Members buddhapaugh Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 Is there something I should know about the input sensitivity of a Mark IV. I have never experienced a tube amp that is so picky when it comes to boosting it with an OD. MY Mark III was not as picky. My Trem-O-Verb LOVES to be boosted. Not this Mark IV. I have tried an OCD, an Ice 9, a Maxon 808, a Green Rhino, a T-Rex Michael Batio OD (which is the winner so far), a Lovepedal amp50 and amp11.... and none of them sound GREAT! Is it possible they are driving the input too much?? Are there are any secrets I am not aware of. Every other amp I have owned as loved to be boosted. Just seems like the Mark IV gets grainy and flubby----and certainly not tighter with a boost. Any ideas, experiences, comments?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted January 31, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 Wondering if I may need to change out V1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members greatmutah Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 That's odd. I've boosted mine with a SD-1 with great success. Lows and highs roll off and mids thicken up and become even more liquidy. It shouldn't be that different from your Mark III Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Harvester1199 Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 try a mxr gt-od, i played a mark iv boosted with a gt-od before and it sounded great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tech21man Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 I never liked boosting marks, the tonestack does a great job of cutting bass etc it is before distortion! I'd boost if I needed more gain to be honest...but how much more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tommy Horrible Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 I've never boosted my Mark IV. That amp has so much gain it's unreal, i would be very careful about the pull bright, fat switch, and mid gain if I were you. In fact I would make sure all three of those are disengaged or it might spin out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les-Zombie Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 i boost all my amps except for the mkiv, i like it better without. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted January 31, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 I've never boosted my Mark IV. That amp has so much gain it's unreal, i would be very careful about the pull bright, fat switch, and mid gain if I were you. In fact I would make sure all three of those are disengaged or it might spin out. You been reading the manual!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted January 31, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 i boost all my amps except for the mkiv, i like it better without. This may be where I end up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Vila Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 truth. dont boost the lead channel. I have had success with a beefy R2 by boosting, however it never held up to the lead channel in the mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted January 31, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 Usually---in my experience---boosting the front end of an adds some to the inherent tonal characteristics of the amp, and not takes away from that tonality. I guess there are exceptions to every rule, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundgardener75 Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 What cab and speakers are you running it with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted January 31, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 I never liked boosting marks, the tonestack does a great job of cutting bass etc it is before distortion! I'd boost if I needed more gain to be honest...but how much more? Not really looking for more gain----just those times when I want the amp to sing a little more. My default assumption has been that every amp likes a little kick in the teeth now and then. The Mark III I had was way more gainy than the Mark IV. Maybe time to check the preamp tubes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tommy Horrible Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 Not really looking for more gain----just those times when I want the amp to sing a little more. My default assumption has been that every amp likes a little kick in the teeth now and then.The Mark III I had was way more gainy than the Mark IV. Maybe time to check the preamp tubes out. Nah, my Mark III has more gain than my Mark IV too. I would say if you want to boost it for the tone, do it, just watch out how you dial it in or you'll end up with a squealing mushy mess because of how much gain it already has. However, you might only need to adjust input gain to account for the boost on second thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tech21man Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 the combination of input gain/lead drive or whatever boogie did on the mark V along with the inability to mix EL34 and 6L6 is my gripe with the new mark... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretout Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 I never boost my Mark IV, but when I do, I boost channel 2... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted February 1, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 R2 does sound good boosted---real good, in fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members carvinlegacy99 Posted February 1, 2012 Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 I never liked boosting marks, the tonestack does a great job of cutting bass etc it is before distortion! I'd boost if I needed more gain to be honest...but how much more? This, since it already has assloads of gain and a predistortin eq there is really no need to boost it. If you want it tight then just turn down the bass knob to 0 and the mid knob to less than half with the treble up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spawnofthesith Posted February 1, 2012 Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 Idk about the IV, but my the xotic bb preamp w/midboost was a mach made in heaven for boosting my V when I had it. Seriously... channel two with that thing on was one of the most amazing sounds I've heard come out of an amp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarbilly74 Posted February 1, 2012 Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 SD1 works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted February 1, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 That's 2 mentions for the SD-1! I actually have one laying around. I know what I am doing tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted February 1, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 I know I am acting like a noob here.... but why does my Dual Rec Trem-O-Verb... and most Recs.... like to be boosted and the Mark's are more temperamental?? Is it what was mentioned about the nature of the tone stack?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members carvinlegacy99 Posted February 1, 2012 Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 I know I am acting like a noob here.... but why does my Dual Rec Trem-O-Verb... and most Recs.... like to be boosted and the Mark's are more temperamental?? Is it what was mentioned about the nature of the tone stack?? Recs have eq after distortion, marks (if they have a graphic) have the 3 band eq after the first gain stage (which is clean) and another at the end of the preamp. Sit down with 2 eq pedals and a distortion pedal in between and you will see why they react differently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members buddhapaugh Posted February 1, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 Is this why Marks tend not to be pedal friendly as a whole?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rydock Posted February 1, 2012 Members Share Posted February 1, 2012 I'm boosting mine just fine with an od808 and it's the best tone I've ever gotten with any amp. What do you have your gain/drive and bass set to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.