Please share your setting for Herbert.

R

Redneckstomp

Active member
I had a herbert mk2 and mk3. Those were not my things. I thought they were too bass heavy, too round, not aggressive. But, I decided to try once more. I will bring it on Monday. Hoping I can find my tone from herbert. So, herbert users please share your settings for herbert. From clean, crunch to mean any kind of tone will be good. Thanks!!
 
The Herbert markets itself as an "ultimate high gain metal" amp and does a good job selling that idea. The super high tech looking logo, the cool black metal faceplate, the blue LEDs, the mid scoop, three channels, etc.

My opinion is that Diezel amps just aren't very good for modern aggressive high gain tones. Basically, the visual design of the Herbert writes checks its circuit can't cash. That goes doubly so for the VH4. Diezels lop off a ton of top end articulation at the amp's input and there's really nothing you can do to negate that or bring them back, not even with a treble boost or OD pedal because all those added highs will just get lopped out of the circuit, and as a result the amp has these weird, overwhelming splatty mids that destroy any ability to make the amp tight, articulate, and as aggressive as you might expect it to be able to get.

Everybody always counters this general "Diezels = bad for metal" argument with "but James Hetfield and Adam Jones" etc. but that doesn't really work. Those guys run multi-amp rigs. James uses Mesas for tightness and treble detail and the VH4 for low end and mid thickness (doesn't work if you ask me, James' tone has been splatty, woofy, and awful ever since he added the Diezel and then after that when he went to modeling and now uses a blend of Diezel and Mesa amp models. James' tone doesn't suck now because "modeling" it sucks now because he's leaning more and more on the Diezel sound whether by real tube amp OR amp model) and the same goes for Adam Jones. The tightness and aggression in his rig is all in the Marshalls or Mesas.

Sorry man, if you want aggressive tight articulate heavy metal tones, Diezel amps are just not the answer. I know it sucks hearing that when you have one on the way but hopefully it helps you get where you want to go faster in the long run.
 
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japetus said:
Turn the bass down, put an EQ in the loop and crank the power section
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So, between the Herbert’s Depth/presence, t/m/b tone stack and mid cut circuits, you really think adding even more EQ is the answer? If all those built in EQ options aren’t enough, it’s really not the user’s ideal amp.
 
thegame said:
So, between the Herbert’s Depth/presence, t/m/b tone stack and mid cut circuits, you really think adding even more EQ is the answer? If all those built in EQ options aren’t enough, it’s really not the user’s ideal amp.
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No, I have never played one. I'd buy an Einstein. But this being his 4th? Of the same amp, I suppose something is worth trying.
 
japetus said:
Turn the bass down, put an EQ in the loop and crank the power section
Click to expand...

Turning the Bass down on a Herbert won't tighten the amp because the treble, mids, and bass controls are placed after the preamp distortion in the circuit. The sound is going to be muddy and splatty no matter what you do.

The only thing you'll accomplish by turning down the Bass knob is that you'll make that muddy and splatty tone into a thin, muddy, and splatty tone.

Normally, to tighten an amp, you'd put an EQ before the amp's input and cut the low end, or you'd use an overdrive pedal with a built-in bass cut. But that doesn't work on Diezel amps because unlike most other unfiltered high gain amps, too much bass at the input isn't what keeps Diezels from being aggressive and articulate. Diezel amps lack aggression and articulation because they have a built-in treble cut at the input, and so they get most of their distortion character by overdriving the guitar's mids, which makes for a thick and round, but in my opinion ultimately splatty tone.

No matter how much bass you cut at the input, your main problem is still going to be that the amp is cutting away too much high end from the guitar.
 
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TheGreatGreen said:
The Herbert markets itself as an "ultimate high gain metal" amp and does a good job selling that idea. The super high tech looking logo, the cool black metal faceplate, the blue LEDs, the mid scoop, three channels, etc.

My opinion is that Diezel amps just aren't very good for modern aggressive high gain tones. Basically, the visual design of the Herbert writes checks its circuit can't cash. That goes doubly so for the VH4. Diezels lop off a ton of top end articulation at the amp's input and there's really nothing you can do to negate that or bring them back, not even with a treble boost or OD pedal because all those added highs will just get lopped out of the circuit, and as a result the amp has these weird, overwhelming splatty mids that destroy any ability to make the amp tight, articulate, and as aggressive as you might expect it to be able to get.

Everybody always counters this general "Diezels = bad for metal" argument with "but James Hetfield and Adam Jones" etc. but that doesn't really work. Those guys run multi-amp rigs. James uses Mesas for tightness and treble detail and the VH4 for low end and mid thickness (doesn't work if you ask me, James' tone has been splatty, woofy, and awful ever since he added the Diezel and then after that when he went to modeling and now uses a blend of Diezel and Mesa amp models. James' tone doesn't suck now because "modeling" it sucks now because he's leaning more and more on the Diezel sound whether by real tube amp OR amp model) and the same goes for Adam Jones. The tightness and aggression in his rig is all in the Marshalls or Mesas.

Sorry man, if you want aggressive tight articulate heavy metal tones, Diezel amps are just not the answer. I know it sucks hearing that when you have one on the way but hopefully it helps you get where you want to go faster in the long run.
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I think the other difference is that Adam Jones and James Hetfield in the ‘90’s were using the Blueface’s (or at least Blueface spec), but otherwise haven’t liked other Diezel’s and would agree. They’re darker leaning amps, but still would consider the Blueface to be one of the more aggressive and raw sounding amps I’ve had. As reference the Rev C Recto’s I’ve had are darker and looser than it. They have a very distinctive voice. Dry, grainy, percussive but also chewy with a huge sounding power section
 
Here is a full mix straight into Herbert MK3. You can get very heavy tight sounds for basically any metal genre out of the Herbert. The mid cut is the key if you want to tighten it even more to not have the giant low end.


Here is the Herbert blended in stereo with another amp as well. The Club Secret is extremely tight and the Herbert stays as tight with more width (Herbert on the right).


Here is the Herbert Dialed tight for some gallop runs.


Overall the Herbert to me is one the most aggressive biggest sounding amps.
 
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A HPF filter type pedal upfront works well, like the Dirty Tree. Ch2+, bass low, then dial in the lows you want with the depth. Don't use a thick sounding cab, or darker speaker.

But as others have said, it will of course always have that Diezel sound. If it's not for you then forget the above and just try something else. I would be surprised if third time's a charm, unless your tastes have changed in the meantime.
 
ZEN Amps said:
A HPF filter type pedal upfront works well, like the Dirty Tree. Ch2+, bass low, then dial in the lows you want with the depth. Don't use a thick sounding cab, or darker speaker.

But as others have said, it will of course always have that Diezel sound. If it's not for you then forget the above and just try something else. I would be surprised if third time's a charm, unless your tastes have changed in the meantime.
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The only usable tones I've gotten out of diezels have been with a TC pre with volume and treble maxed and bass completely off.

The BMT tonestack stuff everyone has said makes complete sense.
 
EL34BSTR’s are a must IMO …
6L6’s if you like a super tight modern sound.
JJ’s KT77’s are likely the cause of most of the above angst.. Honestly I couldn’t get them out of the Herbert fast enough. They absolutely suck the life from it.

Some odd settings I like from time to time,
CH1- Gain above 1:00 , crank the mids 100% and scoop with the mid cut at 100%.

CH2- Max gain and max treble - max bass , mids at noon , midcut engaged but turned down all the way. channel volume max

CH3- Gain 1:00 - Mids 10-11:00- Treble 1-2:00 - Bass 1-2:00 - mid cut / depth to taste - usually just a slight crack of mid cut depth to 1:00.

Some tips
Channel volumes … higher is better .. master volume higher is better .. at 10:00 and higher it commands the cab to do your bidding.
 
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