Getting that Tool guitar sound. How to start?

mwd

Power User
One of the recorded guitar sounds I like best is the band Tool. Realizing it's talent, recording circumstances, doubled guitars and more.... where would I start to try and pull off that sound regarding Axe III as presets go? My bandmate, who also has an Axe, and I are working on some songs that need a Tool(ish) type sound and would like to target their guitar sound for reference. It's tight and during rhythms sounds like not much reverb or echo.
 
Research the internet into gear used to create the tones you like.
Get your guitar as close as possible to the same instrument that was played for the tones you like.
Try and find "in the clear" examples of suitable tones that you like.
Load up your new preset with the appropriate amps, overdrives (Marshall/Diezel?) and cabs that work well together.
Begin...
The TM block can help show you where you might be falling short (bypass the TM) and make everything perfect. I would use the TM as a last resort and use the resulting filter curve as a tweaking guide to finish the sound without employing the TM as part of the final preset.
 
Flanger and delay, other than that it depends on the era, dual rectifier in the early days, VH4 and Super Bass in the newer ones. When I saw them live, he had 2 4x12 mesa cabs and a 2x15(?) cab as well, driven by his modded super bass and 2 silver VH4s. Recorded, you'd be surprised how often it's a mono guitar track, rather than double tracked, so stereo FX aren't super important.
 
Super Bass (Modded to Super Lead specs) was used exclusively in the earlier years. He didn’t start using the recto until the touring for Undertow.
 
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Super Bass (Modded to Super Lead specs) was used exclusively was all he used in the earlier years. He didn’t start using the recto until the touring for Undertow.
Ah I knew the recto was around Undertow but couldn't remember when the Super Bass came in to play
 
A cranked plexi style Marshall, coupled with a more modern hot-rodded sounding Marshall. On the most recent records the 5150 was used quite a bit by engineer Joe Barresi too, along with a Rivera K-Tre head, iirc.
 
Ah I knew the recto was around Undertow but couldn't remember when the Super Bass came in to play
It doesn’t stop me from using it though haha. Dialed in right, I think the rectifier is the best single amp to capture Adam Jones’ tone. Kinda hard to get the unique snarling mids that the Marshall has, but it can cover a lot of ground.
 
If you have an AXE III then why not run multiple amps/cabs like Adam does? One amp is not
gonna do it. :)

If you have another guitar player then have one of you use a Marshall style amp (his settings
are captured on multiple images on the Web) and the other use CH. 3 on a Diezel VH4.

Get a nice V30 Mesa 4 x 12 IR/Cab for pairing with the Diezel and then a Marshall Cab
to pair with Marshall amp. Rock out and call it a day! :)
 
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When I’m using an FM3 and no outboard gear. I don’t know why you wouldn’t blend amps if you’re chasing after tone from THE amp blender.

Yup. I bought a second FM3 simply so I can do things like that. :)

I was contemplating the III but I honestly think there are benefits to
running dual FM3s over a single III.
 
This may no longer be relevant, but he was playing Mark-series Boogie half stack (I'd guess a Mark III) on the first Lollapalooza tour supporting Undertow.
 
Never heard this. I’d love to see it though.

Well that's why I thought I'd mention it. :) Saw it with my own two eyes and thought "hey, that's the same amp I'm playing!" Though now I'm second guessing whether that was the first Lollapalooza or the second.
 
If you really want to go down a rabbit hole, check out how the guitars are panned in their songs. It's alllll over the place. There's never a set-it-and-forget-it situation. I sat here one night and just listened to Lateralus, 10,000 Days and Fear Innoculum with headphones on and had a whole new respect for the production on those albums. They're like living, breathing organisms.

I would love to be a fly on the wall during those mixing sessions.
 
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