newb to tube amps, mark iv question

[gyang1127]

recently i just upgraded my marshall 2x12 combo to an older used rack mounted mesa mark iv and older half-back 4x12 mesa cabinet. i get amazing sounds out of the amp but the guy i bought it from said he hadn't changed the tubes in a few years. should i just take it to a shop and pay them to change the tubes or change them myself. i dont kno much and dont want to mess this amp up. if someone wants to see the pics i need a host. oh, right now the power tubes appear to be mesa 6L6 tubes the outter two are a bit bigger though

 

[dylan7620]

don't let those tubes intimidate you. the other size ones are probably el34s for when it runs in simuclass mode. as far as changing tubes, just be carfull not to bend the pins. just line em up gently push them into place. about as much pressure (ok maybe a little bit more) as putting a game into a sega or super nintendo.

 

[Boogiebabies]

Probably just a bigger bottle. Mesa went from the coke bottle 420 to the straight 420. GT's are usually a safe bet in the 5-6 range. Mesa's are as well. Give tech supprt a call and get there take. I do not know what would be best as far as Mesa color codes for a MK IV in 6L6's or EL34's. My Mk IV had the original STR-420's and had the straight in the middle and the coke bottles in the outer sockets. That would only hint to me running at -39 plate volts that the old coke bottles were a bit stronger.

 

[gyang1127]

well i ended up purchasing this:
Mesa MK IV 6L6 High Gain Option
PRICE: 109.00
DESC: A quad of JJ 6L6GC's for a deeper tone from the power section. For the front end 4 hand picked high gain JJ ECC83S's for V1, V2, V3, and V4 and a balanced ECC83S for V5. Lots of depth and a scorching lead tone.
from eurotubes hopefully the install will be easy and i get some great tones

 

[Lights Out]

well i ended up purchasing this:
Mesa MK IV 6L6 High Gain Option
PRICE: 109.00
DESC: A quad of JJ 6L6GC's for a deeper tone from the power section. For the front end 4 hand picked high gain JJ ECC83S's for V1, V2, V3, and V4 and a balanced ECC83S for V5. Lots of depth and a scorching lead tone.
from eurotubes hopefully the install will be easy and i get some great tones

Just did the same thing myself , I hope it sounds as good as the reckon it will 8)

 

[jargapix]

That's gonna sound great!! JJ are very cool...got 'em myself. keep the older tubes as back ups, but you have made solid investment with Eurotubes.


JA

 

[gyang1127]

i got and installed the tubes last week. the lead eq channel is absolutely incredible im still playing around with it however im not getting a very clean sound out of my rhythm 1 channel anymore, any ideas? im still playing around i can get it to sound good but not great and when i start strumming fast chords there is quite a bit of unwanted gain

 

[Marshall_Fascist]

well i ended up purchasing this:
Mesa MK IV 6L6 High Gain Option

thats why buddy... you got the high gain option.

try switching to neck pup, then rolling down the volume pot. Or you can swapp out the preamp tube that drives the R1 channel with a lower gain tube, such as a Ecc82. just my thought.

 

[Lights Out]

i got and installed the tubes last week. the lead eq channel is absolutely incredible im still playing around with it however im not getting a very clean sound out of my rhythm 1 channel anymore, any ideas? im still playing around i can get it to sound good but not great and when i start strumming fast chords there is quite a bit of unwanted gain

Im still waiting on my Tubes, but interesting you say that .
I asked Bob about the High gain Kit affecting the Clean Tone.
And he said something like

There is not 12ax7 around that could overdrive the clean channel

Interesting eh ?

 

[jargapix]

What's your setting for Gain and Drive on RYH1?
What kind of pickups are you using?

JA

 

[gyang1127]

emg 85 neck and 81 bridge, around 3-6 gain nothing more than that just playing around but my comparison is mostly just a before the switch and after i didnt notice any gain on the rhythm 1 channel before and im noticing quite a bit after. i had an ax7 before so i dont suppose switching back to the groove tube preamp tubes i had before would change that much. i put my bass, mids, and trebs down alot and ive noticed alot less gain around 3 on bass, 5-7 on mids, and 6-7 on trebs. i still get a little more gain than i would like. would it be possible that i didnt plug a tube in all the way or something? oh i always use neck pup for rhythm in clean. i use bridge solely for rhythm in the gain channels.

 

[jargapix]

Gyang,

I've got a ZW-LP and had the same EMG setup. I opted out of the 85 and put in a 60. I've got pretty much the same setting you do. I doubt it's a pre-amp tube issue. Do you max out your volume control? If you do try rolling back a bit as the EMG's are very hot pickups and can distort if maxed out. I play my cleans with the neck as well and usually set it to 6-7. Tone at 6-7 as well.

Check out the clip and let me know if you her any break up...

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=399952


JA

 

[Marshall_Fascist]

Im still waiting on my Tubes, but interesting you say that .
I asked Bob about the High gain Kit affecting the Clean Tone.
And he said something like

There is not 12ax7 around that could overdrive the clean channel

Interesting eh ?

thats why people swapp out their 12ax7's to Ecc82 or 81 to help clean up and tame the gain, eh? Thier are plenty of 12ax7's that can overdrive a clean with buttery ease, alot eaiser than a 12au7.

 

[Lights Out]

Yeah

I was always under the assumption that the type of preamp valve
you use will effect the gain
Being high or low gain valve