RKII with Distortion

[smashingchicago]

Anyone else here use the RKII with any multi-effects pedal like the Boss GT-8? It seems like it's the only way to get good distortion with RKII -- even with gain turned at all different levels...

 

[parsky1]

Uhhh are u serious? You can get sick distortion out of a RKII with no pedals at all! Are u using channels 3 or 4 for your heavy distortion?

 

[tele_jas]

Dude, the Road King is basically a Dual Rectifier and those are monster gain amp :shock: I run my gain about 3/4 the way up and have plenty, even with a single coil telecaster..... I could play death -acid-punk-emo metal on a pink paisley tele if I wanted to.

Maybe your pickups arent hot enough or you have a bad cable or a bad V1 preamp tube?

www.guitartest.moonfruit.com has me in Vintage mode on channel 3 with the gain at 3:00 and the volume of the amp was just above "Bed room" practice level.

Could it be that you are used to "solid state" or modeling tones and you just aren't used to the Tubes yet?

I can't imagine a Rectifier not having enough gain for any situation. :?:

 

[smashingchicago]

^ I hear you. I am surprised too, but that is what is seems like to me. I think there is something wrong with it. I will dork around with it some more and see what I can do with it.

 

[smashingchicago]

Also, Mesa sent me all new EL34 and 6L6's so that I could replace everything. When I first got the AMP, I had problems with it blowing fuses and it turned out (according to Mesa) to be a bad tube. But even now that it is working with all new tubes, I just don't have the same level of distortion that I do with my GT-8. Could it be a AX7 tube in back that is causing the problem? What is the function of those tubes?

I am more used to solid state modeling, but this just doesn't seem right...

 

[Scary Guy IRL]

What Pickups do you have? If you're using EMG's check the Battery... May give you a weak distortion tone.

 

[smashingchicago]

In my RG1570, I have the X2N in the bridge and Air Norton in the neck -- those pickups should be hot enough. In my SZ720, I have stock pickups -- but those should still be hot enough to produce a decent level of distortion.

I took a listen to the clip of a post a few messages up and mine doesn't seem to have that level of distortion even cranked all the way up...

 

[The Random Hero]

I am more used to solid state modeling, but this just doesn't seem right...

I think this could be your problem. Tube amps feel different, and unless you run the gain full bore, with a boost pedal, you're not gonna get that super-super compressed feeling gain from the RK that you do from modellers with the gain on moderate levels.
Just an idea.

EDIT: Ok, ignore this, you have hot enough pickups to make it compressed enough. I suggest you get your amp to a tech.

 

[Scary Guy IRL]

Might be really poor tubes.

I don't mean to Hi-jack.. but Tele, i listened to those RK Clips.. and they are really amazing! As are alot of your other clips on there... How were the RK Clips recorded? I'll take it they were done in a studio?... Your country clip on the Behringer was really awsome, by any chance do you have any links to good places to learn some country licks or lessons?
Thanks

Back to the proper Discussion..

 

[smashingchicago]

Anyone think it could be a problem with the AX7 tubes? Or how I could diagnose those? They are in the back, seemingly covered by a metal cap....

 

[The Random Hero]

Anyone think it could be a problem with the AX7 tubes? Or how I could diagnose those? They are in the back, seemingly covered by a metal cap....

They're the preamp tubes.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

The tube amp tone takes a while to get used to, as it is VERY different from Solid State distortion, but with time, you will find it far superior.

Mess with the settings also. Mesas are probably one of the hardest amps to EQ. It really takes some effort.

 

[smashingchicago]

OK, I had a couple issues here -- one was that the switch in the rear of the unit was set to "spongy". The other was that this distortion sound I like to hear (the one I couldn't get natively from my RKII) was really the result of my compressor on my GT-8. When I add only compression from my GT-8 into my RKII, then I get that distortion sound I am looking for. So I suppose if I just got a compressor pedal, I should be OK. The reason I am talking about getting pedals is because most people are telling me that pedals won't suck out as much tone as my GT-8 will.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

First, set your power variac to Bold.....

I've always loved the tube rectifier, but maybe the Silicon Diode is what you're looking for.

Also, what volume are you playing at? A Road King is going to sound best cranked.

 

[tele_jas]

You know, it could be a bad preamp tube..... but usually these just go bad and don't really get weak. It's worth a shot if you have an extra 12ax7 tube laying around to try swapping out the preamp tubes one at a time and try it in between each swap.

If you have the manual, try some of the settings in the manual - those are a good place to start. Remember the EQ on a Mesa is different than most other amps and the treble is almost as important as the gain. On most of my other amps, the treble stayed pretty low to keep the amp from getting harsh, but the boogie is always noon or higher.

------------------------------

Scary Guy IRL > Thanks!! The Road King clips were actually recorded at my office on my lunch in to my Laptop with a USB sound card. I used a Shure SM57 and actually forgot my mic stand and had to set a couple of small boxes up to lay the mic on so that it was positioned properly in front of the amp. The drums and bass were done using Acid 4.0 and a bunch of samples I've collected over the years and the guitar was done in Cakewalk Guitar Tracks Pro 3.0.

As for the country licks, I just know enough to "get me by" :? I played in country bands from 1993 to 2002 and even went on the road and tried to "make it big" with one of them.......Most of my country licks came from just working up the solo's in my favorite country cover tunes. I did just buy a DVD from a guy named Doug Seven to try and learn a few more country licks. If you go to www.sizzlingguitarlicks.com you can hear some of his stuff demo'd.. He's a pretty good country player.

I'll PM you this stuff too so we can stop hi-jacking this thread..... Thanks again.

 

[Barry]

Dude, the Road King is basically a Dual Rectifier and those are monster gain amp :shock: I run my gain about 3/4 the way up and have plenty, even with a single coil telecaster..... I could play death -acid-punk-emo metal on a pink paisley tele if I wanted to.

Maybe your pickups arent hot enough or you have a bad cable or a bad V1 preamp tube?

www.guitartest.moonfruit.com has me in Vintage mode on channel 3 with the gain at 3:00 and the volume of the amp was just above "Bed room" practice level.

Could it be that you are used to "solid state" or modeling tones and you just aren't used to the Tubes yet?

Nice vocal harmonies there . Most people dont bother with that these days . We usually have three parts going in our band most of the time . See you like Tele's as well . I'm with you on that .

Barry (www.toyzzband.com )

I can't imagine a Rectifier not having enough gain for any situation. :?:

 

[The Random Hero]

OK, I had a couple issues here -- one was that the switch in the rear of the unit was set to "spongy". The other was that this distortion sound I like to hear (the one I couldn't get natively from my RKII) was really the result of my compressor on my GT-8. When I add only compression from my GT-8 into my RKII, then I get that distortion sound I am looking for. So I suppose if I just got a compressor pedal, I should be OK. The reason I am talking about getting pedals is because most people are telling me that pedals won't suck out as much tone as my GT-8 will.

Without hearing your amp - and sure, it could be a faulty preamp tube - but it kinda sounds like you're really used to hearing an over-compressed modeller tone.
Tube amps feel and sound so different to those things, and especially unless you crank it, or atleast get a boost, you're not gonna get that tone.

 

[smashingchicago]

Well, I do crank it, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Don't get me wrong, I like the distortion that I get out of this thing without anything in the effects loop, but there are certain sounds (like Korn, Disturbed) that seem to have a "compessed sound" that I like. I can only get that sound when I run my RKII through my GT-8 using only the compressor.

 

[CudBucket]

Well, I do crank it, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Don't get me wrong, I like the distortion that I get out of this thing without anything in the effects loop, but there are certain sounds (like Korn, Disturbed) that seem to have a "compessed sound" that I like. I can only get that sound when I run my RKII through my GT-8 using only the compressor.

You can't compare the sound coming out of your amp to a sound on a CD that has been processed, compressed, produced, doubled, etc. etc.

 

[HappyStrat]

Had the same issue, drove me completely nuts. Changed V1 & the gain mysteriously reappeared.