How did Metal guitarists boost solos in the 1980s?

[PeaceBuyer]

I've looked around a bit at solo boosts for my guitar amp (SC20H and SC212) but thought it might be unnecessary now I am the only guitarist in my band, but it got me thinking, how did metal guitarists boost their amps for solos i.e. Dave Mustaine, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, etc.? or even Hard Rock guitarists like Angus Young and EVH? Because I'm pretty sure the Plexis and JCM800s didn't have effects loops (to my knowledge) and if they had overdrives boosting the front end the whole time or were pushing their amps to the point where there is little to no spare headroom how did they boost for solos, if at all? Like if there are two guitarists on each side of the stage playing rhythm with their JCM800s on full tilt how does one boost their guitar for the lead/solos? or did they just have a pedal or something to change tone or boost some EQ of the guitar that makes it cut through better through the mix? I've been genuinely stumped on this.

And on another note I've also been confused how they stopped humming from such high gain in live situations since there was no effects loop, any ideas?

 

[pulsonicsound]

MXR Distortion + and the Tube Screamer were pretty popular

a few also used an EQ pedal to boost the leads a little

Re hum, it depends how close to the amp you are, you do have to play slightly differently with a cranked 100w valve amp

 

[PelliX]

Don't underestimate the usage of the guitar's volume knob(s) either. Metal is a bit outside my territory but lots of volume and tone twiddling in hard rock back in the day. The absence of a loop just meant FX were running in front. Yes, TBE's and all - never seemed a problem for Gilmour and countless others, at least; they found a way to make it work just fine. Also, multiple amps, one set this way, another set another way....

 

[paul-e-mann]

I don't know the answer but I'm gonna bet their sound man boosted their volumes for solos.

 

[Silverdome]

MXR Distortion + and the Tube Screamer were pretty popular

a few also used an EQ pedal to boost the leads a little

Re hum, it depends how close to the amp you are, you do have to play slightly differently with a cranked 100w valve amp

What he said. Also, I bought a Boss SD-1 recently and when I was noodling around I had an 'ah ha' moment. I would add that pedal to the list.

 

[AlvisX]

 

[vivanchenko]

Tube Screamer. One of the few of my all-time favorites. Somewhat underappreciated these days, but I still love her... I love the fact that it shaves off some low frequencies which is critical for note definition of distorted sound. A JCM 800 and a TS was pretty much the standard back then.

 

[Resident 217]

Guitar volume knob.

 

[Deftone]

Weren't a lot of amps modded back then? I know one of my JCM800's was...probably with a loop.

 

[jeffb]

Like most I used various pedals at times that are now mostly considered classics

D+, DS1, OD1,SD1, DOD 250/50, DOD55, ts808, ts9,ts10, Distortion Charger, Morely wah w/volume boost, HM2, Rat. And when I was lucky enough to play through a borrowed EP3 and RE201, I jacked up the inputs on those.

I probably forgot a couple, but the TS10 and SD1 got the most use..simply because they worked best with most of my guitars and stood up to my abuse the longest-not because I liked them the best. I was(and still am) a minimalist when it comes to pedals. 1 goose, 1 chorus, 1 phase, 1delay. That's it.

 

[thesunship]

Lead guitar mixed as loud as vocals - problem solved when the singer shuts up.

 

[Kutt]

.

 

[matttornado]

the problem with all the overdrives, boosts and eqs is that they don't do anything to cranked amp with no headroom so they most likely were using those for more distortion, not a solo boost. Sound guy most likely. Even the guitar's volume turned from 7 to 10 will not give you a boost loud enough for lead boost.

 

[scozz]

A hundred years ago in my semi/local Rock band, depending on the venue, I used my guitars volume,… but I also used pedals.

I had a Univox Fuzz pedal, I forgot the model but it was the gianormous blue and orange one from the 70s. Also a DOD 250 like the ones @AlvisX showed, then later on a Tube Screamer.

All into either a 100 watt Fender 6-10 combo, or a 50 watt Marshall head with a 4x12.

 

[Mike_LA]

I've heard tell that Richie Blackmore used an echoplex as a preamp for distortion.
And didn't Angus use a dallas od box?

 

[marshalled]

MMMM ...the pro guitar player have great sound engineers behind us.

For solo volumes in large live shows there are multiple possibilities:

- 2 switchable different volume heads

- technician who specifically raises the volume of part or all of the audio system

- complex switching and rack systems

I can't see them jumping, sweating or smoking playing with the volume knob...furthermore a TS9 or an SD1 or Rat that is in front only increases the gain not the volume for solos.
When I hear "I want the sound of that guitarist or that other" one I laugh because that sound is due to thousands of dollars worth of equipment.
In fact, in clinics or in "small pubs" things change drastically.

 

[marshallmellowed]

MMMM ...the pro guitar player have great sound engineers behind us.

For solo volumes in large live shows there are multiple possibilities:

- 2 switchable different volume heads

- technician who specifically raises the volume of part or all of the audio system

- complex switching and rack systems

I can't see them jumping, sweating or smoking playing with the volume knob...furthermore a TS9 or an SD1 or Rat that is in front only increases the gain not the volume for solos.
When I hear "I want the sound of that guitarist or that other" one I laugh because that sound is due to thousands of dollars worth of equipment.
In fact, in clinics or in "small pubs" things change drastically.

I agree, they were probably either splitting a foot-switchable signal to a 2nd head & cab to add volume, or it was being done backstage or at the mixing console. Another way that I thought about, which I'm not sure anyone ever did, would be to use a 2nd foot switchable mic on the guitar cab, setting the level of that mic higher in the mix. I'm sure they had other creative ways of getting a volume boost back then.

 

[TXOldRedRocker]

I've seen very famous artists up close that have multiple stacks. They have a foot switch to switch between them. One stack, or set of stacks, for rhythm; one, or set of, for lead. Possibly others for other reasons.

 

[V-Type]

When I used amps without an effects loop in the 80's it was a 5 or 7 band EQ after my Tube Screamer. Set it for a slight upper mid spike boost when engaged. Not all that transparent though but it worked decently as I remember. If you have a loop you can solo boost through that and much more transparently if you want it.

 

[FrostyTheSnake]

Three real ways.

Sound man.

Second stack A/B box.

Slash style, GE-7 in the loop pushing mid’s up. Which gave a perceivable volume increase even if DB kept the same (no headroom left in cranked Marshall).