OD and Distortion pedals with MK V

[dannyc80]

How do peeps,

Being a little new to the whole realm of high gain amps after running a fender blues deville 4 x 10 with pedals in front to get my drive and lead tones, I was wondering if owners of amps like mesa boogie mk v and such still use pedals to assist with lead tones etc...

I tried a mk v today and I was very impressed with the 1st two channel's but as I was viewing the 3rd channel as a lead channel it was lacking a little something. Admittedly I was having to try this at pretty low volume and this may have been contributory to the tone, saturation and feel that I had.

I was wondering if you happy mesa owners often use other pedals to help saturate, lift the lead channel or if it's generally straight to amp for such things?

I did play with the differing 90w 45w and 10w selections and the tube, diode and pentode selectors.

Thanks in advance for tips, advice or pointers.

 

[jc986]

I like to boost both channel 2 and channel 3 with an overdrive pedal occasionally. The channels each sound great on their own as well, but to get more saturation, I do like the way an overdrive sounds in front of the amp.

I use an MXR Classic Overdrive (same internals as the GT-OD & ZW-44).

 

[Archlute75]

I've used a TS808, Suhr Koko boost, and Xotic RC booster all to great effect. The TS and mids-side of the Koko give those channels a good, aggressive grind. The RC does something totally different and adds a warm/wooly lead tone with tons of sustain, close to Vai's tone on "For the Love of God".

The only pedal I use as a true OD is the Timmy set for very warm and light breakup on the fat clean channel as a bridge tone between pristine, slightly compressed cleans and crunch.

 

[dannyc80]

Thanks folks,

I wasn't sure if I was falling fowl of hoping I would find the same sort of tone and saturation from the amp as I do with the pedals.

I have the vox satcurator and the TC electronics flashback delay.

I was planning to run both the delay and distortion in the fx loop, I can have them both on and just kick them in with the FX button on the pedal board. Im hoping this will then lift the lead tone and have some nice delay on too?

Is this the best way to do so, or would you put the distortion in the front end and just have the delay through the loop?

Cheers again

 

[elpingua]

I'm curious what an Analogman King of Tone would do with a either a Mark V or an Express Plus. Anyone ever mixed these?

 

[jc986]

I wouldn't put the OD in the loop. It works best in front of the amp.

 

[Bluestoned1]

^^^AGREED!^^^

 

[LesPaul70]

Yeah, putting an OD in the loop kind of defeats the purpose. :lol:
(But then, some people are using Delays before OD/preamp gain so what do I know...)

When I first got my V, I used my Route 66 OD/compressor a lot for leads. That was the first couple of weeks or months before I realized that the Treble pot on my Mark V is effectively a treble boost. Once I figured that out, I no longer needed an external boost or compressor. The amp has a plenty of gain and saturation available, easily more than enough, you just need to bring it out with the channel-specific knobs. In fact, nowadays I rarely turn any Gain knob much past noon, on any channel.

I do still occasionally use the OD (808 clone) side of my Route 66 pedal on channel 2, for one very specific application, though. Combining the Edge or Crunch mode + EL34 tubes + the OD gives me a very 'boosted Marshall' style sound, in a live band mix it could almost pass for the real thing. I also use it very sporadically for a blues OD on the clean channel (rarely, my setlists don't often call for that kind of sound).
But there's a downside...more than once I've forgotten to switch the OD off and then wondered, during our sweet acoustic ballad, why my cleans are so 'clanky' and un-sweet.

On channel 3, I wouldn't use an OD. Not with this amp. It is already almost too tight and rigid to my taste, there's no point in making it even stiffer - it is not a Recto which can be all over the place and really requires an OD for tight riffing and focused leads. Nor does the channel 3 need any extra boost.

 

[guijs]

I had a Fender Deville 4x10 before the Mark V and for that amp I used to play with a Samsamp GT2 for OD. It was a great setup. But with Mark V I surelly don't need this pedal anymore. It has plenty of gain on ch3, more than enough. You just have to setup it right with the 5-band EQ. The manual have a lot of information of how to tune it.

I recently purchased a used Xotic EP Booster for solos and clean sound, and it is a great addition for the Mark V, especially in ch1, although I believe you can reach almost the same "effect" by raising the volume a little and ajusting the knobs. It is just easier to tap the pedal.

 

[dannyc80]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond some interesting points!

 

[BrownieD2W]

I have a similar question, but rather than start a new topic I hope it's alright if I ask it here.

Anyone with a Mark V Combo use a Big Muff or any type of fuzz pedal with much luck? Just kind of wondering if anyone has had experience with those and can say if they mesh well with the Mark V or not?

Hopefully the answers to this question are useful to the OP as well. *Not trying to hijack*

 

[2 Boogie]

Hello!

I use a Xotic RC Booster with my amp and it sounds very good, it doesn't color the guitars signal, only boost it.

Dr B

 

[dannyc80]

Hi Mark 1

i was going to get the EP booster, would you say the RC is better?

 

[2 Boogie]

When it comes to boosters and overdrives to push an amp, I think it's taste and impression from people to people. One people like this and another likes that. I have and tried alot of boosters and overdrives with different amps with different results.

When it comes to Mesa Boogies, they are very sensitive amps, very similar to Fender amps, as the Mark I is in principal a hot rodded Fender. I think they sound better if you find a booster, overdrive or distortion that not color the guitar sound to much, that's my personal thought.

If I use a Fender amp and want more grit out of it, I use a Xotic RC Booster.
If I use my Mark V 25, I use either Xotic RC Booster to push the amp, and if I want more grit and bite out of the amp, I use my Mesa Boogie Throttle Box, in Lo mode and not so much gain.

2B

 

[tele_jas]

I always use a Tubescreamer style of pedal, or two, with mine. This gives you more gain stages to choose from and more "classic" tones if you need them. One I have the gain about 1/3 the way up and the volume at unity (tone to taste). I'll use this one on my drive channels to add a little extra drive or mids to a solo.... The other I have the gain at 100%, volume at unity. I use this one mainly on my clean channel for a good classic, less aggressive crunch. Will also use it on ch2 for my SRV type of tone.

 

[jb's 52]

I have a similar question, but rather than start a new topic I hope it's alright if I ask it here.

Anyone with a Mark V Combo use a Big Muff or any type of fuzz pedal with much luck? Just kind of wondering if anyone has had experience with those and can say if they mesh well with the Mark V or not?

Hopefully the answers to this question are useful to the OP as well. *Not trying to hijack*

I've been using the Blackout Effectors Blunderbuss with great
success for a few years now in front of an Mark V combo.