New member with Mark IV & two questions

[jukesgtr]

Hey forum,

Just registered so this is my first post.

I recently bought my first boogie products, a narrow body combo MK4 (sn just below 4000), probably makes it a 1992/1993 model and Mesa half open back cab with one Celestion, got them with a leather cover for the amp, 2 x complete spare tube sets (used), footswitch with a longer custom made cable and casters for the amp in mint condition!

Two questions:

The amp now has (and both spare tube sets have) have a mix of 2 EL34 and 2 6L6s, could you describe the difference in sound if I had 4x 6L6s installed instead? How would that affect the clean and semiclean sounds dialed on R1 and R2? Would it be more Fenderish? I know I could have bought Deluxe Reverb RI at a lower price but like the versatility of the Mark 4 and it already sounds good!

I plan on using the graphic EQ as a booster for leads on all three channels instead of shaping my sound, do you guys ever use it for the same purpose?

Thanks for your comments in advance!!

 

[Nocki]

Hi,

Welcome to this Forum. I'm here now for a few days and a newby but i really like it here!

I own a mark IV myself adn never liked the el34 sound. i only play it with 4 ^6l6 tunes in the back.

about the EQ. I use the eq like a 4th and a 5th channel.

I have a clean preset which I use the EQ on and is sounds almost acoustical en really sings with my E-bow and delay! even with some sweet picking it shimmers.
the other channel i use it with is the overdrive channel. to make a more high gain sound. this way my 3 channel amp is really a 5 channel amp with 5 compleetley different sounds. But I have to admit. Mine is in my rack and i controll everething with midi. with the pedals its not so easy to have more channels.

Hope to see you here a lot!

Nocki

 

[marklyn]

Welcome jukesgtr,

Sounds like you got a good deal on your Mark IV.

I've only run 6L6s in my Mark IV with the understanding that it ends up with a more Fender-ish sound. It's been great for me, especially in R1.

Since it sounds like you have 2 sets of power tubes you should be able to use the 4 6L6s as long as they are in a close enough power range. If they are all Mesa Boogie branded tubes it should be fine (someone correct me if I'm wrong here please) as long as you use the pairs in the right position. One set in the inside slots and the other set in the outside slots.

Also in going for a Fender type sound it's worth playing around with the Class A and Tweed settings to get closer to what you're looking for.

I tend to use the EQ as a boost also, although I usually shape it to have the tone cut through a little more for solos, instead of just boosting flat. Play around with it and see what you like.

Download the manual if you don't have it and try out some of their sample tones as well as the tone settings others have posted here. This will give you some starting places to experiment in finding your own sound.

Enjoy!

 

[jukesgtr]

Hi guys,

Thanks for a warm welcome!

Oops sorry, I took a closer look at the used tube sets and one of them actually has 4 6L6GCs (Mesa's Blue), so I can try those to get an idea, cool!!

So far I have been using just Tweed power but not Class A since outer sockets have EL34s. Are vintage Fender amps Class A?

I also got the manual from MB's website, thanks for the advice and I'll play with the EQ, our band plays a variety of blues styles so I need those 3 base sounds (clean, "semi-clean" and distortion) and would like to have similar variety in solos, just a little louder...it will take some time to get to used to the amp...

 

[jukesgtr]

Finally tested the amp with 4 x 6L6, wow how great it sounds with my "strat"!! I must assume I am not after that European Marshall sound with my MK4 that much since I have Voxy EL84s in my Classic 30 and Laney LC15 already.... shall probably get a JJ 6L6 set from Eurotubes soon...