Deep Dive into Adam Jones's Tones

[MirrorProfiles]

I still believe if you could only pick 1 amp to cover Tool's entire catalog, it would be a Recto (doesn't matter the version). Vintage Orange through a LP w/Distortions is just that sound.

I'm a big Mark fan but those amps are too precise and compressed to cop Jones' tone.

I mostly agree with this, especially with how he dial his amps in. The only caveat is that his tone usually changes riff by riff and I think to really do the AJ thing you need to swap amps depending on what you're playing. For mostly later stuff I think the VH4 seems to cover the bulk of his tones well. I feel like a 1959 will NAIL some of the tones but it can't really do a lot of the others.

 

[dronerstone]

I have that OCD a bit, 33 is basically a third so it's a "nice" number, ending in .0 or .5 is cool with me, and I used to crew on an MH-47 so if something is set to 50, I'll make it 47 just because lol. I also like prime numbers (like listening to music in my truck I'll set the volume to 45, 47, 51, or 55 depending on the song's mix volume lol) and I wouldn't be surprised if I'm a psycho

I have it in some aspects as well, but when it dictates how I dial in digital presets, that's a red line.

 

[EOengineer]

For mostly later stuff I think the VH4 seems to cover the bulk of his tones well. I feel like a 1959 will NAIL some of the tones but it can't really do a lot of the others.

This is fair. The later stuff definitely feels drier and more saturated to me, which screams VH-4. I prefer the older tones personally but there are elements of the later stuff (10k days onward) that I genuinely love and will occasionally chase. The Superlead alone won’t do those.

 

[Orvillain]

First everyone was buying rectifiers. Then it was Mark series. Now it’s Superleads.

This is cracking me up. We’re all going to own the same 5 amps.

The one true not-modeller !!

 

[Orvillain]

I mostly agree with this, especially with how he dial his amps in. The only caveat is that his tone usually changes riff by riff and I think to really do the AJ thing you need to swap amps depending on what you're playing. For mostly later stuff I think the VH4 seems to cover the bulk of his tones well. I feel like a 1959 will NAIL some of the tones but it can't really do a lot of the others.

This is true on album, but I don't think it is true for his live tones. his live tones are straight up really. Two amps, one set bassy, one set mid-rangey, gain and volume properly 420'd, slap some mics on it and call it done.

 

[la szum]

First everyone was buying rectifiers. Then it was Mark series. Now it’s Superleads.

This is cracking me up. We’re all going to own the same 5 amps.

I just think the Legends are Legends, Amp-wise, for a reason.

I wish I had NOT fallen for the Boutique Amp craze where I had to
purchase and try every clone and redundant circuit that owed its entire
existence to one of the Legends.

I am trying to correct that flaw in my past trajectory going forward.

 

[deadpool_25]

Patch downloaded, I'll have to check that out later tonight!

Let me know how you like it. I don't have a Helix (Stadium on preorder though) but I'm curious how it is anyway.

This is true on album, but I don't think it is true for his live tones. his live tones are straight up really. Two amps, one set bassy, one set mid-rangey, gain and volume properly 420'd, slap some mics on it and call it done.

Pretty sure it's always three amps live? At least it has been every time I've seen them live (except the VIP thing where he just had a single VH-4 blue; that was an incredible VIP experience).

There's always been his Marshall and a VH-4. The third amp was either a Recto or another VH-4 (with two VH-4s it was usually a silver and a blue).

I'm at the point where I think as long as you get the amount of gain right and get in the ballpark in terms of EQ (AJ loves to crank those mids!) you can get close enough to sound pretty damned good with a lot of amps.* I remember seeing a video where a dude did a pretty good cover with a 6505 at one point, though I have no idea if there was a bunch of post processing.

If I was doing a single amp I'd probably want a VH4, though I bet I could get close enough for my needs mixing the Badlander 25 and the Mark V25. Especially if I was to use some EQ from the VP4. Or the QC with two or three amp models/captures. I had a pretty decent AJ preset setup on my FM9 too.

* I kinda think this is true for most tones, especially rock and metal.

 

[Orvillain]

Pretty sure it's always three amps live? At least it has been every time I've seen them live (except the VIP thing where he just had a single VH-4 blue; that was an incredible VIP experience).

Nah, one of the VH4's is a backup, far as I'm aware. Loads of shows where it never even gets turned on.

 

[Mikael Dez]

I'm at the point where I think as long as you get the amount of gain right and get in the ballpark in terms of EQ (AJ loves to crank those mids!) you can get close enough to sound pretty damned good with a lot of amps.*

* I kinda think this is true for most tones, especially rock and metal.

I agree with you 100% - get the gain and EQ right and the rest is up to your hands as much as that’s a cliche. I feel the same with effects, just get the effect into the ballpark and play. It’s fun to try and get as close as possible but I have a lot more fun just making what I have work for the situation and saying fuck it.