Mk II C+ w/o EQ

[recordmusic]

I am the lucky owner of a MkII C+ with celection extension cabinet. Perfect condition I might add. No simulclass nor EQ. (It is actually a C converted to a C+ recently)

How important would it be to put an EQ pedal in before the amp? I know it is subjective but just trying to get a feel.

Also, I am converting from playing a strat to a humbucker guitar. Will most likely by a Gibson SG.

I really like the Dave Grohl/Foo Fighters sound. I am not a lead player, basically rhythym, simple note picking, simple leads.

thanks for your input,

any interest in more info on my amp I can post a picture, etc.

 

[Kgry]

I actually use a 15 band rack EQ in the FX loop of my Mark III. It totally changes the sound for the better IMO. It just adds so many more sounds you can achieve. I guess that means I have 2 eq's running with the onboard and the rack.

 

[ESPguitar]

I don't know about the C series but now i've had my Mark IV for a while and it's impossible to get a good heavy metal tight tone without the EQ section on..

RB

 

[ahoi]

i have to disagree - the eq is overrated. It is a useful tool, but its more important to use the other tone controls and set the presence right. Additionally it depends on what sounds youre after.

 

[Boogiebabies]

i have to disagree - the eq is overrated. It is a useful tool, but its more important to use the other tone controls and set the presence right. Additionally it depends on what sounds youre after.

Your kidding, right ? The EQ is is essential to getting tones other than Abraxas. All of these E-Bay IIC+'s without the EQ quote Metallica and Petrucci tone, but that is such a load of BS. Other than dripping fat singing Santana tone, if I did not have a graphic in the loop of a non EQ IIC+ I would slit my wrists.

A GE7 in the loop will do fine as well as a good rack unit. I would stay away from anything digital. I hate ADA conversion. It kills your tone is a serial effects loop.

 

[ahoi]

I agree with you that for metallica sounds, an eq is a necessity. But Petrucci does not really scoop the mids. I simply do not like the classical V, that even the manual recommends. If overdone, it can make the tone thin and buzzy. On Petruccis website there are some pics of his settings, and he never has his eq in an extreme V Setting.

But if you still disagree, I'd really like to hear your way to get a petrucci like tone as on Once in a Livetime or Live Scenes from New York - I'd really be interested
(should we start another thread?)


Concerning an eq replacement, i'd suggest the small mxr pedal, as an alternative to the boss eq ...

 

[MesieBooga]

The EQ is pretty much essential to my tone too.

I took Petrucci's site settings to a gig a while back and was suprised on how MID bumped the amp was.
Too much for me, I was re-eq'ing live as I played!

 

[908ssp]

Have one with and one without. I love the sound of both hardly ever use the EQ. It does dramatically increase your possibilities so it is nice to have when you need it. If I was to use an EQ with the head that doesn't have one I would use it in the loop not on the guitar input.

 

[Boogiebabies]

I agree with you that for metallica sounds, an eq is a necessity. But Petrucci does not really scoop the mids. I simply do not like the classical V, that even the manual recommends. If overdone, it can make the tone thin and buzzy. On Petruccis website there are some pics of his settings, and he never has his eq in an extreme V Setting.

But if you still disagree, I'd really like to hear your way to get a petrucci like tone as on Once in a Livetime or Live Scenes from New York - I'd really be interested
(should we start another thread?)


Concerning an eq replacement, i'd suggest the small mxr pedal, as an alternative to the boss eq ...

JP still runs his mids low. If you really look at the setup, you know he has to slave it out to a power amp. With Master settings of 2 and lead Master settings of 3 you are not going to get power amp distortion. The tone is easily in the preamp and then sent to the ginormous rack through the loop and slaved out to those 6 cabs. If you have 4 or 5 4X12's you will get what I mean. I ran 3 4X12's with the Road King the other day and the more cabs you add, the more they even the tone out. The bottom end seems to even out more equally and is way more effective. The high end smooths out as well. The rest is in the guitar and your hands. The IIC+ is very effective as a preamp. The tone at low volumes is very defined and precise. If you slave that out you have a better chance at the DT tone. The IIC+ through 3 4X12's is no slouch either. Hit the pull deep and tweak the master volume and hang on. I need to take a few pics of my rigs and post them with the settings.

 

[Boogiebabies]

Oh, and the presence over three will slice your head off. 4 is beyond death for me. Mike B says it does not really open up until 5. By then I am weak, nauseous and ready to pass out.

 

[ahoi]

Try running the presence at about 5 and then EQ"ualize" the sound. Bring down the excess highs and high mids with the eq and do not boos them- works good i think ...

when having to work without eq i like to have the pull deep (pull fat on a IIC+ ?) pulled and use only the presence knob to tame the highs. I still think that you can get usable high gain sounds like Petrucci, Vai, or Satriani that way.

I don't believe the hype about slaving or using 5 cabs or so. I thought Petrucci uses that mainly for a dry / wet setup in order To get a more clean effects sound, that can easily be mixed with his dry sound.

 

[ahoi]

hey boogiebabes,
What did mike B. exactly say about the presence controls and die he have any advice ybout the mark series in general?

 

[Boogiebabies]

It is not all hype. If you ever get a chance, try three or four cabinets. I have 4 4X12's. One Boogie, two Marshall Jubilee and one Soldano Front mount slant. The sound is HUGE !!!!

Are you using a MK IV? It's pull fat on the MK IV and pull deep on the IIC+.


Mike mentioned that during the modification of the IIC to the +, that Doug West wanted the amp to be able to cut with the presence on 0. Hence, the shred qualities are already in the modification.

 

[ahoi]

I agree with you about that huge sound. But will you ever carry soo much cabs to a gig? I do not think that you need the "fullest" guitar sound when doing rehearsals or gigs with your band. But maybe i am just jealous about all your cabs
You asked about the amp i have. It is a mark III simulclass red stripe. So its a pull deep written above the master knob

 

[Boogiebabies]

I agree. I would never lug that crap to a gig. Huge sound or not, witout a roadie I would not lug it. For a small setup with a huge sound I use a ported
Mesa Thiele 1X12 (EV) with either a 1993 MKIV EV combo, or one of the IIC+ combo's. One is a Bubinga hardwood with the 150 watt Mesa Eminence and the other is a tolex 1X12 with an EV. I also have been known to use a Mesa 4FB 4X12 and put the IIC+ head on it. That is a huge sound with only a slightly larger inconvenience.

It's not a jealousy thing with me. I would rather share the practical use and
offer my take on these amps. Having them has taken hard work and extereme debt in some cases. Such is life....

 

[Mahoner]

If the amp has an EVM 12L, it can be a little "brighty". The 12L has a high peak at around 3.5K, which will roast your ears if you don't back off on the treble and the presence.

 

[Boogiebabies]

True. I set the treble at 6, dip the 6600 below mid line and run the presence at 3. Fat, drippy, chewy and sweet.

 

[MesieBooga]

I run my Presence on just above OFF or 1! :lol: Am I going to hate the EV loaded Thiele cab I just bought!?

 

[Mahoner]

I run my Presence on just above OFF or 1! Am I going to hate the EV loaded Thiele cab I just bought!?

No. I run my Treble at a little over 5, Bass about 4, and Mid about 5. I pull both the Treb and Bass knobs.

I never use the lead channnel and have my Volume 1 set to about 5.25. For distortion I use a Boss DS-1. With a Strat and it's tone knobs, the posssibilties are endless. With humbuckers, you'll get what you need(just ask my neighbors) :lol:

My IIC and my Thiele have EV's and I get great tones, everything from clean and jangly to crunchy/punchy distorted.

The Thiele cab adds the bottom end.

IIC combo w/Thiele > 4x12 IMO.

 

[Boogiebabies]

A DS-1 for overdrive? I find the IIC+ to have a brutal amount of gain, but I was running a Klon Centaur in clean mode and it was killer. I will dust off the DS-1 and give it a whirl. I modded all my DS-1 and TS-9 with early 1981 JRC 4558 op amps. The company I work for was throwing out there old phone system and I found 40 of them.