Getting metal distortion on a tube amp, a Peavey Classic 30?

Two ways:

-Use a booster over your overdriven channel, something like the Ibanez TS9 or Boss SD1. (retain the character of your amp)

-Use a metal pedal over your clean channel, like the Boss MT2 or Line6 Uber Metal. All sound will come from the pedal, and the amp just amplifies it. (and maybe add some tube warmth, for what that is worth with metal)

Hmm, dunno how much tube warmth is needed in metal, especially the thrashy kind I'm hoping to get, like Metallicas first album, kill em all, thats my favorite metal sound. In order to get distortion on my tube amp, I have to get pretty loud before it overdrives. Since the pedal is doing the overdriving instead of the tubes, would it overdrive like a solid state? Would I be able to get that sound at a lower volume and would it sound harsher? Thanks.

To get the most out of a tube amp, you have to crank it up to saturation. The problem is that even a 30W tube amp is incredibly loud. What you need is an attenuator. Here is a good attenuator you can order from Weber. The 30W model is $50, plus you need 2 cables (figure another $15).

Weber 30W Load Dump with Volume Control

I just ordered the 50W model for my HRD, I'll give a review in maybe a week.

Weber has a newer model coming out this week.

New Models

This is the one I ordered.

Anyway, that Classic 30 will sound pretty awesome all by itself with an attenuator. But if you add a good metal pedal with the Clean channel of the Classic 30 cranked, you will be over the top. This is what the big boys do.

Hi. A really old and not very good method is to slice your speakers...
Ray Davies of the Kinks did that
I seen it done years ago - it worked, but
A. the distortion was totally uncontrollable
and B. well, it was permanent.
I don't seriously recommend doing this to speakers, but if you have some old ones laying around that you don't really care for, slice them and try them - About 4 slices down the lenght of the paper.
Like I said, this will work and sound pretty dang good...but

You have a Classic? Do you have Black widows or skorpions in it?

Slit speakers make a nasty buzzy sound. I don't like it.

Didn't Dave Davies actually take a knitting needle to his speaker(s)? Brother Ray acts as if it was the only creative thing Dave has ever done.

If you're just looking for metal, and not as concerned about the warmth, then yeah, put a Metal Zone in front of your clean channel and go to town. :twisted:

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. Well I decided to at least get the MT-2 to start with, and then once I've fiddled around with it I might look into getting an attenuator. Got one of ebay for about $50 with s+h, not bad being that it retails for about $100.