Running Wild guitar tone

[Armageddon]

Hi to you all guitar tone maniacs!

I'm posting here to maybe have your help and advices.

I'm willing to reproduce with my Axe FX 2 a Running Wild guitar tone, and especially the one that can be heard in the song "Rolling Wheels" from the album "Blazon Stone".

Here is an example found on YouTube :

That guitar tone gots an unmistakable "roar" I'm after. This happens much in that song, bot not so much in the others from the same album or era of the band.

I can't tone match that song cause there is no isolated guitar part. And, even if I could, I'm not convinced tone matching will suffice to reproduce that roaring guitar tone.

Do you have any idea where I should start? Amp type, settings, effects, etc...
My common settings in the "dirty land" are always much more Thrash, Death and Black Metal, with more distortion from the amp or a drive block, quite far away from that type of tone. Advice are welcome then.

Thanks in advance!

 

[2112]

Try one of the modded Marshalls, Soldano, Splawn or Friedman and a darker IR, pre-boosted with a drive or PEQ block and plenty of reverb to get you going. The "roar" is likely a pushed power amp so don't be scared to get the Master up past noon.

EDIT: Try this. Splawn Quick Rod with the Basketweave TV Mix and some pre and post EQ. Sounds pretty close with my Les Paul with a JB bridge pickup. YMMV

 

[Armageddon]

Thank you @2112 !

I'll give it a try asap. I was not expecting so much as someone posting a ready to use preset. Much appreciated.

You must be right regarding power amp distortion, my sounds are always much more preamp distortion and that's a totally different character.

What is cool with the Axe FX is, since I bought it last year, I'm going through a never ending learning course about guitar amplification.
I only had experience about a few types of amps (mostly Marshalls), but now I know much more (both brands, history and technical stuffs) and can easily explore new things. Most of it was thanks to the wealth of information one can find on that forum.

I'll tell you how your preset works for me (once I get back to the studio).

Cheers

 

[Armageddon]

Hi @2112,

I gave your preset a try today. It's not exactly there, but it's getting close and I think you put me in the good direction to help me get what I want. Thanks again.
You also gave me the opportunity to learn about a few amps unknown to me. Yesterday night I've red and listened lots of things about Splawn, Friedman and Shur amps.
I was blown away by demos of the Briedman BE100 and Splawn Competition.
So there I go, playing with new amp models in the Axe FX and expand my sound palette. Let it roar !

Cheers !

 

[2112]

Hi @2112,

I gave your preset a try today. It's not exactly there, but it's getting close and I think you put me in the good direction to help me get what I want. Thanks again.
You also gave me the opportunity to learn about a few amps unknown to me. Yesterday night I've red and listened lots of things about Splawn, Friedman and Shur amps.
I was blown away by demos of the Briedman BE100 and Splawn Competition.
So there I go, playing with new amp models in the Axe FX and expand my sound palette. Let it roar !

Cheers !

Awesome, let your ears be the guide!

The Friedman and Splawn amps are amazing.

 

[Armageddon]

Just to complete this thread with information regarding Running Wild's tones. Just in case some people get here searching for their sound...
I've found interviews of Rolf Kasparek (singer, lead guitarist and mastermind of the band) who explained that, in the early years, the band was using Marshalls (just as everyone in that time, that was the early 80ies). They later changed to Mesa Boogie. Rolf says he's been using many Boogie amplifiers, the latest being the Mark IV. He now uses Engl Savage 120, which is a killer amp, but the guitar tone one the recent RW albums are not the best they achieved.
So I suspect the albums from the end of the 80ies and from the 90ies were all recorded with Mesa Boogie amps. Maybe Mark series amps.
I also own an album from X-Wild, where ex-Running Wild members play with a very similar tone to RW. That's a 1994 album. In the booklet it's written that the guitarists are using Mesa Boogie amps.
So my conclusion is Mesas are the amps to go Running Wild. And don't scoop those mids !