Just got a Mark IIB today, some questions....

[BMcNibbnles]

First of all, I'm new here. Seems like a pretty cool forum!

Anyway, the IIB sounds awesome. Maybe I'm just crazy, but it really reminds me of the Mark IV, but a little easier to tweak. Now, onto my questions:

1. Is it possible to get a really nice crunch AND a really sparkling clean tone by just clicking the footswitch or do you have to completely change the knobs to get from one tone to another? Right now, I have a the PERFECT lead tone dialed in (mine has the graphic EQ, which helps that tremendously), but when I switch channels, it's a) extremely loud on the other channel and b) not sparkling clean; it kind of breaks up, rather. Any advice on this?

Basically, what I'm looking for is a very overdriven sound for leads (kind of Petrucci-ish, lots of mids, a lot of bite, etc.), which I am definitely getting, but as clean as a whistle on the rhythm channel. The problem I'm having is that, in order to get a really overdriven tone on the lead channel, the rhythm channel knobs have to be cranked to get a good distorted tone on the lead channel. Am I just doing something wrong?

2. How do you know if the amp is simulclass or not? Mine is the 60/100 watt version (pictures below, by the way), reverb, graphic EQ, presence control on the back, made in 1981 according to the guy I bought it from.... so, how can you tell if it's simulclass?

3. Which overdrive/ distortion/ boost pedals work best with the IIB? It certainly has a nice gainy tone (although not over the top), but in certain situations, I WANT over the top. So, any suggestions? Thanks!

PICTURE (after I brought it home):

(from the seller, before I picked it up)

 

[zebpedersen]

As you'll rapidly discover there is a big difference between 'fact' and 'opinion' on what sounds good from people's advice, but hopefully you can use it to your advantage and take some tips

1. YES! My IIB is set up for a high-gain lead tone which thicks even my weedy-pickup'ed Telecaster to JP levels of liquid goodness. I had the same problem as you just after I got my IIB so it's not unusual. Feel free to try these settings and see how they work for you (knowing what guitar you play would also be helpful):

V1 @ 7, pulled
Treble @ 7, pulled
Bass @ 3
Middle @ 5
Master pulled, but for playing at home I usually set it to 1.5
Drive @ 7
Lead master pulled, on mine it's a bit less sensitive to volume changes, so run this one higher than your clean channel volume. It is possible to find a balance!

I think the key is to use the V1 control as low as possible without ruining the lead tone, but you have to run it at a certain level to get a thick clean tone. An hour or so of tweaking will definitely help here.

2. Your amp (as mine is) is NOT Simul-Class. The 60/100W switch turns on or off one pair of power tubes. For Simul-Class amps there is a Simul/Class A switch, and it is labeled as such.

3. This one is open to suggestion, as I personally don't use one. But most people suggest BB preamp or OCD. Go try a couple out though, and take your amp to the store!

 

[BMcNibbnles]

Hey, thanks for your reply! You explained everything very well and I am going to try your settings now. I'll be back to update later today.

 

[BMcNibbnles]

UPDATE:

Okay, just tried your settings. They definitely work better than what I was doing, although I'm still having a bit of trouble balancing my lead tone (i.e., amount of gain) with the clean rhythm channel, but I understand it better and, like you said, it will just take more time tweaking.

One more question: the amp came with Groove Tubes. Any other suggestions? Are some tubes more clean/ gainy than others? I prefer ones that break up more if possible, so any suggestions?

Oh, and to answer your question, I'm using three guitars: Strat (American Standard) with humbucker PAF pro in the bridge (soon to be Tone Zone), Ibanez RG3120 (Tone Zone bridge, PAF pro neck) and a Gibson ES-175 (primarily for Jazz on the clean channel).

 

[zebpedersen]

Are you using the GEQ? If not, it comes after the tone controls so you can use it to fine-tune. The treble control on particular affects the gain and the clean tone, so maybe try the graphic? Mine is set in V with the trough on the middle slider right on the middle line. Just don't go mad on the bass. As far as tubes go, I have Boogie tubes in my Mark II and Grooves in my Mark I. I don't think either is audibly cleaner or more dirty and in actual fact I personally think a lot of the time changing the tubes makes mig less of a difference than people say... But I'm sure someone else can give you a better answer than I

 

[Dalibor]

Hello, about valves - try 6L6GC Winged "C" SED - Russian valves, a matched pair or quad. These valves are very similar to old Sylvania ones (early Marks OEM valves). A lot of harmonics, great dynamics and NATURAL tone. You will be surprised then, how naturally your Mark will react to knobs...

Also you'll need good preamp valves to positions V1(input) + V3 (drive) - Tung-Sol 12AX7 are very good.

I have the best experience with www.tubestore.com - helpful people + deep knowledge.

Dalibor

 

[av8or3]

Nice looking IIB

 

[TxMack]

Hey...some advice from a fellow 2B user...get the voodoo man switch..the lights are a lifesaver and switching the eq
on and off gives you tons of flexibility.

Great, great amp.

 

[TxMack]

also...plus one for winged c's. I have some NOS tubes in one of these also, both sound great.

 

[BWM1130]

I resurrected my iib into use again, and finally figured out that if I wire a dpdt footswitch to switch the eq and boost on one side of the dpdt switch so that it corresponded to turning on the lead channel I could emulate my 11c+ programable eq......what a dip I ahve been -should have done thiss years ago....... anyways, this allows you to get the beautiful clean channel tone without using a transistor eq circuit in line with you tone and using tjhe eq to tune out the woofiness and bark from the lead channel. - makes both channels userfull! Also, got a buddy who owns a speaker shop (santon audio,Markham,ON) borrowed a bunch of different eminece 12"drivers along with some c90 celestion pulls(trade ins from customers) and a-b 'd them to the factory evm12L. The c90's broke up too early and sounded very harsh.....the evm12L does not sound very good off axis and does not mate to the narrow body cabinet....the winner was the George Lynch super V-12! Finally the amp sounds the same from 3 feet as it does at 25 feet........Strat finally sounds like a strat as opposed to a reasonable facsimile........
- for preamps and overdrives......depends on your guitars and pickups..... I use both the bb preamp and the bbplus preamps......my current fave for clean boost is the Diamond compressor- pricey but pristine sound and is a true comp as opposed to an "effect".