MARK IV ISSUES!!!!!

[metalblitz84]

Okay, I've had this Mark IV for about 3 months now. I still can't get a good tone from it alone. I have tried all the settings from the database and have tried ones from other people in this forum. I switched out all the pre amp tubes and there is no difference. It sounds like there is no tone and I can't get that rich creamy sharp distortion. It just sounds muffled and dying and the only way to get any treble is to set the treble, presence, and 6600 glider all the way up, but that also makes it really thin sounding and tinny. Has anybody else had this problem. I've heard you can get a Metallica-like tone easily but I can't get anything close. Does anybody else know what could be causing this. Could it be my speaker cabinet or something else in the amp? I gotta fix this now!!!! Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

[Platypus]

Details.

Amp year/revision, guitar used, pickups used, speakers used... settings?

 

[metalblitz84]

It's brand new. 2007 medium head with an LTD EX with active EMG's. 81 and 60. 4X12 Rectifier cab with celesions vintage 30's. Settings are as follows right now:

Lead Gain - 8 pull
Lead Treble - 10
Lead Bass - 3
Lead Mid - 4
Lead Drive - 7.5 pull
Lead Master - 3
Lead Presence - 10 pull
EQ:
80 - 3/4 to Top
240 - Center Line
750 - Bottom
2200 - Center Line
6600 - All the way up
Output Level - 3
Power - Full
Class - Simul-Class
Harmonics - Mid Gain
Power - Pentode
Reverb - 0

 

[Platypus]

Try these:

Lead
Gain: 8 (pulled)
Treble: 8.5
Bass: 2.5
Mid: 4.5
Drive: 8
Pres: 7 (pulled)
Vol: 3

Master: 2

Harmonics / Tweed / Simul / Triode

If you can't get tight/bright tone from that then there is something wrong.

I think you need to play around with your settings more a bit. Try running it with tweed/simul/harmonics, etc. I think you're not going to get as brutal of a tone with your volume at 3 in full power/pentode because of how much wattage you have to burn up to get a cranked tone.

Bring your bass down... no higher than 2.5.

 

[Platypus]

Try also a more sane EQ setting and work from there to fine tune it. The trick with the MarkIV is to get it sounding great without the GEQ then add it to further refine your tone.

Start with something like this and move it around as needed.

Do you have any other guitars you can try?
When was the last time you changed your battery in your guitar?

 

[lockbody]

When was the last time you changed your battery in your guitar?

+1

I remember the first time I ever fired mine up and switched to the Lead Channel - "Hey! Metallica! :lol:

 

[PeeMonkey]

Yea since your EMG's are active the batterys are probably dead, do you leave your guitar plugged in when not playing?

 

[metalblitz84]

I never leave it plugged in when I'm not playing it and I just switched the battery out a week ago. The power tubes wouldn't affect the tone of the amp at all would it?

 

[srf399]

The MKIV can sound amazing and it can also sound like poop. That is the frustrating thing for me with the MKIV.

The naturally have a flat sound flat like an L5 Lab Series amp It isn't a bouncy amp like a Lonestar but with effects it comes alive. For me delay is the key. They sound killer for leads with a good analogue delay. They aren't a bright amp like a Stiletto...they a dark, raspy, and smooth.

 

[Platypus]

I never leave it plugged in when I'm not playing it and I just switched the battery out a week ago. The power tubes wouldn't affect the tone of the amp at all would it?

They certainly do.

See if those settings I posted help at all

 

[metalblitz84]

No, they didn't really do anything. I'm switching out the power tubes right now....we'll soon see.

 

[metalblitz84]

Switched out all the power tubes and there is no difference. What else could cause this????

 

[metalblitz84]

I don't know. Maybe it just isn't supposed to sound as good as I expected without external effects. Could you guys post short little sound clips of your Mark IV's without any effects or additions?

 

[metalblitz84]

Would my speaker cab affect the tone that much in any way????

 

[ytse_jam]

Would my speaker cab affect the tone that much in any way????

the cab influences your tone too obviously, but there are so many people using mark IV with a recto 4x12 and they're fine, so it shouldn't be the cab model itself to be wrong... then, if the cab is somehow damaged it's all another story. Search the rigs&tones section to find some markIV clips.

 

[hanson2713]

hey, You need to try the mark iv in a band/recording mix setting. Using in a small room alone is not going to give you any idea how it really sounds. Also check that battery again sometimes they just go bad (or is a bad battery to begin with).

 

[Buddy]

If you have room , try adding another 9v in series with the existing battery .
I did this and found the sound to be somewhat improved .
Or you might consider pitching the EMG's altogether ... Try a different guitar first .
To my ears , They sound a bit sterile and lacking complexity .
Good luck .

 

[creative]

lead gain 8 pulled
lead treble 8
lead bass 0
lead mid 2
lead drive 6 pulled
presence 0 pushed
master 0
output 2
pentode,simul,harmonics,full.
eq like platypus on photo, and sed 6l6(help on lower volumes)

 

[disassembled]

I don't want to say there is something wrong with you or your ears but maybe you should post a clip. Do you have another guitar and cable? Are any effects hooked up or are you plugging straight in? Are you getting 120 volts from your socket? Are you using a speaker cable between the head and cab? Did you eat your wheaties this morning?

Start off with a stock amp:

Put the stock tubes in
Push all of the knobs in and turn everything to zero
Turn each knob 1 at time to make sure they are working and effecting the amp (of course for the tone controls you will have to have the gain up a bit to hear)

Once you determined everything is fully functional post a clip of a tone without GEQ (GEQ isn't necessary at decent volume).

Maybe the mark series just isn't for you and you're expecting it to be another amp or quite possibly there is a problem with the amp.

Give Mesa a call or shoot them an email too.


Greg

 

[Platypus]

If my settings or the others posted do not give you a bright/tight tone then something is definitely wrong somewhere in the chain. Almost all of my clips in the Rigs/Tones section are guitar straight into mark.. you need absolutely NO effects on the lead channel.

If you can post a clip that would be helpful.

I would try a different cable and a different guitar (with passives) if you can. We need to isolate the problem before you start retubing or calling mesa about it.