I Love My Rig

[Scrapinger]

I read a lot of posts with folks constantly looking to "improve" their tone. It seems like they are caught up in the greener pasture syndrome thinking that another head or pedal or cab is gonna be the "be all end all".

Well, I'm officially off the treadmill. I LOVE MY RIG. 2007 Mark IV short chassi into a 2x12 recto cab with Mark IIb in stereo. I have more tone options with this rig than I could ever dream of. No matter which I axe I choose, I can get tones that give me goose bumps. I don't have to chase someone elses' "perfect tone", I've got the rig that's giving me everything I want. Just wanted to let the world know that.

Let the world know if you love your Mark IV!!

 

[tonefreak25]

I read a lot of posts with folks constantly looking to "improve" their tone. It seems like they are caught up in the greener pasture syndrome thinking that another head or pedal or cab is gonna be the "be all end all".

Well, I'm officially off the treadmill. I LOVE MY RIG. 2007 Mark IV short chassi into a 2x12 recto cab with Mark IIb in stereo. I have more tone options with this rig than I could ever dream of. No matter which I axe I choose, I can get tones that give me goose bumps. I don't have to chase someone elses' "perfect tone", I've got the rig that's giving me everything I want. Just wanted to let the world know that.

Let the world know if you love your Mark IV!!

Awesome and congrats!! greener pasture aka GAS is indeed an epidemic among most of us, so I for one envy you. I will say however I am probably the most happy I have ever been with my simple rig, but the GAS still bites now and again.

 

[normandk7]

I'm sorry...
English is not my main language so...what GAS mean????
I saw it often reading on the board.
Thanks,
Normand.

 

[mefgames]

Gear Acquisition Syndrome

 

[gummx97]

I read a lot of posts with folks constantly looking to "improve" their tone. It seems like they are caught up in the greener pasture syndrome thinking that another head or pedal or cab is gonna be the "be all end all".

Well, I'm officially off the treadmill. I LOVE MY RIG. 2007 Mark IV short chassi into a 2x12 recto cab with Mark IIb in stereo. I have more tone options with this rig than I could ever dream of. No matter which I axe I choose, I can get tones that give me goose bumps. I don't have to chase someone elses' "perfect tone", I've got the rig that's giving me everything I want. Just wanted to let the world know that.

Let the world know if you love your Mark IV!!

I have to agree to this post, i have 5 amps total, and as far as i have noticed, have only used one amp extensively, and that is my fender blues deluxe reissue for gigs. Sure, i have a mark 4, triaxis/290/gforce, SMF 15 watter, and blues junior, 5 guitars, but in essence, only revert to 2 guitars at the most. So, I am happy with my rig, no matter what amp i've used or guitar i've used, i still sound like myself.

amidst all the axe-fx's, mark v's IIC's, IIC+'s, it all came down to one guitar, plugged into an M13, into fender blues deluxe for gigs, it appears i've come full circle to keep things simple. Even did gigs with just a mark 4 and guitar, nothing in the loop and it still sounded great within a band setting.

So, I love my rig!

 

[markwayne]

A couple of years ago I came to a similar place as the OP. I had done the top-40, cover/jukebox band thing for years and I just woke up one day and realized that my personal tones were often far better (to my ears) than the original recordings. I just decided to stop trying to clone someone else's tone and work on making my tone as personal and expressive as possible. The day I did that, I was able to greatly simplify my rig. I now have my beloved Mark IV wide-body with an MPX-G2 in the loop and loaded with a 'Lil Texas and a theile cabinet loaded with an EVM 12L. I find I still have great range of tones, but they are all quality tones rather than a compromise meant to convey someone else's style. For gigs where there is still a need for a broader range of rawk tone-age (read Marshall), I still have a rack loaded with a Studio Pre and a JMP-1.

Truth be told, the rack rig remains a kind of security blanket for me even though it doesn't really bring that much more to the table. It's kind of like the Les Paul standard I always carry but rarely play. It just makes me feel more secure to know it's there if needed. If I'm having a bad night, that guitar has a way of making it all better.

So, yeah, I guess I do love my rig. But, like all musicians, insecurity can ruin everything.

 

[miqueas92]

EBMM Axis Super Sport> Ernie Ball Wah> Digitech GPS 1101 only for FX in the loop of my> MKIV 8)

I love my rig.

Mick

 

[ElectricTurkey4369]

This makes me want a Mark IV even more! I'm done putting up with my recto, i'm going mark!

 

[jeffp]

Good for you! In the 2 x 12 recto cab........exactly what two speakers are in there?Is that the closed back? How about the recto 2x12 vs the roadster 2x12?JMP

 

[Scary]

The Mark IV is a great amp. It stands on it's own next to the five, for different reasons of course. I have an easier time with edge of breakup on the V, but the IV is just amazing in so many ways I couldn't part with either.

 

[zebpedersen]

Mark IV is my ultimate 'desert island amp'.

I can be 100% satisfied with the Mark IV and still maintain a healthy level of GAS, though - I'm a multitasker.

 

[hazbin]

Me too!!

 

[topcat0399]

Mark IV is my ultimate 'desert island amp'. ....

+++++++1

 

[kdorsey]

Isn't that a great feeling? Congratulations!!

Now the bad news...

While you may have acquired the perfect amp/guitar matching for you, unless you keel over and buy the farm tomorrow (which is perfectly acceptable, since you've attained this realm of perfection! :wink: ), *something* will change. It may not be something huge, or earth-shattering - maybe just an idea or a revelation. A seemingly small tweak that opens the door for more.

I might be wrong and please feel free to ignore me completely, but I recall thinking this very same thing myself about 20 years ago. My MkIII, Les Paul and Strat took me there first. Then some nimrod named Paul Reed Smith went and built the Custom 24 and TOTALLY screwed me over. And while I then had THE rig and was totally satisfied for all eternity, another complete tool named Robert Keeley took a cool little toy called the TS-9 (that I had ignored because of the noise and tone-robbing factor both on and off signal) and gave me a new dimension to my 'perfect' tone. Darn these brilliantly diabolical dream smashers!! STOP IT! STOP IT ! STOP IT!

Sorry...

I've spent more on stomp boxes in the last year than I have in the last 30+ years of playing, thanks to a new band that has me doing things I never thought I would. I didn't plan this, it just happened and I'm damned glad it did. So while my drive for perfection is not over, it has been a passion that's made me very happy over the years. I wouldn't give it up for the world. And I wish you nothing but the same.

P.S.
PRS and RK...don't you dare stop your brilliance!

 

[phrygiandom]

I recently began simultaneously running my MK-IV with a recently purchased Egnater TOL-50. MASSIVE sound. I find the Egnater compliments the Mesa nicely.


Dave

 

[gummx97]

Consider too as we age or as time goes by, our needs/wants change. If we start playing in another type of band, then our gear needs to cater to the music that we play. We have all these new companies that make new or improve prior designs, hence, our never-ending quest for that perfect tone in our head. For me, it became more of what I can accept/tolerate in a given musical situation. We use mesa's for high/med gain music, if the situation calls for a fender twin and a strat, then some of us might be included to do so rather than show up with a guitar with high-gain/active pickups and a recto!

I suppose that's why most of us have several amps and several guitars.

And now...rumors of a new version of the Elecra-Dyne...remember all the hype about the Mark V? Wonder what's next within our horizon....

 

[porridgebird]

When asked what my favorite guitar or amp is I usually say "the one that's in my hand or plugged into"! I have 4 amps (2 boogies,MKI and an early MKIII/ibuya, Samamp, and a 73 fender Super; 2 Les pauls, 2 Tele's and a Strat). Love em all! Hopefully I'm done for awhile.

I read a lot of posts with folks constantly looking to "improve" their tone. It seems like they are caught up in the greener pasture syndrome thinking that another head or pedal or cab is gonna be the "be all end all".

Well, I'm officially off the treadmill. I LOVE MY RIG. 2007 Mark IV short chassi into a 2x12 recto cab with Mark IIb in stereo. I have more tone options with this rig than I could ever dream of. No matter which I axe I choose, I can get tones that give me goose bumps. I don't have to chase someone elses' "perfect tone", I've got the rig that's giving me everything I want. Just wanted to let the world know that.

Let the world know if you love your Mark IV!!

I have to agree to this post, i have 5 amps total, and as far as i have noticed, have only used one amp extensively, and that is my fender blues deluxe reissue for gigs. Sure, i have a mark 4, triaxis/290/gforce, SMF 15 watter, and blues junior, 5 guitars, but in essence, only revert to 2 guitars at the most. So, I am happy with my rig, no matter what amp i've used or guitar i've used, i still sound like myself.

amidst all the axe-fx's, mark v's IIC's, IIC+'s, it all came down to one guitar, plugged into an M13, into fender blues deluxe for gigs, it appears i've come full circle to keep things simple. Even did gigs with just a mark 4 and guitar, nothing in the loop and it still sounded great within a band setting.

So, I love my rig!

 

[screamingdaisy]

Overall, my favourite amp is a Dual Rectifier.... however, over the years I've learned that sometimes my mood changes, or my ear changes, or whatever... long story short, on some days the Recto isn't my favourite amp.

For those days I've aquired a Mark V and an LSS.

I used to go through a lot of money buying and selling equipment... amps, pedals, cabs... now that I've stockpiled a couple of items that I like I can cycle amongst the stuff I already own and it doesn't cost me a cent.

 

[rgx612a]

I'm very happy and content with my Mark III simulclass red stripe, and my Randall rg100es. I GAS more for guitars these days.

 

[rocksalt7]

While my Ace and Recto cab give me the "sound" I've heard in my head for so many years, there are some days I just enjoy the different sounds my DC gives me. Over the course of time, I've used fewer and fewer pedals, and l really enjoy the simplicity. The only pedals I use regularly are a delay with my Ace and a GE-7 w/ the DC-2, that's it. Like screamingdaisy"s signature says,
"play more, buy less = better tone". Seems to work for me, and that's why I love my rig as much as I do! :mrgreen:

Now guitars are a different nightmare for me... I frequently have epic episodes of guitar GAS, and I don't know how I've managed to keep in control sometimes, but I do...I don't NEED another axe, but I WANT one....to play with and learn about the different sounds and textures I can sculpt. Easy enough to understand, right...yeah...just try explaining that to an intensely angry wife, where that third Les Paul came from!! :shock: ...not so easy sometimes. Yes, GAS is not pretty at times, but what can you do?! 8)