TAMING THE BEAST CHANNEL#3

[ATR1]

I have had my MARK V for 4yrs. now finally starting to use channel 3. I am have a problem with amount of hiss I am getting. Using Mark IV setting gain at 2-3 o clock. What are people using?

 

[Trubador25]

I've found the best way to use channel 3 is with a nice OD pedal in front of it. The EQ can be helpful, but I prefer not,to use it most of the time. I've also found that turning up the presence and then jacking your channel EQ settings really opens the amp up. It does, however, cause a lot of top end buzz. Which is why I prefer to use a lower gain setting around 10-11 o,clock and push the front end with an OD pedal. This is also using the mark ii voicing selection. I feel like he miss get way to nasally with the Mark iv setting (even though I loved my lead channel on my old Mark IV combo) and extreme is an entirely different animal. The mark ii voicing has the most depth to me. And when I say crank your channel EQ, turn the treble up to 1-2 o,clock to really get some gain moving through your preamp. Then turn the mids and lows up to 12 o,clock and adjust accordingly. I go up from there to really squeeze out preamp gain and tone. Things will actually balance out when everything is above that 12 o,clock mark and push the power section of your amp (which will also be opened up by a having the presence boosted a bit as well, around 2 o,clock). And last, but never least, milk this channel using your tone and volume controls along with your right hand dynamics. I still have issues really dialing this channel in. To the point that I M going to ask boogie about retubing options. But so far, this is the best sounding configuration I've found. And I always use these amps at full power. Hope this helps brother.

 

[richaxes]

There is definitely some hiss with the gain fairly high up but it never bothered me too much. The signal-to-noise ratio is still very good when I'm playing.
Does it hiss really hard all the time or only when your guitar's volume turned up and you're not playing? If the latter, a noise gate could help you with that.
If it's really that bad and there all the time, something could be faulty in my opinion. Preamp or poweramp tubes most likely.

 

[ATR1]

Thank you. I will give that a try. I think I am going to change my pre amp tubes they cant be but 1 1/2 old but I found my V2 sounding strange so I changed it. Much better now..

The hiss doesn't bother me to much while playing. Its when I stop. I'm using the FX8 for my switching which does not kill the hiss. I may have to put a gate post just to kill hiss or hook up my Mark V switch for muting completely or figure something else out. I don;t want to tap dance if know what I mean.

 

[barryswanson]

Hiss? What hiss?

 

[gnjlee]

I have had my MARK V for 4yrs. now finally starting to use channel 3. I am have a problem with amount of hiss I am getting. Using Mark IV setting gain at 2-3 o clock. What are people using?

I play Stratocasters in the SSS format with low output single coils. Subsequently the gain on channel 3 is dimed and there is plenty of noise. The bright side is I am already accustomed to hitting the clean channel between songs, turning down my volume etc because single coils are noisy as heck anyway. I have been playing this way with boogie amps and noisy Stratocasters for 20 years, it's all muscle memory now