marshall thing.
 
GtarLover said:
In fact, Tim Pierce, amazing player and go-to studio guy has a VH4 that you've probably heard on many albums and would NEVER think it's a Diezel. He's not necessarily known for being a HIGH GAIN guy, more of a super tasty player with amazing phrasing.
Click to expand...

Tim is essential watching for any guitarist imo. The guy is so extremely well rounded is every damn aspect
of the guitar, recording, and the music business in general.

I owned the Herbert plug-in and everyone said that was really close.
Loved everything about it but mostly lived on CH2 in the + position.
 
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FourT6and2 said:
They have a comparatively high amount of compression, an immediate attack, and stop-on-a-dime note decay. The distortion character is on the smoother side of the spectrum with a fair bit of hair and tons of low end. I would say they don't growl/grind as much as other high-gain designs. I've had a Herbert, VH4, and Einstein. Can't speak for their other amps.
Click to expand...
This is a great description.

The VH4 at least is almost unnatural sounding, in that there's huge low end that suddenly stops before it would get boomy or muddy, and there's plenty high frequency content but it's kinda dark.
 
How do the Fractal models compare to the real amps (VH4 and Herbert MkI)?
 
cardinal said:
This is a great description.

The VH4 at least is almost unnatural sounding, in that there's huge low end that suddenly stops before it would get boomy or muddy, and there's plenty high frequency content but it's kinda dark.
Click to expand...

Yep. On the VH4 I had, channel 3 was my home. And I had to run the bass almost off and the mids maxed out to get the type of sound I usually like. Not that the amp sounded bad, just that it has so much low end and it's low-mid focused. Fantastic amp for the studio and for blending with another amp (Marshall).
 
FourT6and2 said:
Yep. On the VH4 I had, channel 3 was my home. And I had to run the bass almost off and the mids maxed out to get the type of sound I usually like. Not that the amp sounded bad, just that it has so much low end and it's low-mid focused. Fantastic amp for the studio and for blending with another amp (Marshall).
Click to expand...
While I've never had a VH4, I've played them and I've always found that the gain is really, really usable -- a lot of amps lose their character once the gain is above 1 o'clock; not so with the VH4 on CH 3. DeMartini was blending VH4s and SLOs for a while there.
 
Fully agree with the descriptions above and all the well known references for the known players tones. I can't really add much more but perhaps a couple of quick links.


I know St Anger is a red headed step child, but I hear distinct VH4 Ch3 with a high gain pickup on James' intro to this version of Sweet Amber as an example. [Ear Safety warning: That snare comes in at about 0:40secs]




Keith Urban used one on 'Stupid Boy' for the tasty lead work with a Melody Maker.


 
I've owned a few Diezel's before and know they're great amps, just not for me. I've heard players get some great tones out of them but i could never gel with the feel of them and the compression. Surprisingly my favorite amp was the Lil Fokker, a better feeling Ch3 of the VH4 IMO.
 
Tight. Dark, yet can have really cutting Presence, but doesn't hurt to listen to.
The best way I can describe a VH4 is they have this cascading midrange that just crushes. Killer when combined with a Marshall JMP.
 
Owned a Dmoll, Herbert MKI, and Herbert MK2 and none stuck around longer than a month. Not my thing. Too compressed, slow in the attack, and low mid centered for my taste. They also sounded too polished and lacked raw tone.
 
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