Which pedal for a Mark IV?

[Tuna141]

I've never been a pedal guy and usually plug my guitars straight into my amp. However, I do occasionally use a Barber Direct Drive with my AC30 and Egnater TOL100 amps and like the added sustain.

I've never really been happy with the lead tone on my Mark IV due to it being a little too smooth for my taste. I'd prefer my lead notes to stand out a little more. So I'm thinking about trying a pedal with my Mark series amps, which I have never done.

Can you recommend a pedal that may help me get some more note clarity as well as more sustain out of the lead channel of my Mark IV?

I was thinking about giving the Fulltone OCD a whirl - anyone ever use this pedal with a Mark?

Any experience/suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[MarkofXlnts]

I own the OCD (v4), a Fulldrive 2 Mosfet, and an MI Audio Blue Boy Deluxe. All three of them are excellent at driving the lead channel. I find the OCD to be the most transparent, but you can also get some very transparent tones from the Blue Boy (roll the mids back) and the Fulldrive 2(use in FM or Comp Cut modes). I do not think you could go wrong with any of the three. I have also used an MI Audio Blues Pro in the past, which is another good choice (although not as transparent as the OCD). If you want a simple transparent boost the OCD may be the best choice. If you want the option of boosting the mids the Fulldrive 2 and Blue Boy Deluxe can get you those tones as well. As a side note, these pedals also work very well in front of my Mark I.

 

[billyg121]

hey mark.can u give me examples of how you run the ocd.settings,etc..do you pull the gain back on the pedal when using with the lead channel?thanks.

 

[MarkofXlnts]

billyg121,

With the Mark IV I like a slight boost with moderate amounts of gain. I keep the volume on the pedal around 9:00 and the gain between 11-12:00. The gain on the amp stays around 8. Adjust the tone knob on the OCD to taste. You will have to experiment. The OCD has tons of volume (headroom) and will easily push any amp or pedal. Oh, I almost forgot, I like to use the HP setting. In my opinion it provides a little more cut than the LP setting (also provides more volume).

 

[Tuna141]

Thanks for the feedback regarding your pedals.

From what I've read on-line, and your advise, I'm now thinking an OCD is going to be the first pedal I check out...

 

[gonzo]

I use a Barber Direct Drive SS pedal with my Mark2b....
i think it's a perfect addition, by adding more grind...
the harmonics and bass trim pots (internal) are key...