What Guitar/Pickup, amps/pedals were used to get these tones?

[HREQ]

Quick backstory:
I use to play guitar a bit and learned how to do runs on and play some songs years ago, but I've only ever used a Strat and I always wanted to get great metal tones but didn't know how. I mostly played on a practice amp back in the day.
I'm gunna list the tones from light to heaviest, this may not be metal exactly but I feel like it falls into the guitar tone ranges...

I'm gunna list the tones from light to heaviest:

1: biting/crunchy/thick

(this guitar tone, it's like biting, thick)
I like both the Lead playing, and the rythme guitar tone in back (see 4th song for similar rythm tone)

2: heavier/more distortion/biting

(this is similar, but more distortion / heavyer compression?, it's like a metal version of the top tone?)

3: heaviest/thick/compressed/chugging

(this is heaviest tone out of the lot, seems like an even more heavier version? lol)


4:
(this is SAME rhythme guitar tone as top song but in a different song)



Are these songs all using similar amps?

any idea what Amps / Pedals would be used to get these tones? Or what kind of guitar / pickups I'd need?

Like, are they using a harmonizer for the lead tone in first song? An OD pedal?
Are they using OD or Distortion pedals for any of the tones?

Which amp does this sound similar too? Marshal amp, Peavy?

I'm thinking of buying an alderwood yamaha pacifica guitar with Seymour custom 5 pickups in bridge, and a P90 in neck. I got a good deal on it thats why...
but would something like a Mahogony body with a SD JB4 be better?

do pickups make that much of a difference, maybe replacing the SD Custom 5 with a SD JB4 in the yamaha alderwood guitar would do it, or SD Nazgul pickup (or would that be too brutal?)

I'm under the impression that different woods / pickups sound different together

I just want to make sure I pick a good guitar that can get me the tones I want this time. I'm up for any brand, Ibanez/ESP is cool.
But I'm thinking the Wood used and the Pickups make a major difference in the sound?

[GuyaGuy]

The wood makes some difference, but it's diminishing returns really. Check out the video below that challenges the notion of tonewoods and even the importance of having a guitar body!

The amp and pickup play much more important roles. A humbucker or P-90 are good choices for that kind of higher gain guitar sound. I've not played a SD Custom 5 but it will probably get you something closer to those heavier tones--or at least it will make it easier to get them, but you could also just hype the gain if you use something like a SD JD.

For distortion I'd look at something like a Marshall Guv'nor or MXR Distortion +. But there are tons of distortions out there to choose from. As for the amp, something Marshall-y. (I wouldn't be surprised if some of those recordings are Marshall amp sims.) Peavey has both Marshall-y amps and more Fender-y amps so it's hard to compare, but one of the more Marshall-y ones would work--Butcher, 6505, etc. Players going for that kind of tone often plug a distortion pedal like the ones I mentioned into the gain channel.

[BertKoor]

I always wanted to get great metal tones but didn't know how.

An amp with gain set to eleven. And an overdrive / distortion pedal. Most multi-effects pedals have that built in. There are some amps specifically made for metal, like Engl. And lots can be done for a fraction of the price in software today.

Are these songs all using similar amps?

Sounds all rather Marshallesque to me indeed. Could be done with whatever gear if you ask me. There are drastic and more subtle differences with guitars, strings, pickups, pedals, amps and speaker cabinets. The whole chain plays a part in it. After some experimentation each player will find a combination he's happy with.

What's the magic ingredient then? I found it: it's the smile on the face of the player when he touches his strings. How come? You'll have to figure that out yourself the hard way alas.

Or what kind of guitar / pickups I'd need? [...] I'm thinking the Wood used and the Pickups make a major difference in the sound?

The higher the gain, the less that matters. I plugged in my Ovation acoustic with a piezo pickup into my Orange OD-120 tube head, and with gain at 8 and above at first glance it sounded just like a regular electric.

You can put a piano player at any grand piano already there in the concert hall, and he'll deliver without complaints. I've been at plenty band talent shows where each band played for 30 minutes on one stage, and the organisers had put a full backline on stage: drum kit, amps, the lot. So switching bands takes less time. Bass players just plugged in. Drummers would complain a bit, then rearrange the kit, maybe switch the snare and some cymbals for their own, and just do it. But none of the guitar players would accept a random amp already on stage. They really need all of their own gear.

Then what gear? Each has taken their own path of finding out. You buy something, you think it's the bees knees. Later you find it's really not that perfect, so you look for something else (hopefully better.)

Now you know why we guitar players have so many guitars, pedals and amps. There is too much to chose from, all combinations give slightly different results. And some of us get radically opinionated about it. Justified? I think not. Whatever floats your boat

Like, are they using a harmonizer for the lead tone in first song?

Interesting that... If I were to record that, I'd just record a second solo track played a third lower/higher.

The old dumb harmonizers could not follow your scale, you'd set it at a minor third or major third. Either setting is wrong half of the time: it needs to switch. Which means it must determine what you are playing, which means it lags somewhat behind.