How do I get Metal tones from my Mark V

[Esp...]

Hello out there and maybe somebody can help me. I have a Mark V head with a 4x12 recto cab and am playing with a Jackson RR1 with seymour duncans. I have been extremely frustrated trying to get a real heavy metal tone. I can get kinda close with channel 3 with gain all the way up but it always seems to be muddy and lacks that melt your face dark heavy rhythym I was expecting from my boogie. I tried a hardwire metal distortion in front but it thins out the tone and has a brittle synthetic sound. Could it be my pickups? I also tried switching tubes, I put in some jjs el34s and that really helped but I cant seem to get it full and nasty. I am getting so frustrated that im almost ready to sell it at a loss or trade it. Maybe theres an effect pedal that can tighten it up and get more sustain? I really need some advice. I put out a huge wad of money for it and if I cant get the tone I want my wife will never let me forget it. I hope im just overlooking something. Thanks. Ps. Other than that it has the most beautiful clean tones. This is my first Mark

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Start here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kOIx7HbhxQ

http://youtu.be/i24e8icZG1o

 

[Geiri]

Or sell it and buy a newborn recto ;o)

 

[Rob Lockwood]

A metal distortion pedal like that is meant to get a high gain metal sound into a fairly clean amp. I dont think it would work well as a boost on channel 3. I am not a metal player myself but I have read that a lot of those guys use a Tubescreamer or similer to tighten up the sound and add a bit of gain, even on rectifiers. These pedals tend to cut the bass a bit and push the mids which is probably what you want especially on the Mk2C+ mode.. If you try one you need to keep the drive on the lower side on the pedal but crank the volume to boost the signal that the amp sees.

 

[K-Roll]

I've had good results with boosting the Ch2 with an OCD and it does work fine when boosting ch3 too but one needs to lower the amp gain to get a greater result as ch3 is a little thinner sounding when overthrown with treble/gain...
however, I think you should not have major problems finding metal tones on a mark 5..

What I usually go with is ch3 settings:

pentode, mk4, pentode, hard bypass(mesa stiletto cab)
bass 9 oclock
middle 11 oclock
treble somewhere between 1-2 oclock
gain: 2 oclock
presence depending on pickups but somewhere between 10-noonish
master around 11 o clock

GEQ is set up to taste depending on guitar.. as a 7string player I tend to run the 1st slider neutral and slightly boost the second slider a little above the middle line..750hz are slightly scooped
(i haven't had good results scooping it like petrucci does.. it narrows the sound a lot and even though i am the only guitar in the band i get lost)
4th slider is slightly above the middle line and 5th is around the middle line, sometimes lower.. I've got guitar that has quite the presence, that's why i do not need that much treble on the GEQ..

now general facts: i do not find the mark 5 the best standalone amplifier to play scooped metal sounds on it's own, cause it shines best in a band situation..

 

[OamrG]

How loud are you playing the amp? And, try keeping your presence down. That should help give it a little darker sound and get that deepness you might be looking for. The Mark V should be fine on its own with metal tones.

 

[Esp...]

Hello out there and thanks for your input and opinions. I am beyond happy and am totally in love with my Mark V now. I experimented further and foun that I can get the most beautiful metal tones by using my tubescreamer and ISP decimator on the mark II C+ mode. I can now get any metal tone and then some with endless sustain and balls. The Mark V has surpassed my expectations. Plus I get the most beautiful cleans, blues, etc out of the other modes. I must say that it is by far the best amp I have ever had and believe it can produce any tone. It is such a great feeling to finally get the sound in my head and can now focus on playing and not on getting gear and an endless pursuit of that perfect tone. The Mark V is the King of tone. Thanks guys. esp...