Boss Metal Zone Review: Not as bad as you think!

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Boss Pedal Review 28: Boss MT-2 Metal Zone

I'm going to be totally honest. I've been putting off doing a review of the Metal Zone for a long time. I have a bad mental association with the pedal. When I think of the Metal Zone, I think of solid state Crate amps and beginner metal guitarists. In other words, not a good tone. Well, once again, I stand converted to the Boss dirt pedal religion. The way in which the pedal is used makes a HUGE difference.

It's all about how you set your amp. My favorite tones with this pedal came from stacking it onto a dirty amp. You get a much bigger, badder distortion. Although, using this in front of a clean JCM800 yielded a smaller, yet clearer distortion, which also sounded good. I'm shocked guys.

The EQ section is very powerful. You can get a scooped tone, or even an 'Entombed' HM-2 tone when you crank the mid control up. I didn't try the 'Entombed' setting per say, but I believe it's in there somewhere. My favorite setting is with the distortion at either 9:00 or 12:00, level at 12:00, the lows at around 2:00, with the high's at around 11:00. With a clean amp, the same setting with the distortion maxed sounds awesome.

Would I use this in my main rig? Probably not. Could I use this in my main rig? Probably so. I need to spend a little more time with it, but the MT-2 is a good pedal. It's all in how you use it.

-Cameron Johnson

Music by Atma Weapon
atmaweaponnc.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/atmaweaponnc

 
There are 2 secrets to the metal zone, other than using one as a door stop.

One is to run a graphic EQ behind it to further shape the sound. The 2nd is to keep it to the bedroom, it does not work well live, but with the EQ behind it, its not bad for noodling in the music room.

I listened to your clip and must admit I cringed everytime you kicked on the metalzone.
 
The metalzone gets a lot of shit but it can be made to sound good and as a kid, it was like the coolest pedal I'd ever used, not that the DOD thrash master set the bar very high.
 
I actually used a Keeley modded Metal Zone through a Marshall Mode 4 (I was young and didn't know any better... well I at least knew the OD on the amp sounded like a pomeranian set on fire being put out by a bicycle chain) and people complimented my tone all the time. The mod helps to open it up a little. Don't cut out all the mids either. There's a fine balance with that pedal and it certainly excels at the tight chugga chugga for palm muted rhythm sections.
 
I used to uses an EQ with my MT2 way back when. Recently I found it serves as a good boost. Makes a Recto sound pretty evil.
 
severinsteel":7yb193ra said:
See my current Boss collection here:
http://instagram.com/boss_pedal_project

Boss Pedal Review 28: Boss MT-2 Metal Zone

I'm going to be totally honest. I've been putting off doing a review of the Metal Zone for a long time. I have a bad mental association with the pedal. When I think of the Metal Zone, I think of solid state Crate amps and beginner metal guitarists. In other words, not a good tone. Well, once again, I stand converted to the Boss dirt pedal religion. The way in which the pedal is used makes a HUGE difference.

It's all about how you set your amp. My favorite tones with this pedal came from stacking it onto a dirty amp. You get a much bigger, badder distortion. Although, using this in front of a clean JCM800 yielded a smaller, yet clearer distortion, which also sounded good. I'm shocked guys.

The EQ section is very powerful. You can get a scooped tone, or even an 'Entombed' HM-2 tone when you crank the mid control up. I didn't try the 'Entombed' setting per say, but I believe it's in there somewhere. My favorite setting is with the distortion at either 9:00 or 12:00, level at 12:00, the lows at around 2:00, with the high's at around 11:00. With a clean amp, the same setting with the distortion maxed sounds awesome.

Would I use this in my main rig? Probably not. Could I use this in my main rig? Probably so. I need to spend a little more time with it, but the MT-2 is a good pedal. It's all in how you use it.

-Cameron Johnson

Music by Atma Weapon
atmaweaponnc.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/atmaweaponnc

Click to expand...

I have tried this pedal twice. The first time in front of a Fender Twin I couldn't get it to work for me, or not good anyway. It was ok. The second time it was in front of an old Peavey 2 x 12 (Twin like) Ranger amp. It really didn't work for me this time. I don't know why, but at the time I was only playing a Strat with a Dimarzio PAF Pro hum in the bridge and that may have been why, but I just could not dial it in to suit me. Now, this is probably because of me, yet I was able to take a DS1 and make it work right away by just cranking the distortion and output and rocking out.. Go figure! :-) Thanks
T
 
I read some where that its bosses biggest selling pedal......

I use to run mine into a solid state laney and it was great...ok in hindsight it was terrible but at the time (we're talking 1993ish) it worked. Also ran it into my band mates jcm 800 and it sounded Fantastic
 
Crunchtime":1wgxh58z said:
I used to uses an EQ with my MT2 way back when. Recently I found it serves as a good boost. Makes a Recto sound pretty evil.
Click to expand...
+1. I haven't used one in a while, but back in the day I used one to boost a Marshall 8100, JCM900 SLX, and Rectifier. It actually worked really, really well because of the eq it has. I gigged doing that and had compliments on my tone all the time. Cannibal Corpse also used the MT2 to boost a Recto (they may still) and had a killer tone doing that as well.
 
There is one setting on my Metal Zone that sounds really good. No joke. I put up a vid once where I switched between the MZ into recto clean and the Recto red in vintage and modern modes and most thought the MZ sounded as good. I've gigged with the MZ into an old Fender 410 combo and it sounded great. Almost every setting sounds synthetic and like a cocked wah pedal but if you find the sweet spot, it's a decent pedal.
 
Good enough for Kirk Windstein, good enough for me. Thanks for the review.
 
I have a modded one laying around somewhere. I dont think they are as bad as people think. Wish I had something as nice when I was learning ;)
 
Bought one 16 years ago, it still gets used on occasion. Great gear from that camp.
 
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