Time to retube my Mark III

[slhguitar]

I have a Mark III redstripe w/o simul-class, but w/EQ. I know this sounds strange, but with the mesa preamp tubes, I'm not quite getting the amount of gain/distortion I would like. I am getting a good metal tone, but it just needs a hair more distortion. I am running Mesa preamp tubes and winged "C" 6l6s for power.
My question is this: What preamp tubes would you reccomend for this added distortion, and in what positions(V1-V4)?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Paul Secondino]

Most of the gain factor happens in the V1 tube. And Mesa preamp tubes are generally high gain CHinese anad Russian 12ax7's .

If using something like a Shuguang high gain 12ax7 or Tung SOl 12ax7 doesn't get you the gain you want, perhaps try using a clean boost pedal to hit the front of your amp harder and create more compression.

I don't like using that stuff usually but it could work if preamp tubes selection doesn't get you what you want .

 

[AtomicMassUnit]

I highly recommend the Mesa SPAX7a tubes. I tried all sorts of tubes including JJ's, russian mesas, and NOS RCA's, and the best sounding tubes for my MK3 were the spax7s.

 

[slhguitar]

Any particular clean boost you would reccomend? And where would I get these spAX7a ?

 

[Paul Secondino]

As far as clean boosts go, the CAE clean boost would be a very nice one. The demeter fat boost could possible work.PLaces like www.makenmusic.com and www.musictoyz.com tend to carry the best in pedals and effects.

I'm not sure I can necesarally recommend the best one for you. Because you might prefer some coloration, alot of coloration or none at all. Something like the fulltone fulldrive 2 might even be good because it has a mode that is pretty transparent and boosts the highs a little as well as adds a little gain.

A good place to buy tubes is www.doug'stubes.com but typically, if you want to try some high gain tubes, most stores carry groove tubes and EH tubes, many of which are veyr high gain. Check out the groove tubes website to see which oens are sorted for high gain and maybe your local guitar stores will have them.

 

[Boogiebabies]

I'm sorry but, if you need a clean boost on a MK III, you are a gainaholic.
I get enough at 8 to maim slall animals. A clean boost is cool on the R1 and R2 for extra tones. I personally love the Klon Centaur into any MK IIC+, III and IV clean and R2, but for the lead it's not necessary.

 

[Paul Secondino]

I also feel that the Mark 3 has plenty of gain and doesn't need any boost.But never the less everyone must travel the various roads to tone heaven.

As a correction, Fulltone makes the fat boost, not Demeter.Also, there is the Xotic AC Booster.This might be the most straightt forward clean boost of the ones I mentioned.

 

[slhguitar]

Maybe it isn't exactly more gain I'm after, but that is the way I percieve it. It is for an extreme metal tone. It just needs a tad more saturation to my ears. This is just going from the when I played it a few days ago (construction has prevented me from playing it for the past few days), and maybe when I come back to it, it will be perfect. I did want to avoid having anything run before the amp (I'm a Guitar--Amp--Speaker kind of guy), which is why I originally began to question the current preamp tubes. I would like to try different tubes regardless, just to see how they make my amp sound. I will keep you posted about my current quest for tonal bliss.

 

[X-1]

I have used both an Ibanez Tube Screamer (drive all the way down, level all the way up) and a Carl Martin Hot Drive N' Boost as a clean boost in front of my MkIII with great results.

 

[slhguitar]

I think I am going to try to build a simple mosfet clean boost. This is my first attempt at building a pedal, but it seems pretty simple. I am also going to build a double footswitch for my mk III to do the rhythm 1/2 and EQ on/off.

 

[forgivenman]

Would you want to make one for me? I just got my Mark III in the mail an hour ago and it didn't come with the footswitches- bummer! If you feel like it, I need to pick one up anyway and would be happy to pay you for it. By the way, it came with 2 tubes broken which is why I'm reading this thread. I stuck 2 6l6s in the outside slots, left the middle two empty (because the tubes were broken) and set it to half power and it sounds like a champ although there's still broken glass in it. Mine has the R2 volume mod which is why I got it- I used to have a green stripe but the volume drop between R1 and 2 drove me nuts. Now I can't figure out how to turn on the reverb on this thing though because the reverb knob functions as the R2 volume- such is life.

 

[slhguitar]

When I finish building mine, I'll let you know how much it cost in parts. Its a pretty simple build (a single switch for each function, with LEDs just to show the status). I could also send you the very simple schematic, if you feel like taking on a first project.

 

[psychodave]

Put an EQ in the loop... one with an adjustable level. It will add gain, but in a good way.

 

[powerlord]

I know what your saying,when I first got my III I couldn't seem to get enough of that metal sound,I put an OD pedal out front and a processor in the loop and now I have all I need and more.

 

[slhguitar]

Thanks for the tips! I currently have a behringer 15-band EQ in the loop, which does have a gain boost. I have used that, but it didn't quite get me there. Much closer, but not quite there. I am also thinking that the quality of the behringer is effecting the tone, so that is the first thing I would like to upgrade. Any suggestions on particular make/models of EQ to look for?

 

[powerlord]

Alot of these guys use G majors,or G-force,I'm looking into buyng one myself I tried the G major out in GC and fell in love with it,also if you can find these: ADA MP-1 or a Digitech 2101,make sure they are complete though.