Mark IV Reverb is Faint

[itsjonduhh]

hey guys, since i got my mark IV in october of '07, the reverb seemed off. i demoed a mark IV combo in a store, and the reverb was immense when it was on 10. now i have my reverb on 10, and it's still faint.

when i first got it, when the reverb was on 10, it was extremely quiet and buzzed a little. now it doesn't buzz, and is only a little louder.

do i have to stretch out the springs somehow, or is my tank just not that great?

 

[MusicManJP6]

MIV reverb is indeed tube driven. But, don't worry, you're not missing out on much - the reverb is not very good IMO...

 

[itsjonduhh]

alright, thanks for the input guys. the reverb send and return is controlled by v3 and v4, so i'll switch those out and see what happens. if i need a new tank, the warranty should cover it right?

and what's so bad about the reverb exactly? i'm not used to fender accutronics reverbs, and i know that when it's set high on the lead channel it sounds like crap... but other than that, what's so bad?

 

[Tyrant]

The IV's reverb isn't that bad. I've got a JAN 5751 in one of mine and it sounds great. I never run it past 3 though.

 

[itsjonduhh]

ha, exactly what i was thinking. except i wish i only had to run mine at 3 :lol:

 

[charndt]

I think the reverb is decent, but I can't switch it on and off when I switch channels with the standard footswitch. Because of this, I'm just going to use the reverb on a g major.

 

[mr_fender]

The reverb on the Mark IV does sound pretty good. It's not the best, but it's certainly not the worst. I think many people's dislike for it stems from its lack of flexibility. A single master reverb level control doesn't give you many options. Also, the reverb is BEFORE the FX loop in the signal chain, and that can limit your options too. The IVa's don't have a footswitch jack, but one can be "rigged" cheap and easy.

As for your problems, check the reverb driver tubes. Also check the cable connections to and from the reverb tank. A loose or dirty connector can make the verb sound pretty wanky or cause it to cut in and out. Actual reverb tank damage is possible too. You can check to make sure the springs are properly connected and can move and vibrate arround freely. I personally use a Line6 Verbzilla for a few more options.

I wonder how good the Mark Five's reverb is...