Marsha Settings Thread

steve_k · **Posted:** Fri, Jul 30, 2010 9:50am

Let's start a Marsha settings thread since there's a few out in circulation.

With mine, I am going toward a Slash/Cantrell tone. No pedals other than a wah, delay and CAE booster if needed in the mix. Everything in front of the amp. Running through a Mills 412 Afterburner with 4 Scumback M65's and the extension cab is a Mills 212 with 2 EV BlCk Labels. Both are 16 ohms.

The settings I have settled on for anything 80's are:

P - 10
B - 10
M - 0.5
T - 8.5
Master around 1.5 for the man cave
Gain - 7

These are dial settings (not clock) and I am on the HBE input. My amp has no loop, no sat, no fat switches to get in the way (thanks to Dave's recommendation).

I am usually playing one of several Les Pauls with SD Alnico II Slash PU's or a G&L Cantrell Signature Rampage (Afwayu PU).

Steve

supersonic · **Posted:** Fri, Jul 30, 2010 10:47am

Mids 0.5? Why so low?

RACKSYSTEMS · **Joined:** Fri, Jul 18, 2008 12:13am **Posts:** 809

I agree why so low. Cantrell has his mids at about 6 and Slash has tons of mids also. Here is what I suggest to start.
p 6
b 6 to 10 depending on the vol you play
m 5-7
t 5-7
m where ever for vol
g 10 on the BE
or gain on 7 for the HBE

steve_k · **Posted:** Fri, Jul 30, 2010 11:53am

I make it up with presence and treble. Don't like mids at all on any dirty amp. Maybe that is the old Mesa habit. Now, when those boys are at stage volume, it may be different. Could be somewhat speaker related too. When I played the amp with GB's I had to crank on the mods a bit.

Steve

jski59 · **Joined:** Fri, Feb 22, 2008 8:54pm **Posts:** 197

Just got my Marsha a couple weeks ago to replace my KS modded Marshall...the Marsha is definitely a step up!

Mine just has the BE, HBE and C45 mods, nothing else...I use them all, but the C45 is my favorite.

I've contacted Dave about adding the sat and modern switchs, loop and full clean, but now I'm debating it because the tone is perfect as is. The flexibility would be great, but I don't want to lose anything by adding a bunch of crap to the amp.

Anyway, on to my settings...

Presence: 10 oclock
Bass: 2 oclock
Mids: Usually around 10-2oclock, but it could be anywhere.
Treble: noon - 2oclock
Volume: depends on my stress level..higher stress, higher volume :rock:

Drive: Usually around 3 oclock, but varies

I'm blown away how many tones you can get with this thing...after years of playing a Mark IV, I guess I'm used to 1000 knobs. And I really enjoy dialing down the gain and cranking the volume for a nice plexi-ish crunch...

I'm playing through a Port City OS 2x12 with Scumback M75/H75 mix.

Awesome, awsome amp!

Jason

psychodave · **Joined:** Sun, Oct 08, 2006 9:06am **Posts:** 7519

I find it interesting that some turn the presence to 10 and/or crank the gain to 10. How does it sound with the presence lowered and the mids/treble turned up (vs the presence)?

reverymike · **Joined:** Sun, Feb 22, 2009 11:59pm **Posts:** 266

I have to say I'm surpised at how low the mids are as well. The mids are where the body of the guitar's tone lives and dies. To have them that low is a travesty. Especially, if you are playing live.

jharpersj · **Joined:** Wed, Feb 04, 2009 11:40am **Posts:** 147

I always set my marsha with everything at noon except gain (BE) which was maybe 1:00 mids, mesa mids are horrible, Marsha are musical, turn em up ! MY Naked modded marshall I set everything at noon as well and its killer.

One weird thing is I always used the modern switch on with the BE which Dave said not to do ha ha but thats what I liked

romanianreaper · **Joined:** Sat, Oct 20, 2007 3:41pm **Posts:** 268

I was in high school when thrash was big in the 80's and the first thing we would do is drop our mids entirely. In the 90's I would put the mids at around 9 o'clock. The past few years I have learned to appreciate how mids give you tones you can't get any other way.

Jay Strange · **Posted:** Fri, Jul 30, 2010 6:41pm

jharpersj wrote:

I always set my marsha with everything at noon except gain (BE) which was maybe 1:00 mids, mesa mids are horrible, Marsha are musical, turn em up ! MY Naked modded marshall I set everything at noon as well and its killer.

One weird thing is I always used the modern switch on with the BE which Dave said not to do ha ha but thats what I liked

Did you trade Brad the marsha for the Naked?

supersonic · **Posted:** Fri, Jul 30, 2010 6:43pm

steve_k wrote:

I make it up with presence and treble. Don't like mids at all on any dirty amp. Maybe that is the old Mesa habit. Now, when those boys are at stage volume, it may be different. Could be somewhat speaker related too. When I played the amp with GB's I had to crank on the mods a bit.

Steve

Well if it works for you, go for it. I'd like to hear any clips you have of the amp on these settings.

Bronco · **Joined:** Sun, Feb 22, 2009 1:04pm **Posts:** 211

romanianreaper wrote:

I was in high school when thrash was big in the 80's and the first thing we would do is drop our mids entirely. In the 90's I would put the mids at around 9 o'clock. The past few years I have learned to appreciate how mids give you tones you can't get any other way.

Yeah, this is so true...I think that's why amps like the Uberschall and the Rectos and other modern metal amps started featuring more thunderous low end...that way, you can still get some great mids and stand out in the mix, but you get more of a perceived scoop because of higher bass and treble freqs. My Uber is in no way dialed in for a thrashy sound right now -- the mids are really cranked -- but I can play along with anything and it sounds great because of the highs and lows on the amp.

Jay Strange · **Posted:** Fri, Jul 30, 2010 7:53pm

steve_k wrote:

Let's start a Marsha settings thread since there's a few out in circulation.

With mine, I am going toward a Slash/Cantrell tone. No pedals other than a wah, delay and CAE booster if needed in the mix. Everything in front of the amp. Running through a Mills 412 Afterburner with 4 Scumback M65's and the extension cab is a Mills 212 with 2 EV BlCk Labels. Both are 16 ohms.

The settings I have settled on for anything 80's are:

P - 10
B - 10
M - 0.5
T - 8.5
Master around 1.5 for the man cave
Gain - 7

These are dial settings (not clock) and I am on the HBE input. My amp has no loop, no sat, no fat switches to get in the way (thanks to Dave's recommendation).

I am usually playing one of several Les Pauls with SD Alnico II Slash PU's or a G&L Cantrell Signature Rampage (Afwayu PU).

Steve

Dude, with those settings ya missin' the mid roar of the Marsha and those speakers :confused:

steve_k · **Posted:** Sat, Jul 31, 2010 3:58am

psychodave wrote:

I find it interesting that some turn the presence to 10 and/or crank the gain to 10. How does it sound with the presence lowered and the mids/treble turned up (vs the presence)?

Sounds like you threw a blanket over the cab.

Steve

steve_k · **Posted:** Sat, Jul 31, 2010 2:20pm

Tried some of your settings and it just isn't happening for me. It either sounds like I threw a blanket over the cab or too honky with no bottom or sizzle. I run my JCM 800 the same way. As I said, no tone altering FX or FX loop. Someone mentioned thrash...if I want thrash I will bring out the Mesa's, not a Marshall styled amp. If I were running clean, the settings would not be as extreme.

Steve

jorual · **Joined:** Mon, Feb 22, 2010 1:55pm **Posts:** 25

Hi guys.

I use my 50W Marsha head in this way.

Input: HBE

P: 6.5
B: 5.5
M: 6
T: 7

Gain is at 5 and I use a Gibson Les Paul R& with P90's that sounds incredible. The speaker cabinet is a 4x12" with G12M 25W Greenbacks.... The Volume at home is at 1. It is too loud anyway

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