Mark I rehab questions?

[wengr]

Hello, I'm new here and have some questions about my Mark I. It's an original model I guess with dyno tape, hardwood and cane etc. Heres the thing, I don't care for the sound of this amp, and have not for the 23+ years that I have owned it. I would like to rehab it to the best of my ability. Maybe I am unrealistic about what the proper tone should be? I've always been disappointed with the quality of breakup. So some questions are:
1 Are there any good clips out there that would be examples of a proper Mark I?

2 Tube replacement suggestions - type, brand, and source?

3 Cap\ anything else repalacement?

4 What was the original speaker? What are some sensible replacements to consider?

Thanks in advance, seems like a good resource here, greg

 

[guitarzan1143]

what are your eq settings? I got a quote for a total overhaul on my mark III at about 200 dollars, which was a "high estimate" just in case it needed a lot of work. I run my mark III into a 4x12 with two greenbacks and two vintage 30s, it sounds amazing.

 

[wengr]

more often than not I'll keep the eq switched out. It does not do anything to improve the sound. I can get an ok clean tone, but to get any type of usable overdrive is not possible. I don't expect rectifier type sound, just a decent usable tone for blues.

 

[guitarzan1143]

something is very wrong. the EQ should make a gigantic difference, it should sound like a whole different amp, you need to get it looked at for sure.

 

[Spewnz]

yea nice bluesy overdrive is defiantly the specialty of the mark 1 in my opinion. and as far as good samples of tone go try Santana on the abraxas album. that's great mark one tone it was the First mark one as well.

 

[wengr]

something is very wrong. the EQ should make a gigantic difference, it should sound like a whole different amp, you need to get it looked at for sure.

Sorry for the confusion, it does make a big difference as I adjust it, but it just goes from sucky and bassy to sucky and less bassy. The eq I believe is working correctly. Now the reverb does not work, and has never worked during my ownership. But I doubt that would afect the basic tone of the amp?

 

[wengr]

yea nice bluesy overdrive is defiantly the specialty of the mark 1 in my opinion. and as far as good samples of tone go try Santana on the abraxas album. that's great mark one tone it was the First mark one as well.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check it out.

 

[JOEY B.]

Sucky and Bassy, then you might want to try one of these. http://www.pedalgeek.com/cgi-bin/new_shop.cgi?config=&uid=S4n1YQAA1265242216&command=link--aess

 

[guitarzan1143]

something is very wrong. the EQ should make a gigantic difference, it should sound like a whole different amp, you need to get it looked at for sure.

Sorry for the confusion, it does make a big difference as I adjust it, but it just goes from sucky and bassy to sucky and less bassy. The eq I believe is working correctly. Now the reverb does not work, and has never worked during my ownership. But I doubt that would afect the basic tone of the amp?

What is your EQ setting on the amp itself, not the 5-band eq? try..

treble at 8, bass at 1, mid at 1.5-2, then give the GEQ a slight V, and adjust the bass/treble wants/desires with the EQ, not the amp.

 

[JOEY B.]

What is your EQ setting on the amp itself, not the 5-band eq? try..

treble at 8, bass at 1, mid at 1.5-2, then give the GEQ a slight V, and adjust the bass/treble wants/desires with the EQ, not the amp.

Any Mark II and III settings are not the cure for the Mark I. Both gain controls are located in the circuit before the tone controls, where the Mark II and III only have the VOLUME 1 control before the signal hits the tone stack. It makes a difference, for sure.

 

[igfraso]

something is very wrong. the EQ should make a gigantic difference, it should sound like a whole different amp, you need to get it looked at for sure.

Sorry for the confusion, it does make a big difference as I adjust it, but it just goes from sucky and bassy to sucky and less bassy. The eq I believe is working correctly. Now the reverb does not work, and has never worked during my ownership. But I doubt that would afect the basic tone of the amp?

Actually, on a Mark I, the EQ does not make a big difference. Send it to Mike Bendinelli for a check up and ask him to place the EQ after the master, where it will really make a big difference. This is a very common modification he makes on the Mark I.
Regards

 

[igfraso]

As Joey B. correctly says, you need to set it differently.
Try this for input 1:

- Vol 1: 4
- Vol 2: 8
- Master: 2.5~3
- Treble: 7
- Bass: 2~3
- Middle: 5
- Presence: 6~7
- Reverb: 3~4

Now, if you want the typical Santana's sound, use input 1, turn the EQ off and try the 7-2 recipe:

- Vol 1: 7 (or 7.5)
- Vol 2: 7 (or 7.5)
- Master: whatever you can bear, Santana sets it on stage at 7~7.5
- Treble: 7 (or 7.5)
- Bass: 2
- Middle: 7 (or 7.5)
- Presence: 7
- Reverb: to taste

For a speaker try an Altec 417-8H (even if Santana has used an 417-8B and also an 8C) and add a touch of 330 ms delay.
Enjoy!

 

[wengr]

Thanks for all the helpful replies. I have listened to some clips from Abraxxis, and even over the computer I can tell that it's dramatically better than my tone. I can't get that level of sustain. and the overdrive sound is not nice in any way. Can't get anything like a singing tone like I would expect. I have had it for twenty some years, so there won't be too many settings that I have not tried, and I just accidentally broke one of the power tubes, but i'll get them all replaced and try the suggested settings.