Makeshift Mark IV Reverb Switch

[Greystoke]

Hi Guys,

Cool board - lots of great info. I'm wondering if anyone can help me verify/expand on some info I read in a past post concerning retrofitting an early MK IV (in my case a '91) with a reverb footswitch control. Here's the info from the post:

Just got off the phone with Mike at Mesa Boogie.

He told me there is a surprizingly easy fix.

1. Disconnect the L RCA plug from the chasis. (not the left, the one with the lip)

2. Plug a RCA Y jack into the chasis (it should have 1 male and 2 female)

3. Plug the cable you just un-plugged into one side of the Y jack.

4. Plug a footswitch into the free side of the Y jack.

That's it!

I'll soon be getting my fouth MK IV (my first three are long gone) and am wondering if anyone has tried this and, if so, how well it works and if there are any noticable tone/performance changes when using this switch vs. turning the reverb off by turning the reverb control to 0.

Thanks for any info.

Greystoke
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[vulture2600]

it would make sense that it would work, it would just ground out the input to the reverb.... it wouldnt hurt anything electronically.
if you wanted to make a better switch, you could use a 9v relay as well.

 

[Boogiebabies]

I would use a Carling stomp switch and a Switchcraft 12A and be done with it. A relay overcomplicates it. Any tip to ground footswitch will work.

The tone may be less bright as the reverb in itself is voiced that way IMHO.

 

[Greystoke]

Thanks for info, guys. I have the Carling and Switchcraft parts around so I'll first give the simpler version a try when the amp arrives and hopefully be done.

Anyone else that has done this and has any added info, please jump in - it's much appreciated.

Thanks,

Greystoke

 

[marklyn]

I've done it and it works fine, I don't use it that often though. Most of the time I'm running reverb/tremolo in the loop and just use the loop footswitch.

But using the simple reverb pedal to turn it off and on works well. I haven't noticed a tone difference when using it.