Switch to RKII?!?

[bandit2013]

I guess that would work but will cut some volume out a bit from the 412 (probably would not be noticeable.). The slave out signal would be best to send to a powered monitor (signal is derived from the output transformer and should represent the signal to the speaker load). At least that way, you can add another 412 for a compete stack and use the slave out to send to a self powered monitor or to a mixer or transmitter for the wireless monitor systems. That is one thing I have not tried yet (use the slave out to drive another amp).

 

[ricorocks]

Thanks bandit2013 for your great help as always. Rock on man…

 

[bandit2013]

Nothing wrong with what you are doing. I also tried the 1x12 with 412 just to see if there would be an influence. Since you are effectively cutting the output current in half through two cabinets, at least you will not overdrive the 1x12. That is actually a good idea.

 

[ricorocks]

Thanks for the Feedback bandit2013. Always appreciate your expertise man… Good to hear that I am cutting the output current in half through two cabinets, because last time you told me “The V30 sensitivity is higher than that of the C90. Including other speakers like EVM12L. You will or may not even hear the C90 in combination with a 4x12-V30. By the time you get the volume up loud enough for a good sound from the C90, the V30's will be flubbering”… so it’s good to know that the 2 cabs are getting the same amount of current , so that I can use the 112 as a Monitor… Rock till you drop.

 

[bandit2013]

When driving a V30 cabinet along with another load in parallel seems to cure the flub issue. The problem I had with my standard oversized Recto slanted 412 cab was attempting to get close to gig level. Had to dial down the bass completely to prevent flub or horn like sounds when playing certain notes. Primary reason why I changed out the V30 in my cabinet. However, they do perform well in a traditional sized cabinet where you can push the envelope without sacrifice of no bass. My Mark IV combo definitely is a beast when driving a 412 cabinet and is not as forgiving as the Mark V, Roadster or RA100 due to difference in Master volume control. The V30 sounded terrible in the larger cabinet compared to a traditional sized slanted 412 that I bought to install the original V30's I removed from the larger Mesa Recto cab. Primary reason for the 2nd 412 was the RA100. The V30's sounded the best overall with this amp. Since the V30 were transplanted to a smaller cavity, I can drive them with the Mark IV and they sound really good at gig volumes without having to dial out the bass or mids. Considering that I have damaged most speakers that were rated 100W in the Mark IV, the only survivors (FANE 200W or EV 300W) sound the best without bottoming out the voice coil or excessive breakup. That being said, I have run the V30 412 along with the Fane Speaker in the Combo with great results (no flub or other issues). Both the combo and the 412 appear to have the same level of signal output.

I believe the sensitivities of the MC90 and V30 are the same. The only difference between the two is the diameter of the voice coil, as well as improved thermal cooling of the driver on the MC90 since the core is vented on both sides (both MC90 and V30 have a fabric dust cap which also serves as a means of coil cooling to some extent. Considering your rig, can you get the V30's to flub out when driving a parallel load with it (1x12 MC90)? Power wise, the weakest link would be the MC90 due to the lower power handling capacity compared to the 240W of the 412. If you have no issues great.

 

[ricorocks]

I also noticed the same thing! Holy Sh?t! The amp is way tighter now that I am driving it with my C90 1x12 hooked up in parallel and there’s NO Bass Flubbbb as before… :shock: this is awesome . I also get the same volume out of both amps . it’s NOT like the 1x12 C90 is putting out less Volume . they’re the same in output volume. so it seems to me?!? This is awesome and also running 4ohm sounds darker to me. :shock: Thoughts!!!
I think I reached the holy grail of tone with just 1 single mesa 1x12 C90 cab hooked up to my 4x12 Recto V30 LOL… I am finally Very HAPPY with my tone. I have NO issues…Rock on… : Notice how many people are reading this post? nobody DARES chimes in. it's like our own private discussion LOL :mrgreen:

 

[bandit2013]

I have noticed many have viewed it. There must be lots of popcorn eaters and not many willing to participate.
The Mark V does take on a darker tone using the 4 ohm outputs. Even with a single 8 ohm speaker thought the 4 ohm jack (safe miss-match) will reduce the high end character a bit. Since I converted my Mark V to a combo, I am driving two EV speakers thought the 4 ohm jacks and it sounds much better than driving a single 8 ohm 412 thought the 8 ohm jack. I believe the ported wide body 1x12 extension cab will offer similar low end. I opted for an empty 1x12 cab that is of similar size but 4 inches deeper. That definitely enhances the low end punch. You would probably be jumping for joy if that extension cab was a 2x12. Although the MC90 is similar but not exactly the same in tone as the V30, having a mix of different speakers sometimes can offer a wider sound scape. The V30's do pair well with speakers that have more of a flat frequency response. That would include EV classic, Fane Studio 12L, Eminence Delta Pro series. When comparing just the speaker, the 412 with the V30 seem to shift the tone and emphasis on the mids is dominant. When compared to the EV 412 cabinet, the bass is as low as it can go and the upper frequencies are crisp. Mix them both and you will have more of a full spectrum of tone. Of course this is in consideration for the high gain saturated power tube clip that fills the room with complex harmonics. On the clean side of the spectrum, the V30 does quite well as the other speakers. Even thought the 4 ohm output, the Mark V still retains its tonal character that will cut though the mix without getting too brittle.

 

[ricorocks]

Well glad to know my ears hear well I did notice the tone was a tad darker in 4ohm… and I was right !!! I would def. be jumping for joy if if I had a 2x12. please don’t get me gassing for a 2x12 , I’m already gassing for a roadster as you know, I’m outta CASH… next thing you’ll be suggesting me is “get a Roadking 4x12” :lol: Rock till you drop…

 

[bandit2013]

I am out of cash too. Go figure.... Being creative with what you have is what it is about. Back in the early band days, all I had was a Mark III and a pair of home made over sized 2x12 with pyle driver speakers that got eventually changed to Peavy scorpions. Actually the Mark III combo by itself did much better than using the external cabs. If it works stick with it. At that time, all I had was a Charvel Model 4 , a customized Robin with EMG, and a Les Paul Spot light (this one stayed home since it was from a limited build and did not get played much). Below is a picture of the Les Paul so you can get an idea of what a spot light looks like. Too bad I had to sell it to help with financing a divorce in 2000. It was a keeper but had no other means at the time. The Fender Deluxe Reverb (reissue 22W) in the back ground was a trade in for the Mesa Boogie Mark III.

 

[ricorocks]

Well that’s a beautiful Gibson Les Paul Spot light you had :wink: Sorry to hear you had to sell it… Women: you can’t live with em’ and you can’t live without . what’s the diff. between the Spot light and a Les paul Custom? They seem identical to me…. I don’t believe you regretted selling your Fender Deluxe Reverb (reissue 22W) for a trade in for a Mesa Boogie Mark III LOL…Rock on…

 

[bandit2013]

I did not regret selling the Fender. Difference between the Les Paul Custon and the Spotlight: Walnut slug through the center of the top cap wood which was the same width of the neck, raw headstock and low serial number, and Kalamazoo stamp. Custom was not made in the Kalamazoo plant and had the vintage type tuners, and was mass produced, Spot light model only 52 made in 1984 (as I was told but perhaps there were more, possibly the last run made in the Kalamazoo plant in Michigan). Also was the heaviest guitar I ever owned. Not sure what else. It did not have the pick guard installed (loose and in the case pocket). I wish I had left it off after I installed it. The guitar list for $2,000 in 1984 (paid $899 for it new), the Cherry burst custom was a bit more in cost $2,200 (they would not budge on price either). Not much difference actually between Custom and SpotLight which was also a Custom.

 

[ricorocks]

I hear you. It sucks that you had to get rid of your LP SpotLight though… I Love Gibsons also, I’ve always mainly been a Gibson Les paul Custom player (Cherry sunburst) , but never actually owned one, my friend (So I thought…) :twisted: lend it to me for like 4-5 years before wanting it back. I asked him to sell it to me and he said no, saying: “I am going to give it to my nephew”. then one day walking in front of a music store I saw it exposed in the store’s window. :twisted: the Asssh?le sold it to a music shop…WHAT!!! :shock: :shock: Believe that.. I never spoke to the dude again **** *******… now I got 2 Suhrs which are Superstrats as you know but they are freakin’ amazing. I know you don’t get the “WOW” factor when playing as you would with an Ibby or Charvel Jackson from the 80’s-90's , instead a “Sweet” guitar is what you hear people most often say… but if they (The audience) closes their eyes and don’t see what axe I’m playing, these guitars blow their mind…they can rock like no other, I can Guarantee, I’ve played Charvels and own a 92 ibby Rg770 Prestige deluxe with Di Marzio Evo HumPups, awesome rock axes, they don’t make them like that any more. That’s for sure…… (plus the Suhr’s are super light- that’s a PLUS :wink: ) .i used to have back pains when playing the Gibson LP , Now I have the low end of the Strat , tight , defined, articulate, with the highs of the Gibson warm and fat, round. As you know the Gibson tends to get flubby on the low strings and the strat is to strident to my ears on the high strings.. Very happy here… :wink: Rock till you drop…

 

[ricorocks]

I meant muddy rather than flubby... :mrgreen:

 

[bandit2013]

What I do remember about the LP is the tone it had on the neck pickup. I believe it is due to the body shape since the cut seems to have more of a mellow or sweet tone to it even when played though the amp with high gain settings. Perfect for blues and most other styles. Early this year I had an itch for a Les Paul guitar. I picked up a few Epiphone, ESP, and other odd ball types to get an idea if it is something I would be willing to spend money on. I did not bother with the high dollar Gibson LP since the others were quite similar. They all felt comfortable to play. I had other plans on what I was going to get so trying out the guitar of the same shape is all I needed. Of course at the same time I also picked up some ES335 type semi hollow guitars. I have also been longing for a semi for some reason or another.... I could have ordered a new one to my spec, wood and color choice, etc.... was on the fence on the bridge, stop tail or though body..... I do remember having issues with dropping the bridge height and not being able to drop the tail for proper string tension. Instead of waiting 10 weeks for a new build in addition to $2k, I decided to go the low cost route and found a nice one on Ebay. Mint condition, plays like a dream, light weight and sounds incredible. The top may not have the same degree of roundness as the LP I had long ago but it is close. There is no substitute for the LP body style when it comes to tone. I can get close with some of my neck through strat style guitars but the Carvin CS6 is where it is at. Great deal and great quality instrument that surpasses anything I tried in the (not so local guitar) stores. This axe definitely cured the itch for a LP. If I would have ordered one, I would have opted for the additional volume and tone control and possibly the stop tail or perhaps a Floyd Rose Bridge. I am happy with the Ebay find so no need to get another.

One of my favorite guitars as I mentioned earlier, the super strat Carvin Bolt C. I can do everything with it. Blues, Classic Rock (60s-80s), Heavy metal and the more modern style. This guitar has incredible sustain, low end grunt, and tone that rivals most of my humbucker guitars. Part of the character comes from Lace Sensor Hot gold Pups (they have a lower Peak Reasonant Frequency when compared to the original pickups that came on it). I believe part is also due to the Black Limba Body.

 

[ricorocks]

Good to know there is no substitute for the LP body style when it comes to tone :wink: . (Probably why I always prefered Gibson LP tone to Fender strats :lol: ) I will try to test ride a Carvin CS6 if I find one definitely... man you have amazing gear… :wink: that new LP clone is very nice. Good for you, if I was to order a new custom made one I would not go with a Floyd Rose Bridge , rather a stop tail , I never saw a floyd on a LP… and plus Floyds Suck Tone. stop tails are awesome if you’re not into all that dive bombing sh?t (that ain’t music…). Besides if you play an LP obviously you’re NOT gonna want to dive bomb but rather play some soul-full blues , classic rock, hard rock, also metal. Look at Buckethead . the dude who wears the KFC chicken bucket on his his head and has a white mask :lol: (the only dude who plays shred metal guitar on a Gibson Lp) incredible… and you might be inspired to play some late night 4a.m. jazz … Awesome. I gotta try a Carvin after all your great talk about them. That’s for sure, never tried one or don’t remember !!! so just for the helll of it : what do you prefer set-necks or bolt-ons :?: Ciao and Rock on ...

 

[bandit2013]

LP with Floyd, Alex Lifeson of Rush uses one.
For some 20 years, I did not care much for Floyd Rose bridges. Either a fixed bridge or Kahler were the desired bridges for me. Last year all that changed. Found a mint Carvin Bolt C on Ebay just to give it a try. Bolt C is the super strat, C stands for Floyd Rose. I really bonded with the guitar, plus it sounded so good, played exceptionally well, and sustain was not an issue for a floating bridge. I actually like it better than the Kahler. I think what makes the Carvin bolt on guitar different from some of the others is the neck pocket.

I have 4 neck though guitars that I always believed to offer the best performance. Three set neck guitars (one is the CS LP, one is a CT similar to a PRS and the other is a late model DC100 double cut). Two of my favorites are bolt on necks, both with Floyd Rose bridges, one is HSS and the other is SSS. The other is a neck though with Walnut body, it is in the picture next to the moss green guitar in front of the Car. Out of the 9 guitars, two have Kahler 2300 pro series bridges. The rest are fixed bridge with string though body. All are Carvin as I mentioned a while ago. Why so many Carvins, the necks are probably the most comfortable and fast playing I have held in my hand. So between the different models there is not much difference in the neck profile, some may have different radius fret boards ( I prefer the 14" radius but have one that is a 12" and the older Carvin I believe is a 10". Most of the guitars have Stainless Steel Fret wire except for the two older ones.

I am considering building another Carvin, it will be another Bolt C with white Limba body. I am debating if I want to go with Ebony or Zebra wood fret board. Too many options to choose... I will keep it more traditional looking, perhaps a classic burst (the iconic strat finish). I could not imagine a bolt on neck guitar without a locking and floating bridge. Believe it or not, I have more sustain with both of the bolt on neck models having the Floyd Rose than I do with any of the other guitars. Perhaps it is part in due to the cut out under the pick guard along with the body shape and large springs on the tremolo. Standard sustain block on the Floyd. Sustain on the other guitars is good and better than most that I have ever picked up in a store. The only issue I have with the Bolt or single coil guitars are the pups. Seem to have a high peak resonant frequency which tends to make them sound brittle when distorted. Lace Sensors are what I am currently using on the strat type (Bolt) guitars. All the rest of my gear has Carvin pups (metal covered seem to be my favorite in terms of overall tone).

If you see a used one in a shop, give it a try. Perhaps you would like it or not. I have played most except a Roman, Suhr or other boutique type guitar. I may like how some Fenders sound but they just to not feel all that great to me. Even Gibson seems to have dropped in overall quality over the past few decades. The LP I had was one of the last runs out of Kalamazoo, that guitar was top quality in my books and has been the standard that I base others on. I feel that all of the Carvins I bought meet or exceed that benchmark so it can't be all that bad.

 

[ricorocks]

That’s good news man.. I’m glad to hear you find that bolt ons have more sustain, I thought I was crazy for a while but I also found that my bolt on Suhr has more /better sustain than my set-net mahog. :?: Could also be the set-up though??? Anyhow I already knew that Gibson dropped in overall quality over the past few decades. That’s why I woulod NEVER buy a new Gibson…they don’t make things any longer the way they made them in the past. :evil: That’s a FACT! Speaking of neck throughs I heard they are the worst guitars for soloing. To stiff, only good for Heavy metal rhythm/chugging parts, this was posted on a forum by a master builder… catch my drift :wink: i hear you on the neck pocket, T.Anderson makes exceptional guitars that have a great neck pocket with only 2 screws holding the neck if I remember correctly :shock: … believe that? I was scared the body would fall off when I first tried one out... it was good but the Suhr is Superior to me.. as far as radius’s goes I like 15-16 “ radius for a flatter fretboard , feels better to me for soloing. In fact both my Suhr’s are 16” radius. Amazing… I will def. try a Carvin if I get a chance.. I can’t help you with your decision of going with Ebony or Zebra wood fret board. That’s you’re choice . I never had zebra but ebony feels great, although Pau ferro is the best on the market to me! a bolt on neck guitar without a floating bridge , but a Fixed bridge is Paul Gilberts Ibanez model…. Along wiyth his iconic F-hole paint on the ash body (Cool) :wink: . model “PGM401” check it out. also single coil guitars are NOT the the best choice for high gain applications as you know… I am a Humbucker guy all the way. At least for the music I play. I wouldn’t touch a Roman with a 10 ft. pole man, cacth my drift :lol: Later Rock on..

 

[bandit2013]

Sorry about the Roman comment... Just remembered reading a thread somewhere that they make better wall ornaments than a guitar.

It has been a while since I really looked into other brands of guitars, I would say late 80's to early 90's. I stumbled onto Carvin in 2000 when a friend I worked with told me there was a used one in a local shop. I liked it so much I took it home the same day I played it. That does not happen with me very often. I tend to be critical on instruments even if I like how it feels or how it sounds. Many reasons why I never bought a Fender Strat, like the way they look, just could not justify buying one.

I did some experiments with my other neck though guitars. I have been playing the super strats most of the time. You may be right on the neck through guitars. They excel with Heavy Metal Rhythm but seem to lack some zest for the riffs. Also they are perfect for blues and classic rock too, not bad on lead but I prefer my SSS Bolt C over all. The trick is in the pups, I use the overwound Lace Sensor Hot Gold bridge pickup that has just as much resistance as a humbucker. Peak Resonant Frequency is much lower and it sounds great with full saturated high gain settings. You would almost swear it is not a single coil pup. The Dual stack Hot gold I have in the other is a full humbucker. I thought at first the pickup would sound harsh, heck no, it is awesome. If and when I build another guitar, it will have them. I did try some of their heavy metal humbuckers, they were not bad but did not like them as much as the others that I have in my Bolt's. I may install them in one of my older Carvins that have Kahler bridge. My biggest issue, I always go full tilt on the volume controls on my guitars. After some 30 years of playing I finally figured out dropping the volume on the guitar makes sense. More is not always better. I believe I have done so in the past, but I had given up playing for 8 years, torn ligaments and some broken bones held me back for a while. I am basically relearning what was once lost over the past 2 years now. I have regained some of my abilities but not all of it (primarily speed and accuracy and tying to remember scales and such).

 

[ricorocks]

Roman’s I’d say better basement bathroom ornaments :lol: I would also say that the trick is in the pups and the amp :wink: . Look into Suhr Aldrich pups. Best on the market . trust me , you don’t have to buy a Suhr guitar just install the Humpups, it’ll make a world of diff. I always thought Seymour Duncan were unsurpassable. I was WRONG . Suhr pups are the BEST in the buiz! Period. Try them and let me know… good to hear you didn’t give up on guitar and started playing again, scales will come back to you, it’s like riding a bike you know… speed and accuracy , well that takes time and effort as you surely know. But GREAT music is NOT 19-20 notes per second… that’s just pyrotechnical technique (acrobatics) LOL.. although I love it, don’t get me wrong… it’s my style. But I also LOVE david gilmoure’s licks/playing, 2-3 nps… or mark knofler from Dire straits. Awesome licks . no special technique or scale involved there… good just beautiful phrasing. My all time favourite in this period of my life is Andy Timmons. Nothing to write home about technically but outstanding musically (99% of his licks are based off of pentatonics…). Good luck man and try Suhr Aldrich Humpups… Rock on…