Overdrive to Boost Mark IV leads?

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Hey guys!

I know this seems like a crazy topic from the start, but bare with me....maybe there is something to come from it.

LOVE the Mark IV....my playing style is really going to a "back to the basics" type vibe.....I'm really starting to focus on a good tone, and clean playing. Simple as that. The Mark IV has really inspired me to do this, with its pure, and just gorgeous tone, and I want to follow it.

Now, my dilemna. I can't seem to get a good blend between rythmn and lead tone on the amp. I like to use less gain on my rythmn sound on the lead channel (usually with GEQ), and when I use this for lead, there is too little saturation for my tastes. To compensate for this in my live playing, I kick on the wah pedal, which in turn, covers up my playing, which can get quite messy behind the pedal. It really detracts from the tone and playing to me, and kinda turns into a mess :?

So, long story short, I'm SERIOUSLY considering ditching the wah all together, and going for a straight rythmn and lead tone. I just want a gushing, searing lead tone...no wah, no crazy effects....just an over the top, wow, that's nice, lead tone. What I'm thinking of doing is using the lead channel with less gain for rythmn, and then getting an overdrive to boost that same channel for more saturation and fluidity.....it seems like the perfect solution to my problem. I will still keep the Delay, as I like to mess with that every once in a while.

What's your opinion on this? Any specific pedals you would recommend? Fulltone OCD? Ibanez TS? Xotic? Should I take a different approach to this all together?

Thanks alot, and input is HIGHLY appreciated!

 

[disassembled]

Why not get a volume pedal or use the volume knob on your guitar? My parker fly has the best volume pot taper I've ever used so maybe i am a bit spoiled so this may not work the best for you.

I noticed that when I am playing with an amp that is limited on channels and tone controls I actually find myself getting a better tone that is very dynamic. I can make it sound like a slight broken up clean channel by backing down on my picking force and bring it up to a solid, but not over the top, drive that stands out. It sounds like I am adding an OD pedal or changing channels.

I have a holiday gig this month and I am debating whether to take a dinky subway rocket or my Mark IV. If I can't dial in this tone on the lead channel of the Mark then I will probably take the Rocket instead.

Having 3 seperate tones is kind of a crutch in my situation and if I can get around it I will try to use 1 or channels at the most. Slowly I am realizing the trick to good tone is not always the same equation of boosting the gain but it sure is fun. I am not in the same boat as you (i play in a rock/funk/jazz/swing/younameit band so the over the top stuff doesn't work 90% of the time) but taking a similar approach might work for you.



Greg

 

[Boogiebabies]

If you go with the BB preamp, all types of sonic possibilities will open. Since it can work as a clean boost or overdrive with a Bass and Treble EQ, you can use it to alter the R2 to have more overdrive and add or reduce bass and treble. You can also use it so get you R1 to scream or get bluesy. You can get the R2 to boost, go insane or just tweak the tone with the BB's EQ knobs.
I use it as a slight boost ( Unity Gain) on the Lead channel, but mainly to suck some bass when using the neck pickup for leads. People may scoff and say the MK's already have enough gain, but there is is definite increase in urgency and aggression when boosting it. To me it adds another tonal dimension as in above and beyond. I if you can find a copper one grab it. Call me crazy, but I think the copper shields the unit from noise. 8)

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

I was thinking about the volume idea, but I really seem to loose alot of the kick to my rythmn tone my taking the volume...I don't know if it's my guitar, or EB volume pedal, but it just isn't the same....maybe I'm crazy.

The BB preamp does sound perfect for the situation....it's calling my name

 

[Shep]

i think trying to cover up you playing is a bad idea.. last night i used a strat into a tuner into a mk III into a 1 x12 .. you have NOTHING to hind behind there but your fingers.. but the tone is amazing.. everything just jumps out off the stage and sounds So so Good. sometimes with my mk IV i use a ts-9, or one of my own design 30 DB clean boosters but thats about it for front end gain.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

^That's exactly why I'm ditching the wah...I want to concentrate on my playing more. With pure tone!

 

[Monsta-Tone]

How do you like the Beam Blockers? Do they really diffuse the sound so that you don't chop heads off of the listeners?


For what it's worth, I love the Bad Horsie II. It's in my signal chain, but hardly used.

 

[standing8count]

I Use a Keelley modded TS-9 in front of a MK-lll and my Uber an I love the tone from it

 

[Boltino]

If you go with the BB preamp, all types of sonic possibilities will open. Since it can work as a clean boost or overdrive with a Bass and Treble EQ, you can use it to alter the R2 to have more overdrive and add or reduce bass and treble. You can also use it so get you R1 to scream or get bluesy. You can get the R2 to boost, go insane or just tweak the tone with the BB's EQ knobs.
I use it as a slight boost ( Unity Gain) on the Lead channel, but mainly to suck some bass when using the neck pickup for leads. People may scoff and say the MK's already have enough gain, but there is is definite increase in urgency and aggression when boosting it. To me it adds another tonal dimension as in above and beyond. I if you can find a copper one grab it. Call me crazy, but I think the copper shields the unit from noise. 8)

+1

I like having a clean boost and an OD. I have a BYOC tribooster and a BYOC Tubescreamer clone that I use with my Mark IV. I use varying levels of boost/OD depending on what I'm going for. I mostly use the clean boost for leads. It adds some "zing" and gives me better sustain when I can't totally crank the amp. I've heard nothing but good things about the BB preamp.

 

[billyg121]

hey boltino...i also have a byoc triboost.do you have any pointers for using it with the mark 4?how do you use it in conjunction with the od.i have the byoc mighty mouse but i think the tubescreamer clone would suit me better(in boosting r2).i just need a little more bite and sustain for r2 for rhythm.

 

[Boltino]

billg121,

I usually use the linear boost (center one) to boost my Mark IV's lead channel. It gives me a little more volume and gain (from hitting the preamp harder) and more sustain for melodic solos. It can get to be too much if you run too much of a volume boost (noise, feedback, etc.). All of the boost circuits work well for me, they just sound different. I actually finished building it pretty recently and haven't spent tons of time trying it on different channels.

I have yet to run the boost and OD at the same time, but I'm sure it would work. I generally have both of them there to boost the Mark IV in different ways. I plan on mostly using the tribooster as a lead boost and using the OD to dirty up R1 and add more gain to R2 as an alternate rhythm tone. I love the BYOC OD because you can switch chips and experiment with different methods of clipping so I can tailor it to the amp (kind of the like the tribooster). I'd really like to get another OD kit and tailor it to my Tremolux. It seems to like the TS9 circuit better than the TS808. Hope this helps.

 

[psychodave]

If you go with the BB preamp, all types of sonic possibilities will open. Since it can work as a clean boost or overdrive with a Bass and Treble EQ, you can use it to alter the R2 to have more overdrive and add or reduce bass and treble. You can also use it so get you R1 to scream or get bluesy. You can get the R2 to boost, go insane or just tweak the tone with the BB's EQ knobs.
I use it as a slight boost ( Unity Gain) on the Lead channel, but mainly to suck some bass when using the neck pickup for leads. People may scoff and say the MK's already have enough gain, but there is is definite increase in urgency and aggression when boosting it. To me it adds another tonal dimension as in above and beyond. I if you can find a copper one grab it. Call me crazy, but I think the copper shields the unit from noise. 8)

Is this what you are talking about?

http://www.prosoundcommunications.com/english/xotic/effects/bb_preamp/index.html