Help Me Get Started With My Mark IV

[metalmike23]

I just purchased a used mark IV combo and was hoping you guys could help me get started by giving me some settings to try out. I'm playing through it with my jem with evolution pickups. for rhythm, I'm looking for the Petruccish 6DOIT tones and for lead I'm after the coveted smooth tone the mark IV is known for. Thanks alot.
-Mike

 

[tele_jas]

You might try in the Vintage Amp forum on this site?? Hope I don't come across as rude, but you'd probably get a quicker response over there.

Good luck!!

 

[PRSKILLER]

http://www.grailtone.com/tone-settings/mesa-boogie/view-mark4-settings.html#

 

[metalmike23]

You might try in the Vintage Amp forum on this site?? Hope I don't come across as rude, but you'd probably get a quicker response over there.

Good luck!!

Thanks I'll repost it there.

 

[SFW]

 

[Russ]

Just remember that anyone's settings that you try may sound different on your amp and with your guitar and cabinet. That also says nothing about effects either. Use them as a guideline and turn your knobs a little each way from there. I have had my Mark IV for a while now and am still searching for a certain tone. I have found some good ones already but I just haven't found that sh!t your pants tone. I figure that sweet spot is very small and will take a while to find. I may never find it because it might not be in here but I am going to keep trying. I might not have the right cabinet or guitar either. I hope I do so I don't end up not liking the amp. The tones I have found will keep me from getting rid of it though. Just be patient. I am sure that you'll find what you are looking for.

 

[Russ]

SFW are you on triode or pentode? With what preamp and power tubes? Also, what cabinet and speakers are you using? Guitars? Any effects? Reverb?

 

[metalmike23]

SFW are you on triode or pentode? With what preamp and power tubes? Also, what cabinet and speakers are you using? Guitars? Any effects? Reverb?

It's the combo. I'm on pentode. No preamp and I have all 6l6's. I'm using a jem with evolution humbuckers. The only sounds that I can get seem to be vintage sounds that I'm not a fan of. I was hoping for some great smooth sustaining petrucciesq lead tones and some good shred tones and I'm gettign none of that. I'm almost ready to sell it for the road king.

 

[musicman10_1]

Mike,

I am a little confused. Did you get your Mark IV working?

I have been following your other thread and was under the impression that your amp was not working. Maybe you have another one as well??

I am getting into Petrucci territory but the volume is much louder than I want it to be to get there. I just got a new Mark Iv and am certainly in the learning stages of the amp - as everyone has indicated, I believe it will take time for me to dial in the perfect tones. I am getting closer with each trip to the guitar room though.

 

[metalmike23]

Mike,

I am a little confused. Did you get your Mark IV working?

I have been following your other thread and was under the impression that your amp was not working. Maybe you have another one as well??

I am getting into Petrucci territory but the volume is much louder than I want it to be to get there. I just got a new Mark Iv and am certainly in the learning stages of the amp - as everyone has indicated, I believe it will take time for me to dial in the perfect tones. I am getting closer with each trip to the guitar room though.

yes I finally got it working. It was a preamp tube problem caused by shipping. They looked as if they were working but right when I swapped them the amp started working. Thats good to hear that you get closer everytime. Are you using anything to boost the signal? I used a TS-9 but it seemed to get a bit muddy for rhythm but sounded good for fast runs but still not 100% what I want yet. I exaggeratted when I said I was ready to sell it for the road king. I was just a little upset that I finally got it to work and it didn't live up to my expectations. I'll have to take some time to dial in perfect settings but any help would be awesome.

 

[musicman10_1]

Mike,

I'm not using any type of external pre-amp. My humbucker guitars have pretty hot pickups in them which seems to help a little. I set the EQ in a small V and then adjusted it from there. The EQ helped a lot; at first, I was trying to dial in tones without it and ended up frustrated.

My R3 gain and treble knobs seem to be very interactive (along with that channels presence knob) - so far, this seems like the place for me to work from with slight tweaks to adjust for what I'm after.

Also, I'm having the best luck on full power, simulclass, triode, harmonics. I have the presence pulled on R2 and R3.

Of course it might all be set differently tomorrow!

One other thing I am doing is using a little delay in the loop and believe it or not I am running the reverb on 10. This seems to take some of the boxey sound out and the reverb is so subtle anyway it almost doesn't deserve to be called reverb.

 

[mightypudge]

I posted my Mark IV settings here. I'm not necessarily going after Petrucci tones, but he is a big influence so I guess they are close. I'm using stock PRS guitars and a Mesa 4x12, BTW. The cabinet makes a big difference, I discovered recently.

Here is a recent clip I recorded. Same settings, but with the EQ off.

 

[SFW]

SFW are you on triode or pentode? With what preamp and power tubes? Also, what cabinet and speakers are you using? Guitars? Any effects? Reverb?

Pentode. Marshall JCM800 4x12 cab. GT70 speakers. homade strat with a Duncan 59 in the bridge. Reverb was added at the board.

My favorite speakers with the Mark IV is the C90.

 

[Russ]

Ok cool, thanks SFW

 

[Antoine]

SFW, does your R2 and Lead presence knobs are pushed or pulled ?

 

[musicman10_1]

I could be wrong, but as I look at SFW's diagram it does not look like they are pulled.

It is amazing what pulling/pushing the knobs does to the Mark IV. I will be forever learing all this thing can do!

 

[Antoine]

I think you're rigth Musicman 10_1, i only wanted to be sure.
Yes, with the presence pulled, the sound is smoother, kind of violin-like. With the presence pushed, it's more agressive, and the low end is huge !
I asked the question because according to SFW's diagram, they are pushed, but when i listen to his samples, it seems like they are pulled !

 

[Russ]

This is definitely a knob tweakers paradise....