frist mk iv gig..

[Shep]

ok so i did my first mk gig...i really like the lead channel it was smooth and sweet but i was getting alot of feedback (the bad uncontrolable sort) but that was due to how close i was to the cab ( i was standing infornt of it)... i was playing smallish gig..and i found it really lacked guts in the rhy2 channel and VOLUME over the 3 channels i had to run it really hard..it's has the full board of mesa tubes all new but i am going to get a eurotubes highgain kit for mkiv's...i hope that will give it alot more volume, more gain on the rhy2 and less harsh and more smooth tone over the three channels... i don't know wheather the marshall cab had anything to do with how loud the amp was but i am getting a orange 4x12 very soon...

i really don't mind this amp now it just a question of is it loud enough of the big gigs i play.....yeah so there it is...

Tom

 

[Russ]

What were your settings just out of curiosity for your power section? Were you playing in Simul? Pentode? Full Power? I had mine up on those settings the other day and it got **** loud through my Marshall cab.

I found out years ago that guitars that I had thought were good enough had terrible pickups in them and caused all kinds of noise and feedback when turned up loud enough to bring it out. Make sure that your pickups are potted and that your electronics are shielded. I don't know what kind of guitar or pickups you were using but it helps. I know that right in front of your cab can cause feedback but it should also be controllable.

Had you given it at least one rehearsal to work out any bugs? Sometimes it is a good idea to test run stuff at volume before just going for it, especially in a gigging situation. I would never try a new effect or pickup without at least playing it a full rehearsal first. The same goes for amps and guitars. When you are up in front of people you don't want to figure out that your amp has some issues or that although the axe might look really cool that it just sounds like crap. Being that you said that you play bigger gigs then I am assuming you were just excited to give it a go.

Maybe you need a power amp or a satellite running another cab....

Realistically, I have never needed more than 50 watts or one 4x12 cab. I had my Marshall 9005 (50w+50w power amp) barely at about 6 into one 1960a cab at the Palace(Hollywood). This was when I found out that Epiphone pickups were noisy and that running old processors in front of a JMP-1 makes lots of white noise. With a nice Gibson Les Paul I haven't had the electronics issues. Even though it was decent gear, I got rid of that rack setup years ago to return to heads and simpler setups.

With the fixed bias I am not sure that you will get much more headroom out of the amp though because you can't put too strong of tubes in there without risking damaging the circuit. Maybe you need an outboard eq in the loop to reduce harshness and smooth out hte tone. I am wondering how you are going to get more gain on R2 and less harshness across and more smoothness the amp. Maybe you need a clean boost to up your signal in R2 but instead of using it like a lead boost just leave it on. Try an overdrive (not a distortion unless you leave the gain out of it and just use it for level and tone).

 

[SeasonOfPain]

I've played my Mark IV live through a 2x12 Mesa cab, and it was plenty loud enough (on simulclass, full power, master volume 3) to compete with a drummer, bass, and other guitarist (using a Mark III w/a 4x12 cab). My Mesa 4x12 is even louder. Both cabs projected plenty of bass from the amp.

I'd second the idea of pickups as a possibile cause. I played live through a JPMM with no excessive feedback issues (I have to crank the Mark to 5 and stand within 5 feet to get feedback). The other guitarist in my band usually played a Jackson V with no problems, but an Ibanez he'd occasionally play through would feedback like crazy. You might need to dial back the gain with certain pickups to eliminate feedback. I usually keep mine with gain and drive on the lead channel dialed to about 8. Make sure that Pull Bright isn't pulled at high volume; that really increases feedback.

I very rarely played on R2 live (about 4 measures of one song), so I can't help as much there.

 

[scottywompas]

I'm curious as to what the amp set up was. I've never had mine at more than 3 to 3 1/5 on the output and I keep up with the band. I get no feedback ( unless I want it) and we jam in someone's living room which is pretty cramped. we play everything from tom petty to ozzy and my lead channel is screaming, plenty of gain but no feedback. Read the manual, I know it adresses some settings and the possibility of noise at high gain and high volume. I'd be a little concerned if and 85 watt tube amp ( especiallly Mesa ) had to be pushed hard to keep up.

Scott

 

[musicman10_1]

Something doesn't make sense. My Mark IV 1x12 widebody combo is one of the loudest amps I have ever heard. Also, with the "voice" of a Boogie cutting through should not be much of an issue unless the settings are really funky.

I hope you don't have something wrong with your amp or your guitar. Good luck and keep us posted about the amps future performance.

 

[Shep]

well..my guitars are gibson les paul std 59' reissue and a ibanez JEM custom TS..i was standing about a foot away from the cab and it was on about 5....so i think that s why it was doing that....aren't the eurtube kit's for mk iv bais for mkiv's?i read they were...yeah i am not sure on want to do about the volume..i was using siml/tri/full/ i only use tri becasue of the better clip...
i am going to get the amp checked out by a tech...

thanks Tom

 

[lockbody]

"Pull fat" and "Harmonics/Mid" on "Mid" can cause squealing in my amp sometimes if I'm very close. I play at high distortion and volume levels.

Re: The volume - I played an outdoor show in a downtown park and was told I could be heard for blocks with my MK IV and two Boogie 4x12s. A Mk IV is plenty loud for anything. Your Marshall cab is 8 or 4 ohms?

 

[Shep]

i run it at 4 ohms..when i get my orange i will only be able to run it at 16 ohm's so i might rewire it to 8ohms...is that possable?...

 

[YOUNGIE41]

Is it possible that your entire band need to turn it down a bit ! If you can/t compete with a Mk IV turned up half way you will either all be deaf in six months or the audience will get their minds blown. Some times not a bad thing. Also I assume you aint using a PA ? If I put my MK 1 up half way with any sort of drive I would get lynched by my band (we are old farts remember) so you may have a problem with the amp if you seriously can't hear yourself. Good luck.

 

[Russ]

I was rethinking this today and thought that since you just got hte amp you might want to take it in anyway. There may be something wrong with it and that is why the owner sold it to you. I couldn't imagine wanting to sell a Mark IV after playing it. Actually I usually take an amp in for service anyway when i become the new owner of a used amp just for peace of mind. If it needs anything then I usually have it taken care of with exception of preamp tubes. I usually replace those myself. I ask for the power tubes and any other circuitry to be returned to me also if replaced in the amp. I find it the only way to keep the guys honest. Now with a Mesa I would assume just replace the power tubes myself too.

Anyhow, take it in for a checkup and see what's going on with it. If it was just your setup then at least you know it was just that from your tech and your amp's clean bill of health.

 

[Shep]

it has trouble keeping up at soft gig's...i mean the other guitarist's amp is on 2 and mine would be about 4..he has a marshall jcm 800...

 

[Shep]

the volume is huge...i don't know why ...i have basicly re set up my whole amp..heaps of mids and it sounds great..just can't wait to get the new cab..

 

[SFW]

Those setting will peel paint. I have never run my global master above 4... and at 4 it drowns out the rest of the band.

 

[MesaENGR412]

SFW where do you guys get the mock ups like that? That's really nifty stuff. Thanks

-AJH