Mesa/Boogie Mark IV channel 2 Mods...

  • Thread starter Thread starter snowdog
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snowdog

snowdog

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Anyone mod channel 2 on their MKIV ? Never found much of a use for that channel.
 
Agreed. How they managed to mess that channel up so badly, I'll never understand. Especially since the clean channel is good and the lead ch is phenomenal!

Only use I've found for rh2 is a fuzz pedal straight in. Gets ugly and gnarly.
Maybe Jerry (FJA) or Dave Friedman? Dave did wonders on my recto. Also, I think Jerry Dyer of Surreal does Boogies.
 
I like ch. 2. I dial it in for a nice classic rock crunch and hit it with an OD for leads. You ever try pulling the presence knob on 2? That's what did the trick for me.
 
BrokenFusion":1rlg5wmh said:
I like ch. 2. I dial it in for a nice classic rock crunch and hit it with an OD for leads. You ever try pulling the presence knob on 2? That's what did the trick for me.
Click to expand...
Yep. I pull the presence, knock the gain down a bit and hit it with a BB pre when I want a classic rock crunch out of it. It's passable, but IMO compared to the crunch channel of almost any other amp in existance, it still sucks! :lol: :LOL:
 
Thanks for the replies thus far, yes I have tried it with the presence knob pulled. I am also aware you could use a boost of some sort with it, but I am not set up with a midi switcher right now, so that would be one more thing to step on.

I am mainly interested to see if anyone has had theirs modded, I see lots of people on the forum owns/owned one.
 
I think about getting it modified here and there.

But it is useful when used with a fuzz pedal. Some pretty cool & different tones there.
 
I know there's a mod for R2 for the MIIIs but I've never heard of one for the Mark IV. Being an owner myself I did R2 for some AC/DC tones or blues but if I need anything else out of it I'll hit it with my OCD and it sounds pretty good.
 
I have never seen a mod for the mark IV R2 channel. Its the weakest channel on the amp, but with a boost (I use a Maxon OD-808), I get tones that work for me.

Only mod my mark IVA has is a bias pot to bias the power tubes. I think the R2 was changed between the IVA and IVB, but apparently it was not enough since most mark IV owners seem to agree to the R2 channel still has plenty of room for improvement.

Have you thought of running EL34's in the outer sockets? Some claim that helps R2. I know some also like 6V6's, a few on TGP swear by 6V6's in a mark IV (you have to run the mark IV in specific settings, see the manual).
 
I've never had an issue with R2. I set it up like this and use my TS9 if I want a little more gain out of it. Below are some clips. I think it gets a good "plexi on the verge of explosion" tone... YMMV.

SFWMarkIV.jpg


https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050503
https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050512
https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050513
 
SFW":y7yerea0 said:
I've never had an issue with R2. I set it up like this and use my TS9 if I want a little more gain out of it. Below are some clips. I think it gets a good "plexi on the verge of explosion" tone... YMMV.

SFWMarkIV.jpg


https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050503
https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050512
https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050513
Click to expand...

I guess the graphic EQ scheme is crucial for that tone though?
How does it sound without that EQ?

Do you set the amp to Triode or Pentode?



Sounds good by the way. :)
 
i do like the sound of the R2 channel of my mark IV....it only requires volume and WEIRD settings....but it sounds crushing too! even without boosting it...
 
petejt":2jsxekn6 said:
I guess the graphic EQ scheme is crucial for that tone though?
How does it sound without that EQ?

Do you set the amp to Triode or Pentode?



Sounds good by the way. :)
Click to expand...

As far as EQ... I always leave it on, as I find the Mark series to sound poorly without it on all the time. Either mode will work fine, but I believe that the clips were recorded in Pentode.
 
blackba":1clybh5w said:
Have you thought of running EL34's in the outer sockets? Some claim that helps R2. I know some also like 6V6's, a few on TGP swear by 6V6's in a mark IV (you have to run the mark IV in specific settings, see the manual).
Click to expand...


Yes, I have experimented with EL34's, it was quite some time ago though, I had pretty much written off ch2 by that point..I recall liking ch1 and the lead channel better with all 6L6's. It would be worth another try though. Never did try 6V6's.
 
SFW":82aiysox said:
I've never had an issue with R2. I set it up like this and use my TS9 if I want a little more gain out of it. Below are some clips. I think it gets a good "plexi on the verge of explosion" tone... YMMV.

SFWMarkIV.jpg


https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050503
https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050512
https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050513
Click to expand...


Thanks for the setting. I will give that a try later tonight.

I like the tones on your second clip the best of the 3. :thumbsup:
 
SFW":31k2v8vn said:
I've never had an issue with R2. I set it up like this and use my TS9 if I want a little more gain out of it. Below are some clips. I think it gets a good "plexi on the verge of explosion" tone... YMMV.

SFWMarkIV.jpg


https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050503
https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050512
https://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=6050513
Click to expand...

I went to try your setting only to find out they are almost identical to mine, on all 3 channels. Even the EQ is the same. I have a little more highs shaved off on ch 2 and 3. what kind of speakers are you using?
 
BrokenFusion":14zetf7i said:
I went to try your setting only to find out they are almost identical to mine, on all 3 channels. Even the EQ is the same. I have a little more highs shaved off on ch 2 and 3. what kind of speakers are you using?
Click to expand...

For that clip I was using a 1980s Marshall 1960 cab loaded with Celestion G12-70s. Those are actually my favorite Celestion speakers, but I have gotten extremely close with V30s. Miced with a SM57 through a mixer into my SB16 sound card. No eq at the board. I used a parts strat (alder body with maple neck/board) loaded with a Duncan JB.
 
SFW":3vppjemq said:
As far as EQ... I always leave it on, as I find the Mark series to sound poorly without it on all the time. Either mode will work fine, but I believe that the clips were recorded in Pentode.
Click to expand...

Ah okay, thanks.
 
SFW":3eopsmlx said:
BrokenFusion":3eopsmlx said:
I went to try your setting only to find out they are almost identical to mine, on all 3 channels. Even the EQ is the same. I have a little more highs shaved off on ch 2 and 3. what kind of speakers are you using?
Click to expand...

For that clip I was using a 1980s Marshall 1960 cab loaded with Celestion G12-70s. Those are actually my favorite Celestion speakers, but I have gotten extremely close with V30s. Miced with a SM57 through a mixer into my SB16 sound card. No eq at the board. I used a parts strat (alder body with maple neck/board) loaded with a Duncan JB.
Click to expand...

Are the G12-70's the same as the G12M70's? http://professional.celestion.com/guita ... 2M-70.html

If so wow, I can't stand the G12M70's, though they do mix well with V30's and sound good in your clips. :scared:
 
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