Bad sounding MK V combo

[andyp13]

Done a few gigs now with my new CS356 (stock), Strat (EMG) and the MK V combo.
The 356 guitar does not seem to drive the MK V, the clean sound is just flat & lifeless. The chan 2 is also very weak & thin, when in crunch it also sounds like I have a compressor on full (I don't). Chan 3 well - it's just not worth using as it is (like chan 2) thin, shrill fizzy mess.
Plugged my 356 into another amp (cheap one) sounded fantastic.
I use mainly my strat with the boogie and find that I have to use pedals - such as the Xotic AC (I did try to get the Xotic AC sound out of the amp but could not get anywhere near it's warm fat tone), so I have to use pedals in chan 1.
I'm really struggling with my MK V at the moment as I am trying to justify the price I paid (£3500, it's the exotic wood etc)!
If anyone can help please please please do, because at the momen I feel like iv just bought £3500 worth of ****... Worst guitar sound iv ever had

 

[Scary]

Think of the Mark V as a mic for your guitar. Some amps make every guitar sound the same. With the MV you can hear everything. Any bad cables, pickups, pedals, or guitars will immediatly be noticable.

It is possible that your footswitch is effecting your tone also. Try switching the cable ends and see if it helps.

When my Five was new it seemed very bright and icepicky, but it wasn't ever thin or weak.

Good luck, hopefully its the amp begging for a good sounding guitar. Id recommend passive pickups. Let the amp do the work.

 

[andyp13]

Thanks for the reply....
The strat I use has EMG's on and it sounds good, though I use only the clean chan (1) with various pedals Inc the Xotic AC, I have my rev, delay chorus via the loop.
I was hoping to use the other chans when I do function gigs using my Gibson CS 356 (hoping to get that Carlton sound but I just get a thin fuzz from it and chan 2 sounds over saturated and compressed, chan 3 is sim... can't get a sweet warm sound at all
Got a decentish sound at home once but on a gig it sounded awful. Even with the treble and pres way down the mid around 12 and the bass at 1:00 it was a horrible sound, thin and weak and cheap.... I'm going to experiment at home a bit more but the problem is at a gig it's a totally different sound, and I can't fool around with it as I'm reading etc....

 

[espmaster1]

HOw long have you had the amp?

It sounds like you just need to spend some more time with it.

I've had mine for over 6 months and have been fiddling with settings since I got it, but at this point I'm super happy with channel's 1 and 3, still working on 2 though. UIt takes time man, try a difference ax that doesn't have EMG's.

 

[andyp13]

I am trying another guitar, the one I'm trying is a CS356 with passive pickups,
Had a fool around with it today & got quite a good sound but it will sound totally different live & loud, still trying though.
Iv had the combo for a year but just used it with my EMG loaded strat with pedals into chan one, when I got my new guitar I wanted to use the whole amp etc but I'm not having too much luck..

 

[boogieman60]

Make sure you use the EQ...Set it to preset to start and put the preset mix knobs at 12:00 to start on the 3 channels. This amp takes a bit to get used to..but once you master the features you will be blown away by the tones you can pull from the amp...Also I have been using 45 watt mode with the diodes selected for small to medium venues..helps the powertubes come on earlier.

 

[boogiemon]

i'd swap out the pre-amp tubes. the stock mesa 12ax7's stink imho.
i recommend the tungsols (new ones, not NOS)

good luck.

 

[andyp13]

Thanks for the reply guys
Will spend some time on it today......... Keep you posted

 

[Tucker44]

Just a thought, try turning up the bass to help with the thinness.

 

[satch4u3]

Depending on what channel and mode you are using, the majority of your bass should come from the GEQ. Otherwise your sound will get flubby if your dialing in to much bass on the channel. Again this depends on your channel/mode. For example: With Edge you can dial in more bass frequnecy on the channel than say Crunch or Mark IV.

 

[andyp13]

Think I'm getting somewhere, had a good play with it today, still a bit raspy though... The exotic AC seems to be a lot smoother to the ear but I will keep on going, I just hope I get the same sound at a gig etc..
I put it into 45 watt mode and will try that at my gigs, love the clean sound with the preset on.
I would like to not use any overdrive in front of the amp - that is why I need to get that smooth AC sound.

 

[lesterpaul]

good...fwiw, I hover around Carlton-ish tones in my current gig...chan 1 fat into a Marsh 2x12 loaded with celestion 65 watters...I NEVER leave chan 1-Tom Anderson droptop T, which is chambered...fulldrive II and fatboost and I use my tone and vol knobs on guitar-the master volume is around 10-11 oclock,depending on venue-I happened to hit on a great combination by accident-the speaker cab was bought for my Bray head, but it really helps warm up my Mk V clean to hairy tones-the guitar and the cab have a lot to do with it...I have my "tone", so there is no reason for me to even change channels-However, if a more "rock" gig came calling, I would be well equipped with chan 2 and 3-good luck

 

[MBJunkie]

andy:

Sorry to hear that you are struggling to achieve the sounds you are after with your MkV. I am not familiar with the guitars / pickups that you are using, but I will say that you just need to experiment with dialing in the V using your ears.....not your eyes.

Personally, I play HSS strat style guitars (with passive pickups)...and they sound divine through my MkV in all modes of all 3 channels when set to my ears...and not my eyes.

One piece of advise........learn how to achieve good tones from the amp (in all modes) without engaging the QEQ or even the PEQ knobs and without adding distortion/effects. Just a bit of advice regarding this......keep your gain settings in the middle ranges (11 - 1 o'clock)and don't be afraid to add some mids for some bark and bite (12 - 2 o'clock). Do not set your gain high, treble high and presence high at the same time. Doing so will definitely result in bad tone IMO. Set all of these 3 critical controls in the middle ranges as a starting point for all channels, but especially the high gain sounds offered in Ch3. From there....fine tune to achieve the sounds that you are after. Personally, I feel that most people that complain about being able to achieve a good high gain sound out of Ch3 or even Ch2 to a lesser extent tend to set the gain and/or treble and / or presence too high!

Hope this helps....and good luck!

 

[MesaGod666]

It's all good my man. Just check out the Mark V tone settings thread and emulate those until you find a sound that works. Also, the Mark V sounds best (IMO) with a 4x12 packed with Celestian Vintage 30's. The C90 sounds like **** to me too.

 

[andyp13]

Thanks for the replies you guys, I do agree with those saying - great sounds with extent ion cabs etc.... But I am a jobbing muso lots of dep gigs (reading etc) so I can't take big rigs with me as I don't know what the job is till I get there. That's why I'm using a combo though I have thought about an extent ion cab.
I will keep plugging away at it and let you guys know how I get on. At the moment I'm experimenting in 45 watts and finding the lead sounds using the GEQ, and leaving the clean sound with the preset on, just worried that when I get to a gig it sounds totally different etc.......