NEW Member: Mark-III Blue Stripe, Good all around settings??

[ianvomsaal]

Hi all, I'm new to this Forum . . . Okay, I have Mark-III Blue Stripe (simul-class).
My problem is, I've had the amp for 4-years now, and I still can't seem to get a good CLEAN, CRUNCH, & LEAD tone at the same time.
I'll get a good LEAD tone, but then my CLEAN tone sucks, or my CRUNCH doesn't sound that good (errr, interactive knobs) :?
I have to constantly dial in a new setting every time a change channels, and I'm really starting to feel bad
Can someone recommended some good overall settings??? I'll gladly embrace any settings you guys can recommend
I've tried all the manuals suggestions, I've tweaked and turned and what-have-you for 4-years, and I still can't seem to
find a really good all around setting for Clean, Crunch, and Lead (all at the same time).
Set and forget - I'm really feeling like maybe this amp doesn't have such a thing - maybe I gotta buy two Mk-III's.

I have the original manual and footswitches (as I said, it's a blue stripe, and I guess I don't really want to MOD it if I can help it).
I had it checked out, cleaned, re-tubed, etc at the Mesa Boogie store on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood.
The tech there said it had original 6L6 bottle type tubes in it, and that they were barely use - considered NOS-tubes :shock:

I currently play a lot of Original Alt/Hard Rock (I don't play covers any more) - I'm a big fan of Tool/Perfect Circle.
I've been considering buying a Road King-II if I can find one at a decent price (goodness they're expen$ive).
Cheers . . .

- Ian

 

[sbalderrama]

Set and forget - I'm really feeling like maybe this amp doesn't have such a thing - maybe I gotta buy two Mk-III's.- Ian

Or one mark IV, although R2 on a mark IV still shares most of the EQ with R1. Its alot better though, and R2 on a Mark IV when hit with a good boost pedal is killer. The other nice thing about the IV is you can choose where to use the EQ, which can help in setting things up.

 

[igfraso]

The best thing you can do is to go for the R2 volume mod. It is cheap and really advisable, in my opinion.
This way, you can set the volume independently for each channel.
Regards

 

[phyrexia]

Make sure you have a really hi-gain tube in V2 - it is where R2 gets overdrive from and if you have a pooper in there, you usually have to jack up input volume up enough that R1's clean tones suffer.

 

[ianvomsaal]

Make sure you have a really hi-gain tube in V2 - it is where R2 gets overdrive from and if you have a pooper in there, you usually have to jack up input volume up enough that R1's clean tones suffer.

Yeah I do, I took Boogie's advice on the tubes (hi gain is what they recommended). I even switched tubes
(Mullard high gain) to make sure that I didn't get a bad one - then I switched back when nothing really changed.

I don't seem to have a problem with volume drop from channel to channel (I don't know if the amps already been modded).

My problem is that when I get a good Clean tone, when I switch channels the Lead or Crunch sounds like *** until I tweak knobs.
Once I dial in that sound it's great, but if I happen to change channels, I have to dial in everything again.
Does anyone have any recommendations on knob settings that works for them???
Cheers . . .

- Ian

 

[CoG]

volume 7.5 pushed
treble 6.5 pulled
bass 0 pulled
middle 5.5
master 4 pulled
lead drive 6.5
lead master 5 pushed
presence 0-1.5
reverb to taste

works for me as an all-rounder on all pickup settings on my guitar--but this is pretty loud and relies on power tube drive. It makes R2 tighten up a lot and smooths out lead. Clean is a bit hairy but that's what the volume knob on the guitar is for. Depending on your tubes you may want to back off on Volume or Lead Drive.

I don't think the MkIII is worth it if you can only play at "housemate" volumes.

 

[MrMarkIII]

volume 7.5 pushed
treble 6.5 pulled
bass 0 pulled
middle 5.5
master 4 pulled
lead drive 6.5
lead master 5 pushed
presence 0-1.5
reverb to taste

works for me as an all-rounder on all pickup settings on my guitar--but this is pretty loud and relies on power tube drive. It makes R2 tighten up a lot and smooths out lead. Clean is a bit hairy but that's what the volume knob on the guitar is for. Depending on your tubes you may want to back off on Volume or Lead Drive.

I don't think the MkIII is worth it if you can only play at "housemate" volumes.

+++ on the settings. I play out a lot, play a wide variety of styles, and use almost the identical settings, tweaked as needed for room size and/or loudness (i.e., turn down the Volume when running the Master at 5 and above).
I've never had a problem finding good sounds in all three modes, except at very low volumes (Master below 2).
Wanna sell it? Or trade it and a grand for a Mark IV?

 

[CoG]

I've never had a problem finding good sounds in all three modes, except at very low volumes (Master below 2).
Wanna sell it? Or trade it and a grand for a Mark IV?

Yeah, at 2 or below clean goes "plink", lead sounds fuzzy and weak, and R2 is just a unique kind of awful.

hahaha, yeah, ditto on the sale. combo or head? nice shape? maybe interested in a straight-up trade for a mint early-80s JCM800 4104, no mods, vertical inputs...?

 

[MrMarkIII]

You show me yours, and I'll show you mine...

[/img]

 

[ianvomsaal]

I'm not really that interested in trading it out just YET because I love the amps tones when I get them dial in.
I've just gotten use to running an ABY into other amps (maybe I'll sell when I find the Road King 2 Head I'm after).
Yeah, it's in perfect shape (not a scratch) - I've used it mainly in the studio (recording/session work).
It was one of Dominic Millers amps (STINGS Guitarist) - Dom had several Mark-III's (he switched to the Lonestar).
Anyhow, Here's a couple PICS - Cheers . . .

- Ian

 

[CoG]

my friend, if those are the settings you are using no wonder you are unhappy with the sound... that's just way too quiet and I can't imagine a guitar that would need the bass at almost 4. Plus presence at 7... yowch!

Give our settings a try as a start, and turn that sucker up!

 

[MrMarkIII]

Yup, always dug Miller's sound. Rill purty Mk III, dude!
Good luck!

 

[ianvomsaal]

my friend, if those are the settings you are using no wonder you are unhappy with the sound... that's just way too quiet and I can't imagine a guitar that would need the bass at almost 4. Plus presence at 7... yowch!

Give our settings a try as a start, and turn that sucker up!

Nope, those aren't my settings
I'd just come home from the studio, and I think the knobs may have been turned a bit by my 1-year old
And you remember that these things are heavy - I may have even done some knob turning carrying it into the house.
My master is usually around 4 (or just over), Presence is closer to 2, and bass is usually closer to 1.
I'll try your settings in the studio later this week and see if they make a difference.

Yup, always dug Miller's sound. Rill purty Mk III, dude!
Good luck!

Yeah, it was in mint cond when I bought it.
Dom actually talked me into buying it, but he forgot to tell me that he ran multiple Mark-III's at the same time.
He always did what I've been doing (A/B'd or A/B/Y'd and set completely different for Clean/Rhythm/Leads/etc).
I've actually taken it a step further using different makes of amps (Mesa/Fender/Bogner).
Dom also ran them backstage at their live shows so he could run them fairly loud (Sting band isn't that loud, so the
stage volume wound be huge if he was running two or three Mrk-III's on stage - plus it also saved room on stage).
Thanks again - - I'll let you guys know how it goes.
Cheers . . .

- Ian

 

[ianvomsaal]

my friend, if those are the settings you are using no wonder you are unhappy with the sound... that's just way too quiet and I can't imagine a guitar that would need the bass at almost 4. Plus presence at 7... yowch!

Give our settings a try as a start, and turn that sucker up!

Nope, those aren't my settings
I'd just come home from the studio, and I think the knobs may have been turned a bit by my 1-year old
And you remember that these things are heavy - I may have even done some knob turning carrying it into the house.
My master is usually around 4 (or just over), Presence is closer to 2, and Bass is usually closer to 1.
I'll try your settings in the studio later this week and see if they make a difference.

Yup, always dug Miller's sound. Rill purty Mk III, dude!
Good luck!

Yeah, it was in mint cond when I bought it.
Dom actually talked me into buying it, but he forgot to tell me that he ran multiple Mark-III's at the same time.
He always did what I've been doing (A/B'd or A/B/Y'd and set completely different for Clean/Rhythm/Leads/etc).
I've actually taken it a step further using different makes of amps (Mesa/Fender/Bogner).
Dom also ran them backstage at their live shows so he could run them fairly loud (Sting band isn't that loud, so the
stage volume wound be huge if he was running two or three Mrk-III's on stage - plus it also saved room on stage).
Thanks again - - I'll let you guys know how it goes.
Cheers . . .

- Ian