Gigging MK4 owners, question/poll for you!

[jukesgtr]

Hey Guys,

It has been a while and apologize if this question has been asked/answered before:

I would be interested in knowing about the music styles and venues you use your MKIV at. Is the amp mainly used for hi gain metal applications or do you use it in blues/jazz or other band situations too? What about the size of the venues you use it at? I have owned that amp for a year now and used it just twice on a gig, I mainly play small club gigs with a traditional blues/jump/swing band. I have used much more my C30 and Blues Jr than my MK4 at those gigs.

 

[LittleWiggler]

I use mine in medium/large clubs (75+ people) playing in a cover band that runs the gamut of 50's to current rock and country. I use it on the smaller stages (funny, most of the bigger clubs have the smallest stages). I pull out an AC30CC1 and a BadCat ToneCat when there is room on stage. Overall I am happy with the IV, esp. since I acquired a Thiele cabinet.

 

[jamme61]

I use mine in small bars maybe 50 people and we do 50's and clasic rock stuf a little country or what ever they want. My main problem has been volume. I have the 1x12 widebody combo and I have had to run it on class A with tweed power and still the main master is on 1.5. I just got a weber mass lite, which I think is going to work out great. I thinks its a great amp for how many things it can do well and the amount of volume and coverage it gets from 1x12 IMHO.

 

[marklyn]

I've used imy Mark IV for just about everything except high gain metal.
Let's see....
Surf guitar instrumental band
Big Band orchestra (sitting behind the trumpets)
jazz
rock and roll, original band and cover bands
reggae

plus asorted other gigs

I've played in smallish bars to outdoor concerts and parties to wedding receptions in very large halls. I prefer it with a mic in front of it for larger stuff, but it has handled on it's own. I frequently put it on top of a 2x12 cab for more coverage although it doesn't really add more volume.

 

[jamme61]

I've used imy Mark IV for just about everything except high gain metal.
Let's see....
Surf guitar instrumental band
Big Band orchestra (sitting behind the trumpets)
jazz
rock and roll, original band and cover bands
reggae

plus asorted other gigs

I've played in smallish bars to outdoor concerts and parties to wedding receptions in very large halls. I prefer it with a mic in front of it for larger stuff, but it has handled on it's own. I frequently put it on top of a 2x12 cab for more coverage although it doesn't really add more volume.

How do you controll your volume on small gigs? That's been the bigest problem for me. Thanks for any tips (great amp!)

 

[Blueshaggis]

I'm terribly confused why some keep saying they have problems
with their volume on gigs? The volume versatility is the very reason
I have kept my Boogie instead of jumping over to a Bassman or Super
Reverb. It's called a "MASTER VOLUME" LOL......as well as the wattage
and voicing switches. I'm just real confused what everyone is talking
about here. Boogs sound great very soft or very loud. Sure there are
compromises in tone but the key is the versatility.

I have done lots of blues club dates in clubs large and small as well
as a few dates on larger outdoor stages and settings. Always unmiked
in the blues clubs (I can't stand having my amp miked unless it's a big
outdoor stage). The Boog is perfect for any volume need. About 70%
of the time I leave it switched down to Tweed/Class A/ Triode........if we
start getting louder I'll switch up to Full or Pentode but not too often.
I even get a very nice tone at real quiet levels playing with the band at
church on occasion. It's nice to turn up and play the amp right on the
bluesclub dates though. I can ALWAYS cut through and be heard. No mush, no running out of headroom and power. That's the advantage of the
Boogie over a Bassman or something and I can't give it up!

 

[jamme61]

I'm terribly confused why some keep saying they have problems
with their volume on gigs? The volume versatility is the very reason
I have kept my Boogie instead of jumping over to a Bassman or Super
Reverb. It's called a "MASTER VOLUME" LOL......as well as the wattage
and voicing switches. I'm just real confused what everyone is talking
about here. Boogs sound great very soft or very loud. Sure there are
compromises in tone but the key is the versatility.

Master volume is set to 1.5 and I'm on tweed power class A I'm still to loud. I must have a real loud one LOL. The boogie always sounds better to me with the master volume about 3 and the channel volumes no lower then 3 and if possible on 5, maybe that's my problem, i should run my channel masters on 1. Thanks

 

[JOEY B.]

The sad truth: Every Boogie amp that I have played through sounds much better with the power tubes (volume) cranked. The sound wave resonance toward your guitar and pickups creates the magic harmonics (regardless of the amount of gain) and controlled feedback (with much gain) that cannot be duplicated with any type of attenuator in my experience. Good luck in your quest for tone.

 

[Blueshaggis]

Jamme...........just for fun humor me and try something a little
weird........on Rythm1 in particular, try setting the big global master
at 10 and the little master at 1 or 2 or whatever your volume needs
are.......try it and see how it sounds to you. That's how I do it when
I'm doing a blues gig where I only need to use the Rythm1 channel
(and clean up the sound for rythm by using the guitar volume pot
instead of channel swithching). See if you like the tone. It might work
for you too. For one thing, I find it easier to manipulate the little master
knob for those "just a LITTLE more volume....." adjustments than that
big fat output level knob. It's a weird way to dial it in but it works for me.
Somebody on here said they already do that. If it was you, sorry for not
remembering............

 

[Tuna141]

I agree...IMO , the Mark IV sounds best with the individual channel volumes very low (1-3), so you can crank the Master Volume (I never got it to 10, but usually keep it to around 5-6). To me it sounds much fuller and richer than when the Master is low and the individual channels set high.

 

[jamme61]

OK I'm a thick idiot. I tried what you said. I now have the channel masters set at 2-2-1.5 and the main master at 4 and it's the best freakin tone I've gotten out of this beast. The one thing the Weber did was open my eyes to running the main master higher. I was getting great tone with the weber, and was able to run the channel masters higher but once i read your post I tried it and got the same freakin great tone with out the weber. This amp is something LOL. I thought after having so many amps that this MKIV would be easy to dial in, for me! I've been wrong several times now. Still I'm smart enough to keep an open mind, and listen to you guys, sometimes LOL. The Weber is still great sounding and I'll use it with my plexi and Bassman head, but, with the MKIV, no need. I have to go update my attenuator thread.

 

[Blueshaggis]

 

[scottywompas]

I use mine in a cover band. Elvis to Petty to ZZ top to Ozzy.

No volume problems here. Channel vol around 3 master around 2

Sometimes I'll just use the outer EL34's in class A just to get a juicier sound if were playing more of the heavy stuff in a set.

My only complaint (really at myself) is that I did'nt get wheels on it.
**** that thing is heavy

Scott

 

[jamme61]

I use mine in a cover band. Elvis to Petty to ZZ top to Ozzy.

No volume problems here. Channel vol around 3 master around 2

Sometimes I'll just use the outer EL34's in class A just to get a juicier sound if were playing more of the heavy stuff in a set.

My only complaint (really at myself) is that I didn't get wheels on it.
**** that thing is heavy

Scott

I hear you with that volume setting. Since reading on this forum and going the other way master on 4 to 5 and channel masters real low 2-2-1.5 I'm real happy with the tone. I also have the el34's for more marshall sound in class A. I love this amp and hate it all at the same time R2 will always drive me nuts and every time I play my Plexi, I want to sell the MKIV. still I know if I sell I'll miss it. THE Pain!!!!!!!!! Sorry to much coffee

 

[marklyn]

How do you controll your volume on small gigs? That's been the bigest problem for me. Thanks for any tips (great amp!)

You seem to be on the right track here.

Another thing to play with is channel gain. Check out the difference between 5 and 9 with all other settings the same. Then after doing that on Rhy1 and finding a place you like try RHY2 and Lead.

Another knob that seems to have a pretty big impact is the Treble. Even pulling down 1-2 can help.

After Treble is Mid. I usually keep my Mid and Bass pretty low (2-5) but play around with it.