Mark III---Rhythm 2 and Lead channel at the same time?

[jjblacksheep]

I was reading the manual regarding the Lead Master and it mentions possible excessive squealing when Rhythm 2 and Lead Channel are on at the same time. Since I haven't had time to fool with my "new" Mark III much due to work.....is this a common setting? In other words, playing on the Lead channel with the Lead Drive pulled out to Rhythm 2? Does this somehow give you a semi 4th channel with a practical use? Anyone do this? Just trying to learn a few things about the amp settings with limited time to play/tweak.

 

[tony777]

It gets slightly thicker.

 

[jjblacksheep]

Hmm.....interesting. Thicker.......maybe good for heavier rhythm riffs? I'll have to try it out when I get a chance.

 

[silentrage]

I think it might be the smoothness mod I did but my lead channel is absolutely **** for any heavy rhythm, it's just way too muddy. But it's thick alright, so it's great for leads.

 

[jjblacksheep]

hmm...my lead channel is not muddy but it took some serious fiddling with presence and such. Not as dark as R2. I never thought to try it with R2, maybe it will thicken it up in a good way without dumping mud on it.

 

[bartchamdoh]

It,s surprising how many people don,t understand how the 3 channels on a mark 3 work!!!What you have with channel 2 is a kinda hot rodded tube screamer type gain setting whilst channel 3 gives the typical mark series smooth high gain lead tone. What happens when you engage both these via having pull rythm/pull lead pulled out or footswich is that both these channels are on simultaneously!!!!! just like using a tube screamer in front of a good over driven amp or pedal this gives a percieved boost in the mids.Unfortunately on earlier mark 3,s good settings for the lead channel make channel 2 sound overly bassy, whilst good channel 2 settings can make the lead channel sound thin and trebly! Therefor many people when stacking the 2 channels find there lead channel becomes muddy(because of channel 2,s eq curve)When stacking channels like this i,ve found the awnser is to get a good tube screamer type tone(cut the bass way back and boost the treble) and then stack both channels for a good lead tone.This is a good way to have a crunch to lead set up however the clean channel will now sound ****.......but thats another story lol!

 

[MrMarkIII]

R2 and Lead on at the same time? It's just barely noticeable.

Momentary hijack:
It,s surprising how many people don,t understand how apostrophes and commas work!!! :lol:
Also: Too much Bass (the knob, not the Graphic) will make the overdrive on any Mark amp flubby. The Graphic adds bass after the pre-amp, thus avoiding the dreaded flub.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

 

[jjblacksheep]

It's not a huge difference but yeah, it's there.....I like it. I just had to bump the knobs a hair to reset things a bit but I think I like it better than w/ R2 pushed in. Just adds a little more meat to it. Thanks everyone.

 

[bartchamdoh]

Yup it,s only just noticeable because as i,ve said your adding the subtle gain of channel 2 to the high gain of channel 3. What is more noticeable is the extra bass of channel 2 when you stack the 2 channels with the lead channel set up for a good tone alone.Read my previous response for what to do when going from crunch to a 2 channel stacked setting!

 

[boogiemanmark3]

I actually find i get a bit more gain and it gets smoother, more rectifier sounding.

 

[jjblacksheep]

Actually the little time I had on it that's a pretty good description. A hair more gain and what called "meaty"...more accurate may be a little smoother. I don't know but there is a subtle difference and I like it. It's actually a little like the gain boost on my old Carvin X100B when it's on a low setting...............but with way more natural gain in the amp than the Carvin. I fought long and hard with pedals and effects with the Carvin to get the gainy sound that this Boogie pours on by itself with no help. Love.

 

[bartchamdoh]

Surely one of the great things about the mark 3 wimo is the main selling point over any other mark series amp is the versatility of it,s foot switching system!Hook up one foot switch and you,ve got a great two channel either clean/lead, or crunch/lead amp.Alternatively hook up the rear foot switch and it,s a two channel clean/crunch amp.Hook up both at the same time and you can do all of the above and stack the crunch and lead channel as a boost for a thicker,smoother tone. Now add the eq/reverb pedal(if your mark 3 has these as options) and the skys the limit.Many people see this three pedal system as a weakness of the mark 3 but imo its the stepping stone to tailor the amp to suit each players needs ie two or three channels, boost swich, eq reverb for even more tones etc.......MARK 3,S RULE!

 

[silentrage]

When I first had my mark iii blue I can set it up so that the R2 is very tight and punchy (with a OD in front) and Lead is really thick but still tight, just not as tight as R2.
After I modded it, (C30 and C26 I think?) the lead channel is quite a bit smoother than before, but it's also looser than before, so I can't use it for heavy palm muted rhythm whatsoever now...

But I don't really mind as the R2 is so perfect for what I play.