Mark I channel

[Dr. Avery]

I've owned the mark V combo for a while now, and I had more or less found a use for all 9 of the channels.

All except for the Mark I channel. It just didn't sound right for anything. I couldn't find the context, so to speak. No big deal - they can't all be winners, right? 6 great channels, two good channels, and one channel that's a dud isn't too bad.

The other day I decide I'm going to try some "I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. None of my go-to channels are working. it's a classic mid gain number, so I try crunch and edge, but they both lack that sloppy but powerful low end punch that you need to duplicate that sound. everything on Channel 3 is way too tight.

That's when I try out Mark I. I turn the gain to about 9 o'clock (pointing directly left), and there it is. Big ol' wide-open loose floppy low-end-y rock & roll lovin' tone with just the right amount of punch and not too much articulation.

And of course, once I understood the context, a bunch of other sounds started to make sense in that channel too.

This amp is so good that it has sounds you don't even know you need yet.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Early Marks had that big, fat '70s rock vibe going on.

 

[Barry]

I too have recently found favor with the mark I mode but I push the gain a bit more to about 1 oclock, bass & mid around 9 oclock, treble and prescence around 12 oclock . Sounds awesome with just about any humbucker guitar . EQ set in the hard V setting

 

[MrMarkIII]

Early Marks had that big, fat '70s rock vibe going on.

That's because a lot of that big, fat '70s rock was made with early Marks!
Boo-ya!

 

[golfnguitarz]

After hating Mark I for a while, I am now using it more than Crunch. IMHO, to my ears, it comes the closest to my old Marshall TSL. I don't know how it compares to other Marshalls, but for me, it gets that sound. I also adjust the GEQ as recommended elsewhere into a straight slant to the upper right.

 

[Gunnski]

Mark I is probably my favorite mode in the entire amp...I play a lot of faster rock and metal and the thick low end keeps my high gain sounds from getting buzzy....my settings are something like:

Thick switch ON
45 watts, tube rectification
Volume - 10 to noon
Gain - 1:30
Low - Off
Mid - 11:00
High - 2:00
Presence - 1:30

 

[bassmantim71]

I live in Mark I mode, 10 watts, dark & gritty

 

[jb's 52]

I can't seem to dial the blanket off with this mode.
It might be the combo effect but I'll have to try harder tonight.

 

[Hendog]

I can't seem to dial the blanket off with this mode.
It might be the combo effect but I'll have to try harder tonight.

Channel volume past 12, treble up and bass and mid down.

 

[golfnguitarz]

I can't seem to dial the blanket off with this mode.
It might be the combo effect but I'll have to try harder tonight.

Try the setting the GEQ to something like this (going from memory, but check in settings thread for a pic):
_
_
--------- _ -------------------
_
_

 

[fjk1138]

I personally find the Mark I sound to be an almost hidden treasure on this amp. Whether I crank the gain or back it off, the tone always blends nicely with any music I have tried recording on.

 

[golfnguitarz]

I can't seem to dial the blanket off with this mode.
It might be the combo effect but I'll have to try harder tonight.

Try the setting the GEQ to something like this (going from memory, but check in settings thread for a pic):
_
_
--------- _ -------------------
_
_

Oh crap - that didn't show up correctly! Just look for the pic in the settings thread.

 

[smd24fan]

I dialed in Mark I to my liking and haven't used Ch. 3(any mode) since! Sounds hard to believe, maybe crazy, but I just can't get the low end response from any other mode n the amp that I like.

 

[golfnguitarz]

I dialed in Mark I to my liking and haven't used Ch. 3(any mode) since! Sounds hard to believe, maybe crazy, but I just can't get the low end response from any other mode n the amp that I like.

Not crazy, I can see that. To me, it feels like there is some overlap between Mark I and channel 3. You can definitely get a pretty big high gain sound out of Mark I.