Conference napalm::guitar

    Check out the new Boogie 400+ bass head with twelve...  count them,
    *12* 6L6GC power tubes in it!!!!! Didn't check on the price cause
    all I kept thinking was, "gee, if I had to retube this head it'd
    cost around $300.00 just for "Boogie" power tubes"! After that, I 
    wasn't interested much. Didn't look very different at all from the 
    original 400 head either. It must really pack a punch though. 
             
    Rock on,
    	     Fred

    	Daddy's in Nashua,NH just got one of these in.... It really looks
    pretty versatile and impressive. It's features seem to include just
    about everything they have ever Engineered and built in there combo
    amp's,preamps and power amp's and then some.....I'd call first to make
    sure it's still there...  :^)
    
    							Rick
     

    I just had Boogie send me all the written literature they have on it. 
    To summarize:  If I had the money, I'd have ordered one 10 minutes into
    the owners manual.
    
    Somebody wanna buy my Mark IIC?  $1400 is a little high.  I'll come off
    to $1200!  ;^) 
    
    Will (who's trying to save money on gear and people [Boogie] keeps
    sabotaging the attempt [Aw shucks!])

    So what is different from the MKIII?
    
    Thanks,
    Mike

    I just started to write it up from memory and can't get it close
    enough.  I'll try to post a fairly complete list in the next few days.
    
    It is quite a bit more flexible, with the three channels operating much
    more independently.
    
    Will

    
    MKIII - Three channels (plus one extra "ghost channel" I've found out 
    		that Mesa doesn't advertise).
    MKII - Two channels.
    
    I've heard/seen Will's MKII next to my MKIII half stack, that little 
    thing SCREAMS!!!
    
    Hey Will.  When are we gonna dodat ageeen?  That was a lot of fun. 
    I'll see if I could track down our groupies again, too!  ;^)
    
    J.

    Here's the Mark IIC & III controls:
    
    Volume 1, pull for bright
    Treble, pull for shift (fattens mids)
    Bass, pull for deep (deepens bass)
    Middle, on the Mark III, pull for rhythm 2 channel
    Master 1, pull for gain boost (works with volume one)
    Lead Drive, pull for lead (if you forget your footswitch)
    Lead Master, pull for bright (sets lead channel output volume)
    Presence
    Reverb (Optional)
    5 band EQ (Optional)
    Slave Out level
    Simul-Class Power (Optional) with Simul-Class/Class-A switch
    
    One effects loop
    
    
    Here's the Mark IV controls:
    
    Rhythm 1 Gain, pull for bright
    Rhythm 1 Treble
    Rhythm 1 (shared with rhythm 2) Bass
    Rhythm 1 (shared with rhythm 2) Middle
    Rhythm 1 Presence
    Rhythm 1 Master
    
    Rhythm 2 Gain, pull for fat
    Rhythm 2 Treble
    Rhythm 2 (shared with rhythm 1) Bass
    Rhythm 2 (shared with rhythm 1) Middle
    Rhythm 2 Presence, pull for shift (shift on: higher freqs effected)
    Rhythm 2 Master
    
    Lead Gain, pull for fat
    Lead Treble
    Lead Bass
    Lead Middle
    Lead Drive, pull for bright
    Lead Presence, pull for shift (as above)
    Lead Master
    
    Output Level (controls output of amp in all modes)
    
    5 band EQ (Standard)
    Silent Recording switch (turns off the output, don't have to disconnect
          the speaker, signal still regulated by Output Level)
    Tweed Power Switch (works like built in variac)
    Reverb (Standard)
    Slave Out
    2 Effects loops, one is switchable
    Simul-Class Power (Standard) with Simul-Class/Class-A switch
    Triode/Pentode Switch (reconfigures class A side, triode is smoother)
    Harmonics/Mid Gain Switch (in Lead Mode, fattens the mids, etc)
    
    Power Tube Substitution (depending on the modes selected by Teed and
    Simul-Class switch, class A tubes can be 6L6's, EL34's, 6V6's, 5881's)
    
    External switch jacks for footswitch so can be Midi controlled
    
    Footswitch is now digital in nature instead of the old mechanical one
      Rhytm 1, Rhytm 2, Lead, Lead EQ, FX Loop all on on switch panel
    
    
    Boogie's direct price: $1595.00
    
    In 1984, my Mark-IIC with all the options (the wood cabinet was $200)
    was $1670.  So figure it's another $150 or so over the older amp with
    all the new features.
    
    Will
    
     

    Oh yeah, it still fits in the little 1X12 box that it they always have
    used.  Two rows of knobs on the front now.
    
    Will

    
    Wowsers!  I thought MKII(I) controls were hard to get useta!
    

    Anyone test driven a Mark IV yet?  Also, if the IV price is $1595,
    does anyone know what the prices on the III, II, etc are?
    Does anyone have a feel for how the store price at , say Daddy's,
    compares with Mesa's price?
    
    Regards,
    John 

    I'm sure this amp sounds great and is very flexible. I only wish that
    Mesa Boogie did things a little more straight forward. For example, 
    some of the controls are shared by two channels (ie. Mid controls),
    while some are not. Some of the controls that players need quick
    access to are mounted on the rear panel.
    
    One of the nicest features is the silent recording switch, which allows
    you to shut down the power amp. I wonder if this amp has recording
    outputs that emmulate the sound of a power amp loaded by speakers.
    
    Mark
    

    >>> One of the nicest features is the silent recording switch, which allows
    >>> you to shut down the power amp. I wonder if this amp has recording
    >>> outputs that emmulate the sound of a power amp loaded by speakers.
    
    I'm pretty sure the picture in the Nov. 1990 Guitar Player add showe
    the back panel with a "Recording Out" jack separate from the line out
    for effects.  I'm poresuming this is a single channel version of the
    "Recording Out" speaker simulator found on the Boogie Preamp.  Just a
    guess, but knowing how Boogies continues to incorporate features into
    newer products, it seems like a likely assumption.
    
    - John -

    I've tried a IV, but let me tell ya...
    
    TOO many controls.    takes too long to set up.
    
    Once you do, it sounds great....
    
    Jay Tashjian

The Mk IV is also reviewed in the UK magazine "Guitarist" November issue.
The UK price is �1695 including foot switches, a cover, and VAT.
*DC

    re -1 too many controls:
    
    Not to sound like a salesman, but in my experience with the Mark IIC,
    the controls are difficult for the new user.  They are quite subtle and
    take time to learn.  Once you learn them, however, they're just as fast
    as any other amp I've ever had, and INFINITELY more flexible, allowing
    me to dial in more different tones than any other amp I've had.
    
    JMO,
    
    Will

    
    Thanks for sending me mail when you got back Will!!!  ;^(
    
    Seriously, I am DEFINITELY on the same boat Will is.  Took a while to 
    get used to, but I wouldn't trade my MK for ANYTHING except for maybe
    a MKIV.  Not even a single problem or complaint on my Boogie(except for 
    blowing a couple of slo-blows: 1 year apart), since I picked it up a 
    1.5 years ago.
    
    J.  Who'd_like_to_get_a_hold_of_a_decent_Boogie_combo_now

I've just ordered one of these beasts (I should have paid for it by this
time in 1993!). I might have to wait until the next shipment to the UK
which could be weeks.

re:      <<< Note 1853.6 by CSC32::H_SO "Hyundai insider: I drive a Chevy" >>>

    
�    MKIII - Three channels (plus one extra "ghost channel" I've found out 
�    		that Mesa doesn't advertise).

I am intrigued. How do you use the "ghost" channel... and is it also on the
Mk IV?
*DC

God, I'm jealous!  ;^)

Will (Mark-IIC owner)

Well, I've finally got it, and I was surprised at the weight of it.
I believe it's heavier than the Mk III (must be some white dwarf star
material in there 8^)). Thank **** for the castors. Once I get it into
the flight case I've ordered for it, I'm going to need a block and tackle
to lift it!
Oh, and it's also very loud.
*DC

    Despite years of contentment with my present amp, I decided to take a
    look at a Mk IV. There wasn't anything in particular I was looking
    for--I just wanted to see if it is as transcendental as a number of
    players I know claim it to be. 
    
    The combo w/EV speaker had just been unpacked and had all its controls
    turned to zero. I plugged my sunburst 355 into it , selected Pentode,
    Simul-Class, Harmonics and Full Power and started turning up some of
    the controls. The first sounds I got were thin and ugly, but I kept at
    it. In about 10 minutes I had three voices that were wonderful--a
    clean, full R1, a dark, rich R2 and a lovely, singing lead that worked
    well with chords, too. I would have liked a little more bass response
    in R1 mode, but I'm used to a 15" speaker.
    
    After playing with these awhile, I tried some of the other switch
    positions. Selecting Triode operation made the amp sound as if it were
    working a little harder. Class A /Triode sounded like a small amp being
    pushed, but hanging in there. Tweed power really roughed up the tone,
    sounding like the last set in a blues club. For my playing, 
    Simul/Pentode/Full worked the best.
    
    Some of the replies here have  suggested that Boogies are compressed
    sounding. I didn't find that to be the case--I thought the amp was very
    responsive to dynamics in all modes. Some have also said that it took
    too much knob-twiddling to find the sounds they wanted. While it didn't
    take me very long to find good sounds, it did take longer than on most
    Fenders, where I can plug in and play with almost any settings. 
    Whether that would be a real problem remains to be seen. I definitely
    had less trouble getting it set up than the Mk II (B or C?) that I
    tried when I bought my Showman--although I could get some nice sounds
    out of that one, I wasn't happy with having to balance the rhythm sound
    against the lead.  The Mk IV solves that problem nicely.
    
    Other complaints--too heavy for me, there seemed to be a cabinet
    rattle, the knobs feel cheap, and it's relatively ugly. The first I'd
    solve by getting a separate top. The second *might* have been the
    instructions or a tag buzzing. The latter two are rather subjective,
    but I prefer the looks of my Fender.  
    
    My expectations in auditioning this amp were that I'd go away feeling
    no desire to own one. I was wrong--I ordered a short head today. I'm
    going to use it with my Showman speaker until I'm sure that I like it.
    You never can be too careful when it comes to amplifiers. :-)
    
    
    Danny W.

Sounds like the MK IV may have solved the two major problems that I had with my
MK III (compressed sound and compromise on rhythm v.s. lead).  Actually, I've
heard more complaints against the MK III than any of the boogie amps.  Maybe it
was a mistake that they fixed in the MK IV, or maybe it was practice in
designing the MK IV.

Let us know how you like it in 3-6 months.

The number of knobs on that thing still scares me.....

steve (happy with simple controls that work).

    I'm not finding it hard to control, despite the number of knobs. In
    fact I gigged with the Mk IV when I'd only had it a few days.
    *DC

All the knobs are just on one amp, that's all.  No more knobs than on the 
three amps to replace it with.

And if you play really different material it'll be a great piece of gear.  
When I play out with my friends, we play everything from hard rock, to soft
latin jazz, to twangy country, to middle of the road soft rock.  For that
wide a variety, I haven't heard anything else but a Boogie that will do it as
well.

I don't know about the Mark III's.  I still get the feeling that they lost 
some of that great tone that previous Boogie's had.  But the Mark IV's got
it back from what I've heard.  It's funny, they even reference the IIC in the
IV's owner's manual, claiming that under this or that setup, it has that
tone of the "fabled Mark IIC."  They don't say anything about the Mark III.
It's like they blew it and they know it.

Will

    After a week of playing UPS tag, I finally got my MK-IV head. I set it
    up on my Showman, discovered that the speaker cable is too short, go to
    the workshop and fabricate a cable of proper length, hook everything up
    and start to test it out.
    
    Everything was going really well until I tried adjust the lead gain
    knob, which promptly fell off, along with most of the shaft. GP had
    mentioned the same problem. 
    
    A call to my dealer and Mesa resulted in them airlifting a replacement
    pot to me, which should arrive today. I think the fan is a little
    noisy, so they're sending a new one of those, too. Figuring there was
    little to lose, I tried superglueing the shaft together, but wound up
    glueing the pot instead--luckily, it's at about 6 or 7--a good setting
    for now.
    
    Despite the less-than-auspicious start, the amp sounds great so far. I
    definitely prefer Simul-Class/Pentode/Full for my playing style, but I
    haven't begun to try all the possibilities. One interesting thing has
    been experimenting with the lead channel. I have my Fender set for a
    very high gain, compressed sound that gives lots of smooth distortion
    with lots of sustain. When I tried this on the MKIV, the distortion
    seems too harsh. I was surprised, since tube amps are supposed to be
    better at this than SS amps. Backing down the gain until the sound was
    smoother, I reached a point where it didn't sound distorted, but seemed
    to sustain just as long. This is the kind of lead sound I really like,
    but haven't been able to quite get from my other amps. Since I only
    play a couple of notes a minute, having them hang around awhile really
    helps, and being able to do that without a high distortion sound is a
    bonus.
    
    Danny W.  

    Quick follow-up: not only did the replacement pot & fan show up this
    morning, but Mesa sent a set of four 6L6's with a note apologizing for
    the inconvenience. Score one for their customer service.
    
    Danny W.

    
    Danny, does Mesa expect you or the nearest dealer to install the pot 
    and fan?
    
    Kevin
    

    It was my suggestion to have Mesa send me the parts--it seemed easier
    for me to do the repair than to ship it. I wanted to use it over the
    weekend, too.
    
    It took me less than an hour to get the pot installed--I had to move
    two other controls and it was a tight fit. The new fan is as noisy as
    the old one, so I didn't install it. It's actually just wind noise and
    it's only audible at very low playing volumes.
    
    Anyway, it sounds great, but I'm still experimenting.
    
    Danny W.

Danny,

	The fan in my MKIIc was noisy when I got it and after playing with
acoustically isolating it with rubber grommets,I ended up replacing it with 
another ac fan which had less air flow and was quieter. The result was I 
was able to cool the tubes and tolerate the noise/frequency.I'll see
if I can get you a part number/manufacturer,if your interested? I've
had a lot of good (non-warranty)service experiance with Mesa which is part of 
why I like there hardware and recommend it highly to people who are looking
to get that kind of "tone quality" and quality/reliability. Now if they could
make them 50lbs lighter :^)
    

							Rick

re: the fan

What surprised me was that there's no guard on the fan to stop
inquiring fingers poking into it. Perhaps the fan's not powerful enough
to do any serious damage...?
*DC

    Rick:
    
    I think the fan is grommet mounted. I may just unplug it when I use it
    in the house, though I was thinking of putting a dropping resistor in
    to slow it down. If you know of a quieter, drop-in replacement, let me
    know.
    
    As for the weight--the combo was too heavy for me, which is why I got
    the head version, even though the adder for the
    combo is far cheaper (like, less than the cost of the speaker alone).
    By getting a Thiele cabinet, I'll have two 45lb boxes instead of one
    85lb one!
    
    re:-.1
    
    The fan on the head is well protected from fingers--you're more likely
    to burn yourself on the hot bottles!
    
    Danny W.

re: .24 (Weber)
    
    > I have my Fender set for a very high gain, compressed sound that gives
    > lots of smooth distortion with lots of sustain. When I tried this on
    > the MKIV, the distortion seems too harsh. I was surprised, since tube
    > amps are supposed to be better at this than SS amps. Backing down the
    > gain until the sound was smoother, I reached a point where it didn't
    > sound distorted, but seemed to sustain just as long. This is the kind
    > of lead sound I really like, but haven't been able to quite get from my
    > other amps. 
    
    This is what you may have heard referred to many times as the "singing
    Boogie tone".  
    
    As you observed, it does not seem to be just an issue of gain.
    
    I'm looking to get something to replace my Mark IIB because it is
    hard to adust the MIIB at gigs (we've discussed this problem
    elsewhere).  I've tried a LOT of other amps, many that I've loved,
    but (also as you observed) none of the amps I've tried seem to
    have this quality, and I find that this particular "singing" aspect
    is what really inspires me when I play.
    
    The MKIV does solve the problem I have with the MKII, but I just
    don't know if I can afford it.  I might end up keeping the MKII
    for the sheer joy of playing it, and getting something less expensive
    than a MKIV to use at gigs.
    
    	db
    
    
    Since I only
    play a couple of notes a minute, having them hang around awhile really
    helps, and being able to do that without a high distortion sound is a
    bonus.
    
    Danny W.  

    DB is right--the Mk IV sings on all channels at any volume.
    
    But, I've uncovered a major problem. After playing with the controls a
    bit, I've got such wonderful sounds coming out of it that I've stopped
    experimenting. I'm sure there's some good stuff that I haven't
    uncovered, but I'm having too much fun playing to get back to knob
    twiddling. 
    
    I really like the effects loop setup. Since dumping my rack stuff, I've
    been using just a ddl/chorus box. I want it on with the lead channel
    and sometimes use it with the rhythm channel. Setting the loop switch
    to Lead pulls it in automatically when the lead channel is active, and
    still allows me to switch it on or off for the other channels. This is
    great--it saves me from having to step on two switches when I want the
    lead channel so I can actually start playing some notes before the end
    of my solo  :-)
    
    The only sonic deficiency I've found is that the low end lacks the
    depth of my Showman (I'm playing it through the same speaker). I'm not
    surprised--I think this is an area where solid-state has a decided
    advantage. At high volumes, the difference is less noticeable. The
    Boogie's overall sound has much more life to it, so I think the trade
    is worth it, but I'm not parting with the Showman yet. The Boogie also
    has a higher noise level than the Fender, which is black-velvet quiet
    at any volume, but the signal/noise ratio is adequate (the fan covers
    it up at low volumes :-)).
    
    I had been using a BB King Custom with it at first, and it sounded so
    rich that I was afraid that an archtop would sound too ripe ("plummy"
    is the Brit adjecti��ve), so with some trepidation I tried it with a my
    very acoustic-sounding Super V BJB. It needed a slight tweak of the R1
    Treble control to make it sound just like a blackface Twin--perfect. My
    '63 Super 400 CES worked perfectly too: the quintessential jazz sound.
    
    I should be receiving a Thiele cabinet in a few days. Update to follow.
    
    Danny W.
    
    
    

    I was distressed to have my MKIV blow a fuse last week. It didn't take
    long to pin the cause down to a 6L6--using the Simul/Class-A switch
    made it easy to determine which pair of tubes had the problem. Mesa
    responded nicely, sending tubes and fuses right out, but now I 
    remember why I stopped using tube amps when I was a working musician.
    
    I received the Thiele cabinet and have gone from not having enough bass
    to having far too much. I find the Thiele to be quite boomy, even with
    the bass controls way down.  There is a distinct resonance between 100
    and 150 Hz, which makes the B, C and C# below middle C overpowering. I
    think Mesa designed this to be used in conjunction with the combo's
    open back speaker rather than by itself. I have an open-back enclosure
    on order which I'm hoping will turn out to be adequate alone. If not,
    I'll have a mini-stack.
    
    Danny W.

I haven't previously bothered using any effects with my Mk IV,
but yesterday I tried putting a Boss Chorus stomp box into the
effects loop and it worked surprisingly well. I say "surprisingly"
because I expected that only "line" level equipment (e.g. rackmount)
would be suitable for the loop. I couldn't hear any distortion
due to mismatching. Anyone know if this is supposed to work?

This is a pleasant surprise because I dislike putting effects
between the guitar and the amp (because of the inevitable loss
and signal and sound definition, even when the effect is switched-out).

*DC

    The masters act as effect send level controls and the main volume is
    the receive level control. By keeping the masters low you'll get a good
    match for instrument level effects. For line level effects, raise the
    masters and drop the main volume.
    
    Danny W.

    My open-back, 1-12" EVM extension cabinet finally arrived, and my worst
    fear is true--using both cabinets together sounds much better than
    either one alone. If I had to chose one, I'd go with the open back,
    even though it is somewhat bass shy:  the Thiele is just too boomy by
    itself. Both cabinets together weigh about what the combo weighs by
    itself--at least I can carry thenm one at a time.
    
    The two cabinets balance quite well and their deficiencies pretty much
    cancel out. If you have a combo and want to fatten the bottom end,
    adding a Thiele cabinet would really do the trick. The�extra volume is
    a bonus.
    
    The only jarring thing is that between the two cabinets and the head,
    there are three different logo plates. It would look much nicer if they
    were all the same.
     
    Danny W.

    Danny,
    
    From the pictures I've seen of the Boogie Thiele cab. it follows the
    EV design pretty much.  You can insert a tuning plug covering the
    "middle" section of the port (between the two studs) and you will get a
    smooth rolloff about 1/2 ocatve higher than the current -3 db point.
    
    Since the port is behind the grille, the looks of the plug aren't
    really an issue.  It should be 3/4" wood, screw it to the studs and use
    weather stripping to gasket it.  
    
    							Brian

    Thanx for the tip, Brian. I'll give it a try as soon as I have some
    leftover energy.
    
    Meanwhile I'm having a great time playing the stack. The last "stack" I
    used was in 1968 when I had two 2-15" cabinets under a Showman head.
    Pretty intimidating to look at, but not much sound for all the weight
    and cubic feet. Oh, I forgot my Polytone stack, a Baby Brute atop a
    Minibrute IV.
    
    The Boogie stack sounds much better than either of these.
    
    Danny W.

    The Mk IV has been working well for awhile now--no blown 6L6's  since
    September and foot pedal #3 hasn't exploded yet.  For most "small
    venue" playing I use just the open-back cabinet and don't worry too
    much about the bass missing without the Thiele. This really  isn't much
    of a test: in terms of sheer volume, I could easily handle most of
    these gigs with a Polytone or Studio .22.
    
    Some outdoor gigs provided more of a workout. These were low-budget
    productions: no soundman; only the keyboards  and vocals go into the
    sound system; everything else is at stage volume. We needed to cover
    about 400 people spread over a large area, at a volume level high
    enough to keep everyone's attention. Not metal, but pretty loud. Since
    the tunes ranged from swing to hard rock I needed the clean channel to
    stay clean.
    
    I used two Gibsons, a cherry-red Lucille and a white SG-LP Custom,
    through an A-B box. A Digitech DDL/Chorus into the switchable loop was
    the only effect. I set it up so the loop was always in for the lead
    channel. The effect pedal, amp pedal and A-B box makes a neat little
    semi-circle set up about 8 feet in front of, and somewhat to the side
    of the amp. The Record Out went right into one channel of a small
    Tascam board for 4-track recording and video sound feed. The Slave Out
    went into the monitor board so the keyboard player, 20 feet across the
    stage, could hear me. Having independent level controls made this all
    work very well. For the tuner feed, I plugged a short cable into the
    other Effects Send.
    
    All I had to do to achieve the necessary volume was open the guitar
    volume controls from my normal 5 to about 8. I left the channel masters
    at 5 for R1, and 2 for the others. With the volume at 2 and
    Pentode/Simul-Class/Harmonics/Full Power selected, I was more than loud
    enough. The only change to my normal settings was to push in the R2
    Pull Fat (since R2 got rather shredded from the higher guitar output)
    and turn up the R1 Presence a little. I couldn't have been more
    satisfied with the sound, and the amp never sounded like it was even
    breathing hard. My only complaint is that the pedal LED's wash out in
    sunlight, but that problem isn't unique to Boogie.
    
    Over the last year, I've come to the conclusion that it was worth
    paying the extra for separate pieces that weigh less than the combo
    version. I can easily pack and unpack my car myself, where before I
    always needed help getting the amp into the trunk and up and down
    stairs. All three pieces plus the Totes bag I use for cables, pedals,
    tuner, and all other accessories fit nicely into the trunk with room
    left over for a couple of guitar stands. It takes a few extra minutes
    to set up, but the lowered level of back strain is well worth it, and
    the controls wind up at the right height for easy adjustment.
    
    
    Danny W.

    
    Question on using the effect send for tune.  Isn't the output from
    the loop a little hot for the tuner?  It seems like a good idea...
    
    -pat

    >Isn't the output from the loop a little hot for the tuner?<
    
    The Tuner (a TU-12) hasn't complained so far. Anyway, it sits over the
    output tubes, so it's used to being hot.
    
    Danny W.

	I just *knew* my loop was good for something.  I also have a TU12,
	gonna hook it up tonite.

	-pat(man) - jammin' with the scarymon tonite

    
    
      I run my Korg DT1 thou it with no problem........
    
    
                                                Mcmark

    
    	Well, as of last night, I also feed my tuner from the send loop.
    	Works fine except the red lights are glowing twice as brightly.
    	Is that a problem? 
    	
    	;^)

    >>Works fine except the red lights are glowing twice as brightly.
    >>Is that a problem?
    
    not if you wear shades  8^)

    When I bought my MK IV I felt I was paying for some features that I'd
    never use, but most of them have turned out to be more useful than I'd
    ever expected. I have been especially surprised by the power amp
    controls. 
    
    I've always been a high-power-amplifier user. When I was young and
    something of a Fender pack rat (I'll write a note about this some other
    time), my favorite amps were the 4-6L6 models (Showman and Twin) and
    I've generally preferred the sound of these amps to the smaller ones. I
    had expected to always use my MK IV in Pentode/Simul/Full mode, and in
    fact, for big gigs, I do like it that way.
    
    At home, however, I've been leaving it set to Triode/Class A/Tweed mode
    almost exclusively. This gives it a rich sound even at low levels, and
    sounds especially good with solidbodies or Gretsch guitars. Some of my
    archtops sound a little too rich this way; with those I switch back to
    full power mode.
    
    My standard settings for the  Lead channel sounds terrible in this
    mode, with too much distortion for my taste, so I tend to just use R1 &
    R2 (I'm sure I could readjust Lead for a better sound, but I'm too
    lazy.)
    
    Does this mean I would have been happier using a Deluxe than a Twin all
    those years? Doubtful--I was something of a clean freak then. But I am
    surprised at how much I've enjoyed using the equivalent of a 15-watt
    amplifier. As a bonus, the fan runs at low speed in Tweed power and is
    barely audible in the house.
    
    I do have to remember to turn the main volume down a little before
    switching back--it's a nuisance to have to straighten all the pictures
    on the walls if I don't.
    
    Danny W.
      

re: <<< Note 1853.46 by RANGER::WEBER >>>

Danny,

Have you had to change your 6L6 valves regularly using Full Power?

I have only ever used my Mark IV in "Tweed Power" mode, and I've never had
to change valves yet (in 2 years), apart from a preamp valve that went
microphonic.

I used the amp for about a year and a half with a band about one to two evenings
a week for 2-3 hours, and for the last 8 months for an hour or two on about 4
nights a week (in "Silent Recording" mode at home).

I've always found it loud enough in "Tweed Power" mode, but then again, I
do like a slightly dirty tone �^).

* Dave 
(in Triode/Simul/Tweed mode)

    The tubes (or valves if you insist) have been in there since Sept.
    1991.
    
    "Class-A" uses only two output tubes, and this drops the power more
    than I want for most gigs.  I think I should
    rotate them every once in awhile, but I haven't been.
    
    Danny W.

    I've got more than 150 gigs on my MkIV, with no tube replacement yet.
    I use it as a Class A amp about 90% of the time, and, like Danny W.,
    have not rotated the tubes.  I use another amp for rehearsal, so the
    MkIV basically gets fired up only on the weekends.

    I went for an amazingly long time before I first had to change my
    Boogie's tubes - something like 4-5 years.
    
    Since then, it's been about once a year depending on usage.  These days
    I'm playing mostly keyboards with my two bands so it's been more than a
    year.
    
    Although last night, for the first time ever, I spent a whole practice
    playing nothing but guitar.  More coincidence than anything else.
    
    	db

    db,
    
    Do you play your keys through the Boogie (it's a IIc that you have,
    correct)?

    >db,
    >
    >Do you play your keys through the Boogie (it's a IIc that you have,
    >correct)?
    
    GROSS!!  No way, I'd quit the band if he did that!
    
    He jams his keyword mixer thru a Roland JC-120 ... sounds nice!  He
    only uses his boogie for guitar stuff, and since he almost never
    plays guitar in our band, that's fine with me!  8^)

    Guess now we know why Buck hates EVH so much...
    
    gh

    Re the JC120: Oh, then he must not need any low end in his sound...
    
    Hey, just kidding! It must be nice to have two cool amps to tote
    around, but load-in bites!  The reason I asked is that I've started
    playing some piano in my band, using the MkIV and GSP21 processor, so I
    was looking for hints about sound.  BTW, hints about adding another amp
    need not apply =8^)

    John, yer boogie has a highly distorted voicing, doesn't it?
    ;^)

    > It's a IIc that you have, correct?
    
    No, mine is a IIB.
    
>    Re the JC120: Oh, then he must not need any low end in his sound...
    
    I know what you mean.  The JC-120 definitely defies the conventional
    wisdom for keyboard amp designs in having an open back and no
    cross-over.
    
    However, it seems to work fine (w. the right EQ).
    
    I've tried keyboard amps but they don't sound appreciably better
    and even aside from that, I find that I'd really miss the true
    stereo chorus (which is a dramatic effect on the JC).
    
>    The reason I asked is that I've started
>    playing some piano in my band, using the MkIV and GSP21 processor, so I
>    was looking for hints about sound.  BTW, hints about adding another amp
>    need not apply =8^)
    
    I'd have to think that sounds awful.  For one thing, guitar amps expect
    instrument level inputs and keyboard amps expect line level inputs.
    The JC-120 has both (labelled "high" and "low").
    
    Sorry, but adding another amp, one with line level inputs, is
    definitely the best advise.
    
    One thing that might help in the interim is to get an impedance
    converter.
    
    	db

    db,
    
    My experience has been great as far as gain matching and presumably 
    impedance matching between the Roland U-20 ( sample player, no
    sequencer ) and the MkIV: no distortion, just a nice fat signal.  I
    usually have volume on the U-20 set about 50-70%.  I don't change any
    settings on the amp when I switch from guitar to keys. I do select
    another patch in the GSP-21, but the gain parameters in the patch are
    similar to guitar or steel patches.
    
    Just one of the mysteries of rock n' roll, I guess...  

    Have you heard the U-20 thru anything else?

    Waitasecondhere...lemme get this straight...
    
    You play country music, and you have a GSP-21 ???
    :-)

    ...and a Mesa/Boogie?
    
    ;^)

    I can see a boogie being a cool amp for a country dood, but a GSP21??
    Hmmm...

    Re: GSP
    
    What, don't you guys listen to country radio?  Nashville seems to be
    right up with LA in terms of processed guitar sounds.  These "new
    country" artists wouldn't know the sound of a Tele into a Twin if it
    bit 'em.  The currently fashionable country guitar sounds remind me of
    mid-70s LA country rock like the Eagles.  You don't have to be a metal
    head to be an MRP  8^)  8^)
    
    							Lester

    I saw a guy on the Nashville Network with a JCM900 one night!
    Yi!

    Hey Coop,
    
    Those GSP21's have to be good for *something*.
    
    -tony (ex owner)

    Donno Bri, I still see lots of Twins & Peavey's on TNN.  I watch it
    pretty often.  One thing I've seen a lot of lately are the TubeWorks
    amps/preamps, maybe they're sponsoring some of the shows or something.
    
    Greg

    Doesn't the GSP21 have a preset written by Albert Lee.  I belive he
    picks country.
    
    
    RJ (love my country)

>    Doesn't the GSP21 have a preset written by Albert Lee.  I belive he
>    picks country.
    
    Sure, but that doesn't mean he actually *uses* one of 'em...
    

    True.  But if he wrote the patch, figures it would be for his style
    playing.  In one of his instructional tapes he was using a lexicon.
    GSP21 could provide SOME of the same functionality.
    
    RJ

    Re: .65
    
    Good rathole, anyone want to start a country guitar note?
    
    Sure, there's plenty of Peavey and Fender but you still see Marshall,
    Boogie and plenty of racks if you keep your eyes peeled.  Heck, I saw
    *bluegrass* bands coming out of Nashville with Rane preamps and Yamaha
    SPXes back in the late eighties.  This was just to process their sound
    before it went to the board!
    
    Don't forget, gang, the classic Fender trinity of the Tele, Strat and
    P-bass were designed to play country music.  Country pickers like to
    use all the same toys rockers do, just with more taste  8^)  8^)
    
    							Brian
    
    P.S. The guitarist in my Cajun band uses a Twin Tube and a Rat pedal.

    Coop,
    
    Watchin the Nashville network, eh?  There's hope!
    
    Did ya see Johnny Redneck and the Beer Drinkin' Truckers?
    
    8^)

    Hope?  :-)
    
    Actually - I don't mid OLD country (ya know, Hank Sr. and such)...
    

    Coop,
    
    How's CJ and the Coopette?
    
    dawg

    Yo, db -
    
    Yup, I've played the U20 through a JC120, 'The Twin' TwinReverb, and an
    Ashley intrument preamp driving a MidiVerb into a QSC1500a amp into a 
    Theile 15in box.  The last rig sounded the best, but is not portable.
    The JC120 sounded superb, but I prefer the MkIV for it's guitar sounds.
    The Twin sounded about like the Boogie.  I can't fit two amps in my
    rig, so that settled it.
    
    Yo, whoever questioned a Boogie+GSP21 for country music =8^) -
    
    It's versatile: 3 channels. The clean sound is perfect for a classic
    country lead guitar ala Albert Lee, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs,...  The
    crunchier channels are there for modern country, where you hear
    distorted guitars all the time.  It's small and can be loud as hell
    when necessary.  You can make the tone happen.
    
    Off the main thread a little, I use the GSP21 in the FX loop to provide
    patches for guitars, pedal steel and keys: typically reverb, some
    delay, possibly compression, possibly chorus.  No distortion.  I could
    probably do better with a dedicated FX box and reverb, but the GSP's
    adequate.
    
    Two things that irk me about the MkIV are the control knobs are not
    recessed and therefore break ( I know, I know: I should have a
    roadcase...so sue me ) and, secondly, there's no mix control on the FX
    loop: the  FX loop acts as a signal path insert so everything goes
    through the loop.  The GSP21 has a mix parameter and gain knobs, but
    that's not quite the same.  Might not bother other folks.

    I've added a footswitch to my setup to switch between Class-A and
    Simul-class. This is pretty neat; for raunchy stuff, I use the
    Triode/Class-A settings, but when I need more power/less distortion, I
    switch in the Simul-class. I'm surprised it took me so long to get
    around to doing it. The only problem is that the switch doesn't have an
    indicator, so I have to guess which mode I'm in. One day I'll add an
    LED, but even without one, it's a fun feature.
    
    
    Danny W.