Mark IV with a Strat

[Scrapinger]

I am looking to make my strat sound a little better through my Mark IV. I'm not crazy how a strat, and I've tried several with different pups, sounds through the Mark IV esp the R2 and lead channels. I am thinking about getting an overdrive pedal, boost pedal, combination OD/boost, and or a MXR 10 band eq to help with that.

I have like the clean channel with the gain cranked to 10, but the R2 and lead just don't have the dynamics I am used to with my LP and Explorer.

So any opinions on what to run inline with a strat to boost the sound for more nads and a SRV type growl would be greatly appreciated. Ideally I want to use the gain from the wonderful Mark IV and not color it up with a solid state pedal.

 

[Fronzil]

not sure about SRV type growl as I never looked into his gear to much, but I run my Suhr S3 into my IV with a BB preamp..works great! I know other guys using Suhr overdrives with Suhr guitars into mark series as well.

 

[swbo101]

I play mostly strats with my Mark IV.... When I do I always run Full Power - SimulClass - Pentode. My gain and drive is usually around 8.5, I pull Gain Fat, but do not use the pull bright on the drive. Without being in front of my Mark IV...my lead is around 7-8, bass 2.5 and mid around 6-7. Presense at 3. I have a 1975 strat and a 2007 USA '70s reissue (love the U shaped neck). I have found this works best. With my Les Pauls I will pull bright on the drive but not the Fender, also will run that in class A triode. Also I don't pull fat on R2 with the strat. I find that single coils don't like that and tend to get too buzzy and break up. Dual coils will respond better to the pull fat on R2.

Hope this helps.

 

[Fronzil]

Also I don't pull fat on R2 with the strat. I find that single coils don't like that and tend to get too buzzy and break up. Dual coils will respond better to the pull fat on R2.

Hope this helps.

hmm I strongly disagree, mind you it seems you run your gain a little higher than my tastes as well.

 

[swbo101]

Also I don't pull fat on R2 with the strat. I find that single coils don't like that and tend to get too buzzy and break up. Dual coils will respond better to the pull fat on R2.

Hope this helps.

hmm I strongly disagree, mind you it seems you run your gain a little higher than my tastes as well.

That maybe true when running the gain in R2 at a lower setting. Plus I have my EQ set to R2 Auto and boost the lower freq. a bit more when using a strat. That may play into why the Fat setting may not sound as well. I use different settings for gain and EQ with my Les Pauls and also with my 335.

 

[Fronzil]

Also I don't pull fat on R2 with the strat. I find that single coils don't like that and tend to get too buzzy and break up. Dual coils will respond better to the pull fat on R2.

Hope this helps.

hmm I strongly disagree, mind you it seems you run your gain a little higher than my tastes as well.

That maybe true when running the gain in R2 at a lower setting. Plus I have my EQ set to R2 Auto and boost the lower freq. a bit more when using a strat. That may play into why the Fat setting may not sound as well. I use different settings for gain and EQ with my Les Pauls and also with my 335.

ya I have mine set to auto R2 with every guitar, I find the clean channel doesn't need it at all, and the footswitch has the Lead+GEQ button so ya!...I just find pulling R2 gain adds so many nice overtones, while tightening up the low end more, not just boosting it.