I bet you didn't know the Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal could DO THIS!

The Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal Distortion Pedal is most associated with Swedish Death Metal, but with more moderate setting it's a great to tone and gain shaper for classic rock! In this video I play a Boss HM-2W through a 1971 Marshall Super bass Full stack and I put a bunch of guitar with different settings on the HM2 in the mix. The guitar is a 2013 Gibson SG Standard CS Aged.
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[@francissalva9307]

I can never trust Johan with demos because anything he gets his hands on will sound really good anyway 😉

[@MikeCarvin]

Apparently HM2 should be in every Swede's household, cause the best demos come out of Sweden. Johan you and Ola Englund should make a video together!!

[@guntherachterhof4876]

Ola: Will it chug?! Johan: So...let's go!

[@leevanwesterborg7805]

i knew it was only a matter of time before someone figured out my tone secret, i've been using the Hm-2 for years with distortion almost turned off because it gives me a nice ZZ Top dirt. It makes my H&K amp sound like a Marshall. There's also a really good fuzz setting on it too. At least i got to hear it through my favorite amp of all time, the Marshall Superbass.

[@MrJackrockerman]

How about the low and hi eq on the pedal brother? Do you turn that off too?

[@sidripster506]

I used the hm2 with a cs2 chorus and a DD3 delay into a 50 watt Marshall 2205, with 2 4x12 Marshall. I giggled that rig several years. Cheers and let's give some ❤ to the Boss hm2!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers Sid!

[@DMSProduktions]

Gigged.

[@SeQFreQ369]

@@DMSProduktions Maybe every time he looked at the pedalboard it made him giggle? ;)

[@DMSProduktions]

@@SeQFreQ369 I'd laugh too if I looked at that set up! LOL!

[@denomdemon]

Ol' Sid Ripster. Known far and wide for a wild stage presence, killer tone, and uncontrollable giggling.

[@jcoulter43]

Sounding great! Love to see the Brothers Segeborn rocking out! God bless and rock on!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks J! Glad you like it!

[@crflores76]

Yep the “segeclones “

[@SeptyniosAkys]

I love this band! Exceptional playing, great communication with band members. Perfect!

[@brianobrian9334]

They all seem to know exactly what the other is doing . Telepathic lol.

[@canaan_perry]

It's the '80s LA Strip in a box! Gilmour and Clapton both used them in the '80s for lead tones too.

[@gl3605]

Nice drumming. Everything sounds excellent..as always.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, great to hear that!

[@Brannington]

Yeah, Johan. your drumming has vastly improved over these past months. that kit is killer too! :)

[@anotheryoutubed]

@@JohanSegeborn Check out Moeller technique, you're right there and it saves on energy for playing ;)

[@dangitdan9938]

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s headliner, let’s hear it for “Johan Johan and Johan”!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hahaha! ;-)

[@DMSProduktions]

The SEGEBORN Brothers! LIC! \m/

[@toddkozik9459]

Johan, I have a ‘71 Super Bass. Just wondered how you had the amp settings. Sounded amazing! Thanks for all the videos! Very insightful.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Todd! I had bass 0, mid 10, vol1 8, treble and presence 7.5. It’s got a Lead tone stack and lead coupling caps as well

[@toddkozik9459]

@@JohanSegeborn Thanks For the reply Johan. All the best to you

[@jenkinses8121]

This pedal was born in the age of Motley Crue, Twisted Sister, WASP, Ratt, Dokken etc. I believe that’s closer to what Roland/Boss had in mind when they made it than what it became famous for.

[@riangarianga]

That was great! The same trick works with a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone with its parametric mids EQ section 😁

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@Stereostupid]

No

[@texocalistation6049]

I agree, but most would argue that fact. Dial in the sound and Forget what on the label, and enjoy. It’s not for everything tho, but it can get that early British metal sound like sabbath and Deep Purple and Zeppelin if you dial it in right with the right amp and guitar and settings.

[@MrTee-hw7mp]

After watching your channel for, going on years now, it’s a crime that you don’t have more subscribers. Never seen a video I didn’t enjoy.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, that’s kind of you!

[@biftekisxaras758]

Drums sound really fat Johan, this was great rock n' roll - you hit heavy!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Great to hear that, thanks!

[@KauffeyBean]

Yes I agree - I love your recordings - very warm and a great tribute to how we love our LPs sound on our turntable!

[@donewithmodernlife]

You got some great tones Johan, that pedal continues to surprise me. As you showed here there’s way more to it than the Swedish Chainsaw sound. Now that they’re readily available again I need to get one.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@JonasSweden1]

Love it 😍 Very cool riffing Johan - and drums too! Well done 👏🏻

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Jonas!

[@alecalfaras5936]

Wow man. 🤯 Also, loved the picture at the end! Houses of the Holy 🤟😎🍻

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! That’s one of my all time favorite albums

[@jessemcshitt]

Thanks Johan. Another great video.

[@Yupppi]

Good different type of video. It's the same with metal zone. I bought it for the memes and to mod it, but when I started turning the knobs I discovered it's a versatile pedal, first I found that middle focused overdrive sound from it that I like. One of those pedals that suffer from the preconceptions of the name and who bought it because of the name. I've also heard hm-2 is really popular in some much lower gain genre, they just use it with low distortion. I just forget which.

[@brianobrian9334]

Wasn't Gilmour rumored to have used this pedal here and there?

[@the-np4mr]

Yeah in the 80s, I think he replaced his big muff with it

[@Jaidezilla]

I loved my heavy metal pedal when I was a kid in the 80s. I was so sad when that thing finally died because there was no pedal to replace it. They came out with a pedal call to digital metalizer and it was a joke. By the time they came out with the Metal Zone I had already bought a marshall so I had no need for one. I wish I'd bought a whole bunch of hm-2s back then.

[@ECHOrobotIndustries]

It sounded really cool with a jazz bass and my half stack.

[@Stereostupid]

You can get a Hendrix octive fuzz sound with it if you turn the Left mix on 0 and the right mix 12 o'clock then wiggle the distortion knob at 12 and slowly turn it a little to the right and left until you hear it .. it's a glitch in the pedal I don't think they intended for that to happen I found it and it's extremely unique and beautiful

[@victorjbarker]

Man this totally rocked! Great playing as always and fantastic recording. I could have this on my driving playlist!

[@Bleats_Sinodai]

A surprisingly great tone from that little pedal! On another note, could you do some more experiments with bass? I'd love to know what a bass sounds like thru a Champ or an Epiphone Valve Junior or similar low-power tube amp, for example. Cheers from Brazil!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! There will be many videos including Bass soon actually

[@Bleats_Sinodai]

@@JohanSegeborn that's great to know! Nice 😁

[@lonelymacan]

thank you for sharing Johan. I was really looking forward hearing one of those metal-pedals with low gain. Sounds really good actually.

[@jcwear89]

Sounds awesome in this application!! Also great drumming 😊

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Jean-Christophe!

[@theirritatedirishman5440]

Warren Haynes actually loved using this pedal,for a long time.

[@Twobarpsi]

And Soldano amps!

[@theirritatedirishman5440]

@@Twobarpsi : Absolutely, He did.

[@Twobarpsi]

@@theirritatedirishman5440 when I think of Soldano, I think metal! Same with Metal Zone! Hard to believe it was used for blues!

[@theirritatedirishman5440]

@@Twobarpsi : I think any amp can be used for what ever the player wants. Like Di Meloa always used a LP Custom with Dimarzio Super Distortions and 50 watt JCM 800 heads. That same set up was used by Ace Freley and countless others just all playing different styles. If it feels great under your fingers and sounds great to you the player then go for it! Look at Gibbons? JMP 1 preamp and Val ve state poweramp for years! Like almost 30 years to be precise.

[@nate2629]

@@Twobarpsi Clapton used this pedal & a SLO100 at one point in time

[@aaronsg71]

I love rock and death metal, thx Segeborn🤘🏻

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! 🤘

[@marksguitars5617]

good old BOSS pedals! they can do it all with the right tweaking. Great sounds and playing, Johan, take care!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Mark!

[@clovergrass9439]

That was my first distortion pedal as a teenager in the early 80s, I used to really like it.

[@scottbowling58]

If you could just step on the pedal switch one time so we could hear the difference between the pedal being on and off. That would be helpful.

[@JohanSegeborn]

The guitar starting at 03:06 is the one that’s bypassed

[@sinnanna7471]

@@JohanSegeborn but 03:06 sounds the same as the riffs with pedal before it...

[@kdrake777]

I’ve decided your vintage cabs and your playing is the secret to your tone and nothing else matters.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, yeah those cabs certainly helps

[@billhewlett1214]

I’m impressed sounds pretty good 👍👍🎸

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Bill!

[@TheChadPad]

Those drums were on point.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Great to hear that!

[@AldrovandaOfficial]

How come we did not know of this? Great video! More content like this

[@brozio77]

master of good tone as always :)

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, that’s kind of you!

[@fletches4084]

TC-Electronic Spark boost into an HM-2, distortion on min, a bit of echorec style delay into a HiWatt. God's own guitar sound.

[@rocketpigrecords3719]

The HM2 was pretty amazing. You are correct about the lower gain reducing the effect of the eq...because that's the other famous setting you have there, the Godflesh setting. Perhaps the most distinct and crushing tone I ever heard, go list to "Like Rats" right now for a contrast to Johan's sound. The everything at noon setting is instant Gilmour, and you can laugh, but he had an all Boss jam/travel board for years, and that HM2 replaced his Muff &/or Tube Driver on it. The Behringer HM300 is a clone of this, somewhat altered but tbh I find you just back the bass off a hair for everything but the Chainsaw & you're there.

[@Twobarpsi]

You are the master of tone 🤘🤘🤘!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! ;-)

[@simonsmith2579]

Great jam, most enjoyable

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Simon!

[@DreCarvalho]

What a cool sound!

[@keithrowe1007]

Here we learn that Johan, as well as playing a mean git, can hold his own on the kit too. I’d bet there are about another nine talents there.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Keith, that’s kind of you! ;-)

[@DMSProduktions]

Porn stud is another 1 for sure! ;oP

[@juanfichtl2011]

HM-2: The only fuzz that works great anywhere in the signal chain! Great video Johan

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Juan!

[@DMSProduktions]

A RAT sounds better!

[@richardturk7162]

That is a pretty well known way to use that pedal at least when I had one on my pedal board. I was running an 1984 2204 Marshall at the time and I found great AC/DC tone with that pedal I don't remember the exact setting but it was dialed back to about 1/4 of the gain. Lots of good tone in that pedal but how the amp reacts to that pedal is the key. Some amps do not like that pedal.

[@Beermaker2000]

True fact: Jerry Garcia used a Boss HM-2 in the '80s.

[@ericsalinas1839]

Thinking about using this as a boost into my plexi. That chord at 2:19 is magic

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, great to hear that!

[@anthonydratnal1870]

That worked surprisingly well! But those high frequencies clearly want to peel away and start screaming, haha

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks ;-)

[@TheErikrust]

Great playing and tones! Puts me in mind of Neil Young and Crazy Horse. 🤟

[@azzazelo]

Next up; I bet you didn't know a green potato could sound like greenbacks

[@nicolasstrujak7176]

thanks for sharing the settings, At The Gates used a HM-2 boosting a Metalzone when they made Slaughter of the Soul album, it was nominated for Grammy, it even has a documentary, take a look at the videos trying to get their tone

[@justinbradfield6499]

Hell Yeah Johan Sounds Really Full And Great Sustain !!!!!!

[@chrismosquad1056]

Great jam! 💪🏻

[@octiw6491]

Hi Johan! Nice pedal and tone as always :D! I have a question, where I can get these old amps, like a jmp 2204, or where did you get them! Thank you

[@mikestckl6939]

didn david gilmour have a hm-2 on his pedalboard ?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah he did

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

Hi, Johan! So nice to see my old Boss 😁! Actually, I don't know, if I still have it. But I recorded 2 albums with this one!🤘👍🎸 C.U. Zigfrid

[@JBASH2011]

Back in the day we used them as a booster for a 2203/2204. Level up, gain low. Also they sound good getting goosed by a Tubescreamer.

[@vincenzoerriquenz2356]

Hello Johan, the Boss Hm-2 as the Metal zone MT-2( both original and waza Craft versions) are iconic extreme metal, but are very useful and versatile in reality, they' ve got a lot of volume and gain, but as you said if you turn gain and volume down you can use it as very fine tone shapers in every style of music, and you can use it this way even in front of already very distorted amps, as bands as Carcass and Crowbar used to!Cheers!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers Vincenzo!

[@mkwofficialchannel4985]

the best sound you can get when you use a transistor amp with a 10 "box.

[@rickycompton2610]

Great video Johan the Heavy Metal pedal always gets a bad rap but using it this way man it gives that little extra clarity to me.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Ricky!

[@edgarluisfernandespinto9962]

Perfect!

[@vdbdg]

You can easily dial in a Marc Bolan tone with this pedal as well. Most efficient EQ of any pedal.

[@eldyko]

I like this. Makes me like that pedal more haha

[@beatlejuice5951]

Nice! Please do a Marshall 1960b cabinet comparison of the different 1960b cabinets Marshall has made.

[@hionis]

Sounds Good !!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Craig!

[@bengtjohansson6364]

I like this guitar sound (actually reminds me of a song but I can't recall which right now). This sound might match a "whisky voice" quite well. I also like the nature sceneries. Looks like the red rocks of Bohuslän.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Bengt! This is actually outside Bua north of Varberg. Cheers!

[@portuguesebeer5069]

Cool music! Is that your favourite amp? Cheers from Portugal 🍺🤘🇵🇹

[@mikkywhalan]

Amazing tone mate. Do you mind telling me the settings for the HM2?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Michael. I used many settings but I mainly added bass and had treble under 5, it quickly becomes harsh over 5. Gain and level under 5 as well

[@CaptPostmod]

I associate the pedal with David Gilmour, so it doesn't surprise me.

[@bpdarragh]

Class, once again you show that everything has a purpose. The HM2 is going to obtainable on ebay now!!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! :-)

[@jf542]

how do you mic your drums?! they sound incredible

[@hadleymanmusic]

How do I get clip out?

[@DSilvergun]

Recorded live in the studio?

[@jonnybeck6723]

Is that a 24" bass drum? (Massive)

[@R3TR0R4V3]

Is that crash a Paiste 2002? Sounds killer

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, yeah it’s a 20” medium 2002

[@northmanlogging2769]

I mean yeah it CAN sound good, but every time i've ever seen somebody use one it was a with a jackson/ESP/Ibenez with a floyd rose, through a JCM 2000/line6 or Mesa Triple rectifier, with the treble turned up to 10 on everything and the gain cranked on everything.. all of them sounded like dog S btw.

[@robertkidd6270]

I had an hm2 years ago when they came out...It got stolen. That was a nice reminder as I used a JCM800 and got a similar sound ...well from from memory anyway....cool Ps I blew my 73 jump trite lol hopefully it's just the fuse so time to strip and clean and reassemble lol

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Robert

[@michaeljames6216]

When I was younger I played in alot of Metal and Rock bands never had a use for the dimed sound. But used it alot in the rock band stuff. Funny seeing all the Surf Guys using them on there boards these days. Still waiting for my Wasa verision to come in I hope it hits all the right spots so I can retire my old unit to the studio. What was your favorite setting on the amp and pedal on that demo Johan?

[@JohanSegeborn]

I liked it with boosted lows and dialed back highs

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

Not everyone, I bought my HM2 back in the early 80's as a lead boost and was in a classic rock band.

[@rk28984]

Didn't Gilmour also use a HM2?

[@JohanSegeborn]

He did indeed

[@Stereostupid]

Absolutely his solo sound with it is unreal

[@rk28984]

@@JohanSegeborn After waiting for a full year (because it was sold out all the time) I finally got a HM2w and that pedal is way more versatile than I expected. It sounds like a very cool unique boost pedal with the gain all the way down, has one of the best fuzz tones I ever had and of course can do the chainsaw. Glad I participated in the petition to get it built again!

[@SeQFreQ369]

My personal opinion going on the tones here is that just because I could do something doesn't necessarily mean I should ;)

[@lachaineguitarededavid]

I modded mine (i know, sacilege ! But what the heck) by removing the two clipping diodes (since there's already plenty of ways this pedal makes distortion) and it's more manageable and less fizzy. I like using it with single coils :p Oh, and i got mine imported from japan, and it did cost me about 20 bucks a decade ago. When nobody even knew what a HM2 was, at a time when Ola was still making gear demos in his garage :)

[@the-np4mr]

Lol I've been really considering taking the clipping diodes out of my already modded metal zone and this is pushing me to do it

[@lachaineguitarededavid]

@@the-np4mr Definitely something to try ... i think the EQ is worth something, it's just we have waaaaaay too much distortion going on (at least this is how i see it)

[@the-np4mr]

@@lachaineguitarededavid yeah I've heard at the lowest setting on the metal zone the diodes are already clipping lol, I thought itd make the higher settings more interesting since it would be all op amp clipping

[@lachaineguitarededavid]

@@the-np4mr haha yes it's really high gain. Well, yes, op-amp clipping can be pretty good (think of the DOD 250 and MXR distortion +. I built a 250, and it sounds glorious. Yes it has diodes, but most of the clipping comes from the OP amp apparently ... ). Needs to be tested. You can always solder back some diodes. Maybe you should try asymetrical clipping, by adding one diode on the side ? Or ... put a resistor between the diodes and ground (in series with the diodes basically) and you can then adjust the gain a bit ... hmm ... our little disccussion is making me hungry for some tinkering !! Gotta go to musikding to quench the thirst :p

[@the-np4mr]

@@lachaineguitarededavid lol maybe, could try putting the two on switches and trying that way, idk I have a cheaper metal zone copy coming that I'll try all this out on lol

[@erpringle]

Yep, the metal pedal from boss is a good un. Very versatile, although I don't have one, I keep threatening to get one but I keep getting side tracked.

[@ohayoueveryone7954]

I only wait johan just to say "Hii" in the begining of the video, and just move to another video just to hear the same thing 😀

[@nolarocks]

Yesssssssss!!!!

[@BcBaxley]

Still has that Chainsaw sound 😎🤘

[@nate6692]

Yes but... couldn't you make this argument about almost any pedal that can be dialed back to a mild clean boost? I had a similar view of the much revered Distortion+ as a teenager after trying to use it like most people think of the HM2.

[@sixbladeknife44]

Awesome, the original 80’s MIJ version is that much better!

[@jamlemon]

Had one of these and barely played it. Sold it to a college friend for £20 (it was second hand when I bought it)!!

[@artysanmobile]

Hints of Houses of the Holy

[@JohanSegeborn]

That’s the ultimate compliment!!

[@shawnlarock8089]

Tight

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Shawn!

[@clivethomas2039]

Does guitar based video, makes drums sound like Bonham on physical graffiti ❤👏👏

[@Journey-of-1000-Miles]

The only flaw of this pedal, is that the controls work too well. The extremes of the sound envelopes can sound questionable. It is easy to dial in a bad tone.

[@CharlieKeatingBand]

wow

[@sonicval]

I guess those other two guys never complain about the drummer being too loud.

[@Laburnus]

What were the settings, if that isn't a secret ? :)

[@JohanSegeborn]

I varied them a lot but gain and level was always under 50%

[@Laburnus]

@@JohanSegeborn Tusen Takk Johan. I guess the volume didn't get over 50% either ?

[@hadeseye2297]

That's a shoegaze pedal as well. My Bloody Valentine used it.

[@jussioman]

Next video: How to dial vintage plexi tone from Metal zone pedal.

[@vintagetone22]

waiting.

[@Alfredo78666]

De tradishon, lets gö