Mark 3 and Tube Screamer Dont sound good?

[Fastforded]

So my tube screamer pedal sounded great in my old solid state practice amp.

i tried using it with the mark 3 between the guitar and the mark 3

i just couldnt seem to get a good tone out of it..

to keep things simple, i set all 3 dials ont eh tube screamer to the 12 oclock position and then started adjusted the mesa controls.

This gave me the best sound so far...

turned the eq off.
have the reverb at 5.5 and presence at 3

using the rhythm 1 channel, lead Off,

with volume 3.5 "knob in"
treb 7 "knob in"
bass 3 "knob in
mid 6 "knob in"
master 1 "knob in"

still seems miles from the tone i got in my head that im looking for..

what happens if i use the line in/out for the pedal and not before the instrument input?

am i "stacking" the tube effect by using the pedal before the pre-amp section? or with the gain so low it doesnt really matter??

im gonna try and work on this so more, and try to figure out what "tone" im not getting.. its more like it just sounds "muffled" not really a bright sound... would the distortion crunch (no tube screamer pedal, just the the rhythm 2 channel be "bright" and the tube screamer makes the tone be "fat and warm" as opposed to bright?



it just doesnt sound good at all... maybe im missing something..(like maybe the old tubes i am hopefully getting replaced this week are the problem...???)

thanks, any thoughts appreciated

 

[HBob]

I think you're running the gain too high on the tube screamer. It should be set more like a clean boost. With my MKIV I use an overdrive pedal set pretty subtly to just enhance the distortion from the amp, not to add tons of distortion to the amp. I also set up the amp for the best sound and then add in the pedal to tweak things a little. Set the pedal to the amp. Not the amp to the pedal.

 

[ryjan]

Why are you using a distortion pedal in front of a Mark III?
If you can't get a tight metal tone straight out of that amp you need to change tubes, diagnose a weak link in your setup, or work on your technique.

 

[Fastforded]

Why are you using a distortion pedal in front of a Mark III?
If you can't get a tight metal tone straight out of that amp you need to change tubes, diagnose a weak link in your setup, or work on your technique.

Trying to get a different tone from the amp. I wanted to have a crunch channel using the settings on the amp then when I switch to the clean channel use the tube screamer for a different "over driven " sound as opposed to the crunchy rhythm2 channel.

This way I can have 2 different sounds....

 

[MrMarkIII]

I think the big problem is you're running the Mark III's Volume 1 way too low. Try it at around 7, at least to start.
At least you don't run the bass too high, which is a common mistake. I like the Bass at zero, pulled out.
There's nothing wrong with pedals in front of a Mark III, no matter what the ill-informed say.
A very common use for a Tube Screamer is to goose an already over-driven amp, which is one reason for running the amp's Volume 1 at seven or above. Lots of people would then keep the gain on the pedal set quite low, even at zero, and then turn up the volume on the pedal, to boost the front end of the amp more. You may have to lower the Master to compensate for the increased overall volume.
I was a tone snob. I ran my Mark III with no overdrive pedals for twenty years, but now enjoy various overdrives as different flavors.
You can't eat chocolate all the time, even if it's real good chocolate.

 

[dodger916]

^ 3.5 Volume is extremely low for Marks.

 

[Fastforded]

I think the big problem is you're running the Mark III's Volume 1 way too low. Try it at around 7, at least to start.

I ran my Mark III with no overdrive pedals for twenty years, but now enjoy various overdrives as different flavors.
You can't eat chocolate all the time, even if it's real good chocolate.

It get really loud fast as we all know... That's cool but I try and stay in the same room as my amp....

And the tone flavor you mentioned if exactly what I mean.... It's got that beautiful unstoppable Mesa crunch, but sometimes variety is the spice of life... Hence trying to get that fuzzy warm overdrive tone

Maybe set my pregain lower and boost the master volume or is the pre gain how I am overdriving the tubes (like a tube screamer???)

Thanks for all the points of view! As expected "only the best stand above the rest!" Cc

 

[sduck]

Look up Trey Anastasio's settings - he uses 2 tube screamers (not at the same time) in front of his mark III. He only uses the clean channel, but don't know his settings. That is, if you like that kind of sound - I guess it depends what you're going for.

 

[destropiate]

If you want a really tight high gain sound out of your mark you gotta have the Vol 1 up to at least 7. Just bring the volume back down with the masters. The level of Vol 1 directly affects how much gain you are going to get, even on the lead channel. I run my Vol 1 at about 7 or 8 and can play at a bedroom level by bringing the volume back down with the master volume. If you are running the Vol 1 real low you aren't really hearing what that amp is capable of.

 

[Fastforded]

If you want a really tight high gain sound out of your mark you gotta have the Vol 1 up to at least 7. Just bring the volume back down with the masters. The level of Vol 1 directly affects how much gain you are going to get, even on the lead channel. I run my Vol 1 at about 7 or 8 and can play at a bedroom level by bringing the volume back down with the master volume. If you are running the Vol 1 real low you aren't really hearing what that amp is capable of.

Thanks I use volume one about 9 it was "the" master volume I am running on 2...

Seems like I just have a very Muddy base response no matter what's settings. I think it's old worn tubes but my amp store swears "that's the mesa sound". When I asked why can't I get rid I the bass I was told "that's mesa"

I keep telling myself they are just like the used car salesman

The truth is very far from what they speak. Just got really irritating whn all the could say is its vintage and refused to admit it sounds like crap. Far as they are concerned it works so that's that.


The question I have now for the Mesa experts...Bad tubes can cause a muddy base response? No matter how i set the bass level or eq it still sounds muddy...

Any thoughts appreciated, especially any thoughts oñ which tubes would be the cause if the bad bass response or they all are? (-all 4 Power and 5 pre amp tubes?)

Thanks

 

[sduck]

Turn your bass knob down even further? Really - try it at 1 or 2 - it'll probably sound a lot better. It'll probably sound pretty good with the bass knob totally off even.

 

[Fastforded]

Turn your bass knob down even further? Really - try it at 1 or 2 - it'll probably sound a lot better. It'll probably sound pretty good with the bass knob totally off even.

Tried that already. Both the bass knob and the the eq bass freq was lowered an still sounds muddy. Thinking bad tubes... Thanks for the thought

 

[Mr.P]

You can try my settings:
Vol 1 : 8
Treble : 8-10
Mid : 4-6
Bass : 0.5-1.5
Master : 1-1.5 (pull deep)
Lead drive : 8-10
Vol 2 : 4-5 (sometimes I like to turn master to near 0 and crank vol 2 to 10 for more sustain and compression)

I boost the front end with xotic BB preamp (andy timmons sig.) (based on TS circuit with some modifications)
Gain : 0
Level : slightly louder than bypass (2-3 o clock)

The trick is to adjust the knobs on the pedal to where it sounds the most natural. I do this with cranking vol 1 on the clean channel (it should break up), and try to emulate that crunch using just my BB preamp.

I'd suggest turn the EQ on, and use this settings:
Left : 100% (full)
Left-center : 30%
Center : 20%
Right-center : 60%
right : 90-95%

What tubes are currently in your amp? My amp first came with JJ 6L6, which were out of mesa's bias range. It sounded god awful until I pop in proper mesa tubes. Now it's working great.