My first post and a question about getting rid of muddiness

[Thump]

Hello all,

This is my first post on this board.

I am a new Mark V owner (my first Boogie), and while I've managed to find some good tones, I'm having a hard time dialing out the muddiness (like there is a blanket over my amp). Not sure what I'm doing wrong; additional Presence and Treble don't seem to get rid of it.

I'm playing an American Standard Strat (SSS) and Music Man Silhouette Special (SSS), both with stock pickups. Straight in; no effects. Playing classic rock, blues, etc.

I know Boogie makes great stuff and I REALLY want to make this amp work for me, but is this just an inherent quality of the Mark series?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[emperor_black]

Welcome!

What's your bass set at? reduce it to 3 or less and use the GEQ to compensate for bass.

 

[MusicManJP6]

head or combo? settings?

 

[MrMarkIII]

Mark V manual, page 9:

"Beware too high of settings on the BASS control in Channels 2 and 3, especially when the GAIN is set high. Too much BASS will 9. produce a flubby, indistinct attack. In the MARK 1 Mode of Channel 2 it is perfectly respectable and even recommended to run the BASS control extremely low (8:30) or even “off” when the GAIN is set high (above 1:30). The Modes in Channel 3 can stand a little more BASS, but watch it there as well.

A basic rule might be this; As the GAIN goes up…the BASS should come down."

This is a basic rule for ALL mark amps, by the way. And also why most distortion pedals lack bass, or accent the mids, like Tube screamer types. Add a lot of bottom end, then distort it, you get major mud. The Graphic EQ on Mesa amps adds bottom end after the distortion. No mud. Cool.

 

[jonanderson23]

I also play classic rock and blues. What the last player said is exactly right. I was having a hard time dialing out the mud especially on the Mark I mode which is suppossed to be so incredible on this amp. Dial the bass down. There are a couple of other posts in the Mark V section that discuss this muddy blanket and how to get rid of it. I also dropped some of the gain and added more master volume 1-2 o'clock, not output volume, and also a little more treble. The amp cleaned up well and it's a very gig worthy amp once you find your settings. I was frustrated at first as well until I figured out how to use a Mark amp. It's different than my LSC head. I can go from BB King classic blues to Clapton, SRV towards Allman Brothers and then Joe Bonamassa using these 3 channels all in a live situation. I use humbucking guitars, PRS DGT (w/ coil tap) and Gibson 339. So it does well with the higher output pickups as well as the single coils.

 

[phyrexia]

EQ with your ears, not your eyes!

 

[jonanderson23]

EQ with your ears, not your eyes!

Really??? That helps. If we're all so stupid why is this talked about so often throughout the posts? Thanks for the thought! I guess we don't all have your incredible ear.

 

[Thump]

Thanks very much for your suggestions. I had already dialed back the bass quite a bit, but it wasn't until I hit about 9 o'clock that it really started to open up the sound. I appreciate the input! Great forum!

 

[TimeSignature]

Tighten up the tone using a tubescreamer. Takes the muddiness right out of my DC 10. My Mark seems ok, but I have the bass at about zero.