Getting a good metal tone out of ESP LTD & Core ID Blackstar AMP

Shufflin

New Metal Member
Oct 8, 2018
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I started playing acoustic about 2 years ago and was able to play most of the songs I like (Stairway to Heaven, Nothing Else Matters). But the main motive behind this was to switch over to electric as I listen to metal a lot. Hence recently I bought myself some gear. An ESP LTD V-50 and a small combo amp. The guitar sounds great on clean but with distortion it sounds very very bad. Pure noise. I'm using a OD1 sound with Drop C /Standard D tuning. Strings are 54-11. I'm really frustrated and demotivated because of the following reasons:

1) Power chords seem fine. They play great but when I play separate notes for solo they sound very very odd.

2) On low gain it does not sound distorted enough but on high gain the sustain sounds like it has a whammy effect to it. My guitar is a string through.

3) The tone knob I keep at 100% or around 60%. It does not make much difference except for some treble.

I'm really concerned and I need help with making a good decent tone that sounds good for both, rhythm and lead. I understand I need a better amp but this is all I have for now due to the limitations in my country. (I had my equipment brought from U.S.A)

Urgent help needed. Thank you.

P.S My styles of playing are Children of Bodom, Bullet for my Valentine, Alice in Chains etc.