First Mesa!

[PatrickL101]

I picked up a DC-5 combo the other day for £560 (It's quite an upgrade from a Marshall MG50DFX and a Pod )
I just ordered some new tubes from hotrox which should be here by Friday (existing ones are pretty old). I LOVE this amp! Just wanted to mention it after joining haha.

Anyone have any little tips/secrets/things to look out for to get the best from her?

 

[LTE]

Congrats!

I LOVE my Dc5.

I find you will go through stages of loving/hating it, but in a little bit, it will break in and you will really love it. what type of music do you play/tones are you looking for?

Its a really versatile amp.

 

[PatrickL101]

Cheers

I guess i'm going for some sort of petrucci-esque sound but a bit fatter for leads and an EJ-ish sparkle for clean. I've sort of dialled in some basic sounds but it looks like i'll be tweaking this thing for a while (Moreso after rehearsals, no way I can get the output level up in my bedroom)

I'm gonna buy a delay pedal to pop in the loop soon (It's amazing how quick wages disappear when on a quest for great tone http://forum.grailtone.com/posting.php?mode=reply&f=28&t=41523# ) any ideas on what sounds good with this amp in particular?

 

[LTE]

Well i have a lot of settings i use, but my basic lead tone which is kinda petrucci/ej esque.

Gain- 6
Treble-6
Mid-5
Bass-2
Presence-2
Reverb-5
Master-4

Most importantly, i boost it with a bb preamp or a tubescreamer, to tighten it up.

For the clean side, its usually like this:

Gain- 3
Treble- 6
Mid-3
Bass-3
Presence- 5
Reverb-6
Master- 3

It gives a nice bright clean good for all my guitars.
Presence will really depend on guitars, like dark mahog. bodies or bright alder strats

For eq its off most of the time, but if i really want to get heavy and petrucci like, i just put it in a V.

 

[Erotomaniac1928]

I myself havent gone through a stage of hating my DC-5 yet (knock on wood!).

And just like LTE said, give that GEQ a V and youre gonna be very close to Petrucci tones.

 

[Sixstringpsycho]

I have had my DC-5 for nearly 10 years and never have had that hate moment. for my lead tone I do a base setting of
Treb 7
Mid 5-6
Bass2.5
pres 4
reverb 3
master 3

 

[Sixstringpsycho]

here is a recording of my DC-5 clean sound that i generally use. www.myspace.com/horizonsdawnmusic

 

[PatrickL101]

Cheers guys. Hopefully I won't go through a phase of hating it (Fingers crossed)
All these settings are pretty tasty. I'm still getting used to how touch responsive it is.
A new set of valves will be delivered tomorrow and I can't wait.
I'm still getting to grips with the interaction of the channel master and the output master. It seems that the higher the output is the warmer the amp is. When running it at home would you recommend moving these 2 controls up in equal amounts or having one higher than the other?
Thanks again for the info, never had so many responses so quickly on a forum before without being bombarded with crap I don't understand

 

[kekam35]

Cheers guys. Hopefully I won't go through a phase of hating it (Fingers crossed)
All these settings are pretty tasty. I'm still getting used to how touch responsive it is.
A new set of valves will be delivered tomorrow and I can't wait.
I'm still getting to grips with the interaction of the channel master and the output master. It seems that the higher the output is the warmer the amp is. When running it at home would you recommend moving these 2 controls up in equal amounts or having one higher than the other?
Thanks again for the info, never had so many responses so quickly on a forum before without being bombarded with crap I don't understand

It is really a matter of personal taste but generally higher master settings and lower output will sound brighter and tighter. Also the higher you run
these the lower you might want to run the gain. I usually run my master at about 3 and my output at 2 and it is pretty freakin' LOUD!

 

[edward]

I have had my DC-5 for nearly 10 years and never have had that hate moment....

I've had mine for maybe a tick over 10 yrs now and never hated it. I flirted with "upgrading" to a MkIV once, even got close ...then came to my senses and kept the better amp

Having gone through several other amps in these years, I have now confirmed my DC5's "keeper" status.
Enjoy!!

Edward

 

[PatrickL101]

Cheers guys. Hopefully I won't go through a phase of hating it (Fingers crossed)
All these settings are pretty tasty. I'm still getting used to how touch responsive it is.
A new set of valves will be delivered tomorrow and I can't wait.
I'm still getting to grips with the interaction of the channel master and the output master. It seems that the higher the output is the warmer the amp is. When running it at home would you recommend moving these 2 controls up in equal amounts or having one higher than the other?
Thanks again for the info, never had so many responses so quickly on a forum before without being bombarded with crap I don't understand

It is really a matter of personal taste but generally higher master settings and lower output will sound brighter and tighter. Also the higher you run
these the lower you might want to run the gain. I usually run my master at about 3 and my output at 2 and it is pretty freakin' LOUD!

When I first got it in I thought it'd be a good idea to stick both the master and the output at 5 and hitting a big ol' E. The result was something like Michael J Fox at the beginning of Back to the future getting blown half way across the room haha!

 

[Erotomaniac1928]

When I first got it in I thought it'd be a good idea to stick both the master and the output at 5 and hitting a big ol' E. The result was something like Michael J Fox at the beginning of Back to the future getting blown half way across the room haha!

I can imagine! Even at shows, I have master at about 3 on lead channel, output at 2-2.5.

 

[brungio]

I've found that the rhythm channel does clean extremely well but don't rule it out for running it with the gain at 10 and pulled if you got that option.

Don't go crazy with the treble and mix in plenty of mids.

I found that a distortion pedal on the lead channel isn't going to be very useful but you may want to add a overdrive to give you more expression and boost on the channel. You can also use the GEQ for boost during solos with the V shape or to add a bit more umph.

Very solid amp and doesn't burn through tubes.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

then came to my senses and kept the better amp

:lol: :lol: I'm gonna go play my DC-10 in a few hours! :lol: :lol:
FWIW: I have had 2 Mark IV's. They came and went. The DC is still here and still my go-to amp!

 

[Setzer]

If you are using it in your bedroom as you mentioned the volume mod is a mod that will really help and is beyond easy to do.

 

[Roadifier]

If you are using it in your bedroom as you mentioned the volume mod is a mod that will really help and is beyond easy to do.

does the volume mod work on a .50 caliber + and does it change the sound of the amp