Blues Tone from MkIII

[droogie]

I have a gig coming up in which the band covers a ridiculous range of musical styles (rock, jazz, reggae, classical, metal, blues, etc.) I'm using my MkIII (red stripe, 60w, EQ) because I can get a scooped metal tone and have gotten every sound dialed in except a good blues tone. I'm comparing it with my MKIIa which has that nice break up in the clean channel with V1 at @7-8.

Any advice on how to come close to the II sound with the III? I've tried R2, which strikes me as a bit cold, and the lead channel with a lower drive setting (2-3).

 

[Buddy]

Ah ! you have run into the wall that many MKIII owner's have .
I have the red stripe simul .


What pup's are you using ? I notice I have a hard time with my Emg's for the blues without radical knob spinnin', etc ...

But have less problem's on r2 with a p90 equipped guitar .

Nature of the beast .

 

[droogie]

Stock 335 from late 70's, with coil taps. Not thrilled with the bucks or split.

 

[Stonge]

overdrive pedal for r1!!!!

 

[droogie]

overdrive pedal for r1!!!!

That thought did occur to me. Not that I don't love buying pedals, but I might have to take the MKII and use the Ubermetal pedal that I already own for now.

 

[phyrexia]

I can get a bluesy tone out of all three channels.

Have you tried swapping your tubes around? Try a nice higher gain tube in V2 if you're looking for better R2 results.

Or you could try the lead channel with the guitar volume rolled off. You may have to do that regardless?

 

[MrMarkIII]

Gee, nobody uses a 335 for blues!
(Clapton, Carlton, B.B., Freddie, etc.)
Have you tried switching to "Class A", cranking the master and Volume 1?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the real blues players (uh, that would be the, uh, non-white guys) rely on power stage clipping for their sustain and singing tone. Never saw B.B. use a TS-9. But he does turn that Twin ALL THE WAY UP.

 

[edward]

While I love my MKIII Simul Greenie for all its versatility and ripping tone, it does not do a bluesy mild clip out of the box very well (one of the reasons that my DC5 is my #1 go-to amp). That said, if I am pressed to, I use a pedal to drive the R1 just a bit ...still has all the round and organic tone of R1, but with some hair around the edges. It works very well, especially with humbuckers

Edward

 

[Alivefor5]

How about the 60 watt MKIII? I understand it's voiced differently that the 4 power tube versions. How does it do blues?

 

[CoG]

While I love my MKIII Simul Greenie for all its versatility and ripping tone, it does not do a bluesy mild clip out of the box very well (one of the reasons that my DC5 is my #1 go-to amp). That said, if I am pressed to, I use a pedal to drive the R1 just a bit ...still has all the round and organic tone of R1, but with some hair around the edges. It works very well, especially with humbuckers

Edward

Aside from my more metal-type stuff I have a gig with a singer/songwriter guy and the material is mostly country/rock/folk. Basically I need the two sounds the MkIII doesn't do out of the box, a mild breakup and a big ringing just-short-of-Neil-Young crunch (the MkIII is too clean in R1 and too saturated in R2.)

I run a Barber Direct Drive into R1 and I get it all just by futzing with the Drive a bit on the pedal. R1 is *really* good for OD pedals.

 

[GIG4FUN]

While I love my MKIII Simul Greenie for all its versatility and ripping tone, it does not do a bluesy mild clip out of the box very well (one of the reasons that my DC5 is my #1 go-to amp). That said, if I am pressed to, I use a pedal to drive the R1 just a bit ...still has all the round and organic tone of R1, but with some hair around the edges. It works very well, especially with humbuckers

Edward

Aside from my more metal-type stuff I have a gig with a singer/songwriter guy and the material is mostly country/rock/folk. Basically I need the two sounds the MkIII doesn't do out of the box, a mild breakup and a big ringing just-short-of-Neil-Young crunch (the MkIII is too clean in R1 and too saturated in R2.)

I run a Barber Direct Drive into R1 and I get it all just by futzing with the Drive a bit on the pedal. R1 is *really* good for OD pedals.

I really believe mine covers it fine. I suggest perhaps you run vol 1 (extreme left knob) 2-3 (I'm typically 7-8 there) and master up and see if R2 is brought down for you. My R2 would be far less saturated set that way.

I suggest gettting your clip/breakup out of the output stage. Oh, also hit it on class "A". My band covers it all too and I certainly nail all of the vertility needed to cover what you are trying to do. AND Blues it certainly does well. I play a strat with a fairly hot humbucker.

Mine Mark III is currently on its way back from Mike B volume on R2 upgrade. So I can't sit down with it to help. I certainly would if it were here. I expect it Tuesday.

 

[CoG]

I really believe mine covers it fine. I suggest perhaps you run vol 1 (extreme left knob) 2-3 (I'm typically 7-8 there) and master up and see if R2 is brought down for you. My R2 would be far less saturated set that way.

Mine is currently on its way back from Mike B volume on R2 upgrade. So I can't sit down with it to help. I certainly would if it were here.

Wow, I feel like a dumbass. I've tried this with R1 (and it's not really very usable that way, just too quiet) but for some reason never R2. I don't know much about blues but that seems to me like a pretty nice blues tone.

If my ears weren't already flat from a 3 hour rehearsal this afternoon I'd be putting in some more time with it--later tonight, maybe...!

Thanks!

 

[GIG4FUN]

I really believe mine covers it fine. I suggest perhaps you run vol 1 (extreme left knob) 2-3 (I'm typically 7-8 there) and master up and see if R2 is brought down for you. My R2 would be far less saturated set that way.

Mine is currently on its way back from Mike B volume on R2 upgrade. So I can't sit down with it to help. I certainly would if it were here.

Wow, I feel like a dumbass. I've tried this with R1 (and it's not really very usable that way, just too quiet) but for some reason never R2. I don't know much about blues but that seems to me like a pretty nice blues tone.

If my ears weren't already flat from a 3 hour rehearsal this afternoon I'd be putting in some more time with it--later tonight, maybe...!

Thanks!

wow...I'm glad! I sent mine off to mesa to have a looking over/cleaning etc. and the R2 Volume mod done because our gigs were moot for 3 weeks. I suggest you do the R2 mod to your amp and then you can have it do it all a lot easier.

i REALLY think you have it figured out now! NO WORRIES for you covering the gig as I see it.

I wish you well, I bet you do more playing tonight :wink:

 

[CoG]

My purple (the amp I'm doing this on) has the R2 volume mod already, I didn't even touch it... I've got the volume on 3, R2 volume on 6.5ish, master around 8. I already noodled a bit more, this is a really nice tone.

I have a feeling it's a fair bit outside of Mesa's ideal specs; in the MkIII manual they have 5 as a "never-exceed" for the Master control and I can really hear and feel the power tubes cranking hard-- there's some faint microphonics happening that I've never heard at these fairly sensible volumes before.

Ah, well, this is something I'll only be using a couple hours a week tops.

Thanks again.

 

[Nomad]

I have a gig coming up in which the band covers a ridiculous range of musical styles (rock, jazz, reggae, classical, metal, blues, etc.) I'm using my MkIII (red stripe, 60w, EQ) because I can get a scooped metal tone and have gotten every sound dialed in except a good blues tone. I'm comparing it with my MKIIa which has that nice break up in the clean channel with V1 at @7-8.

Any advice on how to come close to the II sound with the III? I've tried R2, which strikes me as a bit cold, and the lead channel with a lower drive setting (2-3).

First off let me start by saying the Mark III IMOP is the best amp ever built.

It does have some limitations though.

I have found some unbelievable tones using an OCD Pedal with R1 for a Ballsy Blusey Tone and set my Lead Channel for Crunch. I dont bother trying to use R2. By setting my Lead Channel for Crunch then when I turn on the OCD on that channel I get sustain for days Solo Tone that is unreal.


Now I do use a couple other pedals to get some additional Tones as well.

I use a Volume Cut Pedal (the Green one) which is basicly a footsiwtchable Volume pot. Off the signal goes straight through and on it goes through the Pot. This alows for lower volume sounds both Clean and Dirty.

I also use a Timmy set totally as a Clean Boost which gives me some great Boosted Tones in R1 and makes it really Crunchy in Lead Channel.

 

[phyrexia]

Nomad did I just see you on TGP? </offtopic>

 

[Nomad]

Yes you may have. I get to where I spend less and less time over there.

There are only so many Dumble / Trainwreck threads a fellow can take.

 

[camsna]

R2. Roll off the volume - maybe coil split

Or - my personal fave - R1 with an overdrive pedal. Keeley modded BD-2 fits the bill for me!

 

[droogie]

I have a gig coming up in which the band covers a ridiculous range of musical styles (rock, jazz, reggae, classical, metal, blues, etc.) I'm using my MkIII (red stripe, 60w, EQ) because I can get a scooped metal tone and have gotten every sound dialed in except a good blues tone. I'm comparing it with my MKIIa which has that nice break up in the clean channel with V1 at @7-8.

Any advice on how to come close to the II sound with the III? I've tried R2, which strikes me as a bit cold, and the lead channel with a lower drive setting (2-3).

First off let me start by saying the Mark III IMOP is the best amp ever built.

It does have some limitations though.

I have found some unbelievable tones using an OCD Pedal with R1 for a Ballsy Blusey Tone and set my Lead Channel for Crunch. I dont bother trying to use R2. By setting my Lead Channel for Crunch then when I turn on the OCD on that channel I get sustain for days Solo Tone that is unreal.


Now I do use a couple other pedals to get some additional Tones as well.

I use a Volume Cut Pedal (the Green one) which is basicly a footsiwtchable Volume pot. Off the signal goes straight through and on it goes through the Pot. This alows for lower volume sounds both Clean and Dirty.

I also use a Timmy set totally as a Clean Boost which gives me some great Boosted Tones in R1 and makes it really Crunchy in Lead Channel.

I've considered an OCD. A friend of mine runs one through his old vibroverb and it sounds great. Another day, another pedal.

After rehearsing the project this afternoon, I'm going with the IIA for the upcoming gig, and will probably pick up the OCD in the near future. I can get a decent metal sound from the uber metal pedal for the one tune and use the II's lead channel for the blues, etc.

I have to say I prefer the II's clean to the III so far, although the lead channel on the III is fantastic. If I didn't live on the fourth floor (walk-up) I'd bring the III just to use as a "stomp box".

Thanks for all suggestions!

 

[Nomad]

Good Luck.

Yes I'm tickled with the way the OCD sounds. A lot of folks are using them and I have never been one to go the way everyone else is but I'll just have to concede on this one.

What really makes the OCD work for me is the amount of flexability in the Tone Controll and the ability to get a non Fizzy Overdriven sound.