It works. The rhythm tone on that record is more scoopy than the usual Opeth thing, and this falls into the general ballpark. Were I to add a boost, it would be a TS-type for the upper mid flavor, and I think overall it could use a little more clarity in that, but again, the feel of it is right. The closest I ever came to copping that tone was with a Marshall TSL through a VHT cab with P50Es. I hated that cab (for how it treated the mids, but loved the clarity. Not a keeper, but interesting), but that rig did nail that sound.

I think the Triple X could get in the ballpark on its own; IIRC the rhythm tone on that record is mostly Mesa Rec according to Mr. Sneap (as is Ghost Reveries according to Mr. Bogren, which sounds Marshally to my ears; goes to show you...)

Gain level sounds about right-ish. I'd fuss with the mid-mids to upper mids- you don't need low mids for this tone ; and I might bring the gain down just a touch for the double-tracking. At least, if I wanted to cop Mikael's tone right proper. And that's only based on what tweaking the mids does. On its own, his tone doesn't strike me as very saturated; it's like Tool but without the power amp compression and dirt from running an old Marshall wide open.

You can definitely get there with those two. the Triple X does the Recto Thing admirably IRL. Re: the British Thing, I think that's what I'm hearing as far as the upper mids are concerned. If my memory serves me it's Triple Rec and VH100R for the riffybits. I wonder how much adding bass would change things? The overdriven Jazz Bass thing is definitely part of their sound.

...and you could just loop the end for like three minutes if you wanted to. That part is a song in and of itself.

There's some sort of phase thingy happening or something, like some notes go 'fweeeooo' like you stepped on a Boss phaser.

Other than that... a little mid scoopy post EQ and I think the tone will do!

It sounds a bit thin (maybe something in the mids) by itself, but i'm sure in a mix it would kill like no other. Sounds a lot like some of the various tones I get with my mark III. Look forward to hearing the finished product.

A cheap Fender off of Craigslist would go far, honestly. Ampeg SVX sounds really passable if you're running straight in; it's one of the better modelerthings I've heard. It cops the... roundness- for lack of a better term; you'd know it when you heard it- of a real Ampeg, sort of a character thing modelers usually miss. IMO, if you want humbuckers and active electronics, you have to put a bit more money into yer bass, even if the instrument itself is really nice and resonant (ESP, I'm looking at you guys here...) where it's pretty hard to fuck up a simple P- or J-Bass. No need for a 5 unless you're switching between standard and downtuning on bass regularly or need more range in a scale or box pattern; the scale length generally isn't different. I can roll with a BEAD-tuned 4 and so can you.

That's most of my bassist-rant. The other bit being I like things you can feel when playing them unplugged. If they sound cheesy (cheap active electronics and crap humbuckers are a culprit here) noink that shit out and put real growed-up pickups in it and you probably have yourself a nice bass cheapish. IMO, thing's gotta resonate a bit to sound alive.

Re: the JSX, I've never heard or seen one in person. It seems like it's its own thing, or at least the lead channel is?