Gotta a tone problem. Who doesnt right ?

[katsumura78]

So a quick run down of my gear and then I'll get to my point. I'm using an Ibanez rg 1570 stock everything with a quantum cable into a mark 4 into a 2x12 recto cab. My lead tones are pretty awesome and I think the cords sound good as well. The problem for me is the sound of my palm muted notes. They sound really muddy and just not defined I guess. It almost sounds thin and it doesnt make sense to me. I love the sound of everything else but once I start palm muting and doing some trivium kinda stuff or maybe testamentish riffs it just sounds bad . Whats the problem here.

Dave

 

[ketiov]

I can't speak from first hand experience, but generally I've heard that a Mark IV through a recto cab doesn't sound too great. One guy on here really liked it, but he was the only one I saw say so. Thiele cabinets are supposed to make your bass super cool, but since I haven't built my Thiele yet I can't say just how good it is. I'll let someone else elaborate.

 

[Stonge]

I am selling my markIV, because I only like it through a thiele. Making it not loud enough to gig w/ for me. That's just my experience. But a thiele is the sound your looking for. I had the rect2x12, never really sat well w/ me. I used it through the metal grill 4x12s w/ the EVs and C90s..too thin or too dark or too dull. I can never really get that amp to cut the way I want it to without sacraficing tone. I am truely spoiled from owning a C+. I guess??

 

[kiff]

I assume you're (katsumura78) using the lead channel, right? I use it for heavy, palm-muted rythms and have no mud/flab problems at all. There are some amps/preamps that are a --little-- tighter, but not much and there shouldn't be a problem here.

1) what's the bass setting (not eq) for your lead channel? In general, it will add muddiness. I keep mine at 0 and use the EQ for the low end

2) what setting are your drive and gain at? pulled? anything more than around 8 on both and it can start to get muddy

3) Your guitar and pickups: What pickups does your ibanez have? Do you have a friend w/ a guitar that has emg's? I know they can be thin sounding, but they have a tight sound and could verify if the pickups are an issue

4) Try some other cabs. I haven't used a recto 2x12 so I really don't know....

 

[katsumura78]

Yes I am on the lead channel . Its hard to describe the sound but I dont like it when it comes to the heavy palm muted stuff I do. Settings are 8 gain pulled, 8 t, 2 b , 6 m and drive looks like 8 . Maybe my settings just blow lol. I'll have to mess with it some more but after that tone I just had to put my guitar down for a bit. They guitar has its stock passive pickups. I'm not playing all the loud either so that could be the problem too ? I guess I'll see what happens. Dont get me wrong so far I love everything else im getting out of the amp but the one thing I'm talking about.

 

[Shep]

a Mk IV into any sort of closed back recto cab sounds AMAZING..Clean rich and full.settings.. There are tones of clips featuring how brutal and tight and sweet the mk IV get's with recto cab's..

 

[katsumura78]

Finally, I think I have the Mark 4 down. I dialed in some settings yesterday and Petrucci smooth lead tone all over and the sick crunch tone I was looking for. I just didnt want to put my guitar down. I can see why so many people love this amp not that I didnt before. I can tell this amp will be with me for a long time. Thanks for that settings data base I just changed one of them around and bam. Priceless tone.

 

[Esromeron]

The stock pickups in the Ibanez RG1570 are pretty weak, and I think that will help your low end a lot. Try out a good set of Dimarzio's, EMG's, or Seymour Duncan's and you'll notice a pretty big difference in your overall tone. I myself like Dimarzio's, but try em all out!

 

[katsumura78]

Being the Petrucci fan I am I was going to put a d sonic in my bridge and of course the air norton in the neck pretty soon. Thanks for the tip regardless. Hope its worth whatever money it'll cost when I get it done.

 

[Mizati20]

I would definately have to say that it would be the pickups in your guitar, the stock RG1570 pickups are for lack of a better word....crap. That is in no way to offend you, but I run my Mark IV through an oversized Recto cab and both my guitars, one with an EMG 81 and a Seymour Duncan JB both have great palm muting responses, I would definately look into swapping your pickups. I think it is pretty common knowledge that pickups should be optional with an Ibanez guitar, I think everyone replaces them anyway. Hope this helps, I know someone else posted the same thing, but I just wanted to back up his opinion. Cheers!

 

[katsumura78]

No offense taken lol. I had a feeling it was the pickups. I like that guitar and all but it doesn't sound as good as I would want it to. Still plan on replacing them soon and I'll most likely post on what I think about the sound difference.

 

[reilly]

I had a JB and 59 in my LTD Horizon and I did not like them with my Mark IV when I got it. I replaced the pups for Rio Grande Crunch box and Punch box and the amp now screams. The Dimarzo Evolutions sound good as well threw my Mark iv. Changing the pickups will dramatically improve your tone.

 

[reilly]

On a side note my 2x12 randall cab which is on the smaller size and not supper deep sounds great so maybe try a stilleto cab I think they arnt as deep as the recto cabs