Dull Mark IV Tone

[JohnnyCrazy]

I bought a new Mark IV in 2006. All was great until about a year ago. I replaced all of the tubes with JJs. I had the tubes replaced by the tech I use and we both noticed an immediate loss in gain. After not playing the amp for a year, I just replaced all of the JJs with Groove Tubes. I now have a very thin high end and a loss of gain/sustain.

Should I have my amp serviced? Replace with Mesa tubes?

I think part of my problem is my new guitar. I finally received my 8-string Conklin Sidewinder about a month ago. It has Lundgren pickups and they seem to have medium output. I would have to have custom pickups made in order to replace the Lundgrens. I'm considering Duncan pickups.

Any help would be appreciated. I loved this amp when I first received it. I know it can be a beast with the right tubes and settings.

 

[Platypus]

Different tubes change the tone of your amp... why not try the Mesa tubes again and see if you prefer the tone? I doubt anything is wrong with the amp.

 

[JohnnyCrazy]

Thanks. I just got on the Mesa site and ordered all new tubes.

 

[EirikBrandal]

Which Lundgren's are we talking about? Not the M8? Those can nearly lead the amp into overdrive without any help from the amp

 

[JohnnyCrazy]

Yeah, I have the M8s plus the Redeemer preamp. Do you use Lundgrens also? I'm confused as to why I don't have gain. I think the problem is with the Groove Tubes I installed. I called Groove Tubes before buying their tubes to make sure I got the right tubes from the Mark IV. I've ordered new tubes from Mesa Boogie and from Eurotubes. I'll give both sets a try once I receive them. I tried the same guitar through my Recto head and through my Carvin V3 head. Both heads were run through my Recto 2x12 cab. I still get ridiculous gain with both of those heads.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the Mark IV. It doesn't hiss or pop when I play it. I guess the Groove Tubes are the problem.

 

[EirikBrandal]

The m8 definitly don't have medium output. And those groove tubes, those are preamp, right? Isn't it possible to set in the preamp tubes from the other amps you have?

Or if it's power tubes, try to put the amp in class A and see if you still got a gain problem. If you have, take the two tubes in the middle in the outter sockets and see if that solves it.

 

[JohnnyCrazy]

I didn't think about trying the tubes from the other amps. I have JJs (preamp/power tubes) in the Recto and Groove Tubes (preamp/power tubes) in the V3. I'm just stumped because I don't have the lively gain now that I had when I first bought the amp 2 years ago. I do have the sustain though.

 

[bryan_kilco]

my Mark IV seems a bit "unlively" as well, but it DOES need repair on the Lead Channels EQ section....that might be my problem, but I threw some GT's in her and it sounded much better.

 

[JohnnyCrazy]

I'm having my Mark IV looked at right now. I hope there's nothing major wrong with it.

 

[bryan_kilco]

My Lead Channel EQ knobs dont really do anything.... :? The Bass knob actually seems to affect the overall gain, but Treble and Mid knobs do nothing at all.

I busted her out Tues and Weds at practice....god I love this thing, even if the preamp eq is stuck on one setting....she screams and i forgot just how excessivly loud they can get.

One thing I would change about it - NOT SO LOUD!! I want to be able to feel like I'm using "more" of the amp by turning that Master Output up to 3 or 4 instead of 1.5!!

and I messed around with the RHY 2 and got some sweeeeeet vintage OD tones!!