MKIV R2 not a gain Issue ?

[Lights Out]

Hi
I have been an owner of a MKIV for about a year now , like many others Im very happy with the amp but am looking for something a little different from R2.

I dont think the issue is R2 needs more gain
But the Smoothness of this channel gives this impression.

Comparing it to my Marshall's
1973 Superlead , 1977 JMP & 2203's
I find the gain to be similar if not more so.
But alot smoother without the Grit , especially on the lower notes


If there is one thing I would change it would be this , maybe different tubes
might be the answer or
(If i really need the sound)
Adding one of my Old Overdrives to R2 for more of that Old School Grinding Rhythm tone.

Then again I could be way off....what do you guys think of this view point ?

 

[Melodyman]

Hi
I have been an owner of a MKIV for about a year now , like many others Im very happy with the amp but am looking for something a little different from R2.

I dont think the issue is R2 needs more gain
But the Smoothness of this channel gives this impression.

Comparing it to my Marshall's
1973 Superlead , 1977 JMP & 2203's
I find the gain to be similar if not more so.
But alot smoother without the Grit , especially on the lower notes


If there is one thing I would change it would be this , maybe different tubes
might be the answer or
(If i really need the sound)
Adding one of my Old Overdrives to R2 for more of that Old School Grinding Rhythm tone.

Then again I could be way off....what do you guys think of this view point ?

R2 will surely disappoint you if you try to compare it to Marshalls and want that type of tone (without external help) for sure. It has it's own vibe.

But in answer to your question you can definitely get further in that direction with a boost pedal of some sort, lots of Mark IV players use a pedal into R2 for more grind.

 

[welshboogie]

You also need to remember that the old Marshalls are EL34 powered and not 6L6 (however, apologies if you are running 2 6L6/2 EL34 setup).

Running EL34s in the outer positions in Class A will get you closer to the sound you are after as the EL34 inherently runs a harder grittier tone at breakup than 6L6.

I run a Zakk Wylde OD pedal in R2 sometimes for a different sound, however, I am always more happy with a straight R2.

Its all down to personal preferences at the end of the day

 

[jamme61]

I'm a Marshall Plexi guy, I feel your pain with R2. The closest and happiest I've got, with R2, is to go with EL34's in class A or better yet Yellow jackets (el84 mini EL34's) and keep the the R2 gain no higher then 5 (with humbuckers) and put the presence pot on 10 and pull it out. Bass no higher then 2. It gets close but the amp can do so many other thing well that I'll live with it.

 

[Lights Out]

Yeah I alternate between 6L6's & EL34's.
I dont normally turn the gain up on R2 but last night I did

I plugged into by cab with Greenbacks set it on A class & grabbed my strat with a hotrail & was getting tones very similar to
Scorpions Blackout & Accept balls to the Wall
without any pedals , so Im getting close.

Only thing is when I add a Delay pedal in the loop it does not sound as good. Kind of messy sounding

Its a MKIV A.... but I have a 12ax7 in the V4 position could that make much difference

 

[welshboogie]

It could be you are overloading the front end of the pedal - are you running the channel masters high? - if so then these act as an FX send - I run these no more than 3 to get a good signal into FX.

This also means that you have to run Global Master higher which then sends those EL34's into breakup territory - just what you need by the sounds of it!!!

Blackout is great album, I'll just have to dig it out today for a listen - BRING ON THE SCHENK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Lights Out]

Yeah I know about the masters being low there both under 3
Thats why I thought it might be the preamp tubes

 

[highroller]

With a guitar-cable-amp setup, I get really good crunchy distortion out of R2 by using Seymour Duncan SH-5 Custom or Dimarzio FRED medium output pickups which are very sensitive to the attack and won't fatten the sound too much. They both produce a bright and crisp distortion sound with EL34 tubes.