Tremoverb - Whats wrong?

[Messerschmitt]

Hey board -

So, I have a Tremoverb that I picked up new from Mesa Hollywood back in '99 or so. After grad school and reality, have been getting back into playing the guitar, and finding myself less satisfied with this amp than before. I recall, when I bought the amp, they absolutely embarrassed then available Marshalls.

I recently had the amp serviced by Mesa and fitted with El34. The gain, on all channels, is a bit too grainy for me. A TS808 RI help smooth things out a bit, but it still sounded poor. Moreover, I'm having a hard time matching up the tone with the classic Marshall sound (Jimmy Page, Gary Moore, Maiden, etc. etc.). Frankly, having more success with a Twin Reverb and a vintage Rat. That said, I recently obtained a Marshall Guv'nor, which sounded like crap through the main input, but pretty decent when running straing into the FX Return.

So what's the deal? Is it just the wrong amp for me, or am I doing something wrong? I know I sound like I would do better with a Marshall, but they're such crap build quality wise in comparison and just strike me as cheap. Help me make my Mesa work!

Thanks all.

 

[SonVolt]

Maybe your tastes have changed. Rectos are grainy, that's their sound. Why'd you put EL34's in it?

 

[Messerschmitt]

Mea culpa....

Spent some additional time with the Tremoverb, and I'm back in love. Have to admit, don't really get the "Blues" channel love that I keep reading about - it sounds very dark to me, but I'll just spend some more time with it.

Nonetheless, placing an analog delay in the loop rather than in front of the amp handled some of the "jaggies" I was getting on my lead tone. Was very impressed with how things sounded on the Orange/Clean. Placing a reissue Distortion + in front of the amp, on the clean channel, with gain at about 60-70% was very VH1 and with some additional adjustments rendered a VERY smooth and wide open lead tone. Very Gary Moore, but not as constricted as Marshall's tend to sound. With a MXR 10 band in the loop - and after the delay - very, very pleased. Had ordered a 2204 JCM 800 and that went back after these "developments".

So, I guess I just needed some sit-down time with the amp after all, especially after switching from 6L6s to EL34s

 

[Ua the Destroyer]

I rarely use the blues channel myself either. It's okay when messing around at home, but live I prefer to just roll of the gain, or guitar volume, to get a good low gain sound. I rum EL34 also. I really like to clone the red channel to orange, and use the hi gain setting on that channel. Just remember the presence knob on the actual orange channel affects the cloned channel also, and the presence on the red channel is in a different part of the signal frequency. I can't get a real close marshall type sound unless using pedals on the clean channel like you've figured out, but I really like the vintage gain channel on this amp like I stated.

Also, I modding your effects loop to series(unless yours is an early first year tremoverb, not likely if you bought it in 99) is not to hard and plays better with many effects in the loop.

I've had my tremoverb as long as you, and still havent found an amp to replace it. Have fun!