Flux five for good Mark IV tones?

[cherbst]

Hi, I have a Mark V 25 and love it, generally live in either Mark IV or Extreme mode with the gain about halfway up, like the 'Mark IV huge crunch' setting in the manual.

To cut some weight for rehearsals I picked up a used Flux Five, but I can't seem to get anywhere near the level of saturation in the Mark V. In fact the gain control basically doesn't seem to do anything, in Hi or Lo mode past the 12:00 point. I can't hear any difference past 12:00. I also find it a little muddy, I can get an OK sound if I max the treble and cut the bass down to like 8:00, then do the standard V EQ. I'm hoping to pair it up with a SS quilter for a lightweight rig but it's just nowhere near the Mark V.

If I run it into a slightly dirty amp it helps a lot, but I'm curious how others are finding this pedal?

 

[SonVolt]

The Flux Five is an OD pedal, meaning it's meant to push a tube amp into overdrive, or tighten up an already distorted amp. It's not an "amp in the box" style distortion pedal so that would explain why it pails in comparison to your Mark V. What you're looking for a "distortion" pedals, not "overdrive (OD)" pedals.

 

[cherbst]

Hmm, I know the grid slammer was designed like that, but since they made a flux five with the EQ I thought it would be designed to get that mark series sound happening. Tonally it's close but it's just not the same

 

[SonVolt]

Hmmm maybe I’m wrong. I thought it was just a glorified TS9.

 

[Daxman73]

What SonVolt is exactly right. Not much else can be said really. Have you tried the Full Throttle yet from Mesa?

 

[plan-x]

Here's how I use it. I use the "Lo" side to push my dirt channel for a solid hard rock rhythm. Then the "Hi" side with 5 band EQ engaged for a thick commanding lead tone.