My Boss Metal Zone hums

[Broke]

All of my pedals cruise along fine and when I fire up the Boss Metal Zone I get a really harsh hum. Is this an issue with the pedal or normal?

 

[boomertech]

Have you tried the MZ on 9v battery?

-Frank

 

[qersty]

Also, apart from FEA's suggestion the power may be unclean, the metalzone is extremely high-gain so it might be amplifying noise already present that is inaudible otherwise

 

[Korladis]

They usually do.

 

[Broke]

Ok after a month of toying with this thing and trying to eliminate the harsh noise I'm giving up. Is there another pedal that is equivalent that will give me the same thing without the noise?

 

[2010P]

You probably have a bum unit. Just buy a used one. They go for like 20 bucks on Reverb. I think the MZ-2 is great but not for everybody.

 

[MarshallLaw]

Ok after a month of toying with this thing and trying to eliminate the harsh noise I'm giving up. Is there another pedal that is equivalent that will give me the same thing without the noise?

I have an HM-2 (Japanese predecessor of the MZ) and it's very noisy. Also, not very useable on bass, IMO. I use it on guitar and I have to turn my volume all the way down or switch off the pedal when I'm not playing.

If you're looking for that same sound in a better-made unit, check out the Lone Wolf Audio Left Hand Wrath. It's a hand-built HM-2 with more features (like a 3-band EQ and a dry blend).
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[2010P]

I have an HM-2 (Japanese predecessor of the MZ) and it's very noisy. Also, not very useable on bass, IMO. I use it on guitar and I have to turn my volume all the way down or switch off the pedal when I'm not playing.

If you're looking for that same sound in a better-made unit, check out the Lone Wolf Audio Left Hand Wrath. It's a hand-built HM-2 with more features (like a 3-band EQ and a dry blend).
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

AFAIK the HM-2 and MZ-2 do not share any lineage or have any similarites other than they are Boss pedals. You are sort of right about the Hm-2 not being very usable with bass. I use it as a special effect and not for any earth shaking bass phatness. In either case, the LHW will not cop anywhere near the Metal Zone sound. I don't know why the MZ has not yet been cloned and upgraded. To me it's an amazingly filthy sound.

 

[MarshallLaw]

The HM-2 was discontinued and replaced by the MT-2. I know they don't have many similarities, but it was initially created as a successor. i've never liked the MT-2, but it's a pretty popular pedal. I like my HM-2 on guitar a lot, but I don't really use it for its intended purposes. It sounds great with the distortion rolled back and some reverb - it nails that Kevin Shields "liquid tone" from Loveless.

Maybe look into having your MT-2 modded?

 

[Korladis]

Ok after a month of toying with this thing and trying to eliminate the harsh noise I'm giving up. Is there another pedal that is equivalent that will give me the same thing without the noise?

To me, DarkGlass pedals sound very much like Metalzones but with less noise.