Tremoverb Question

[gambit]

Hey everyone, I'm new here. Just got my first mesa boogie amp, a tremoverb head with a slant speaker. I have two questions that I was hoping could be answered here... the first is a bit of a problem.


1.) I am having trouble with the FX loop, balancing it out and such, I find when I use it the overall volume of the amp is much lower than it should be. I am also not 100% sure what the send on the back of the loop does, I know it says the Loop control in the front of the amp becomes the master volume but it doesnt sound loud enough to me. I was confused by the manual saying that the original masters when engaging the FX Loop mode become something else... the whole thing is confusing the **** out of me, and yes, before you ask I have read the manual several times.

2.) The piece of plastic at the bottom of one of the power tubes came to me cracked, exposing what looks like a small light bulb, could this be a source of the problem?

3.) For all tremoverb users, any tips?


Thanks so much to anyone who takes the time to answer these questions!!!

If you like, you may email me directly at [email protected]

thanks guys!!!

 

[5150vh]

hello,
i can really only help you with the first question & that is that yes the front knob does become the "master" volume once the loop effect is engaged from the back but the effects blending & the initial volume is set from the back panel. there are 2 knobs that are top of each other next to the send & return inputs; there is a "mix level" & a "send level". the owner's manual says that you should have an even amount for both when setting up both. IMO start low & work your way up to the volume you want. what i have done is set the knobs to 50% & then adjust the volume from the front. for me, that's just a starting point. if i want more blending of the effects then add more by increasing only the mix level. & if you still want more volume, do so by adding more to only the send level. you really shouldn't have to go too high on both but that's just me. hope this helped. :mrgreen:

 

[MrMarkIII]

Google "replacing tubes in a guitar amp". Also read the manual, available at the Mesa website. That piece of plastic on the bottom of the tube is a "key" which allows the tube to fit into the socket ONLY ONE WAY. The wrong way will not be good. The glass revealed when this key breaks off is just the bottom of the glass part of the tube. The tube may still be good, but you must be sure it fits the socket properly for the amp to work.
Hope this helps

 

[gambit]

Hey thanks guys,

I've heard elsewhere that it could be that I'm running stompboxes throught the ToV and not a rack unit, wondering if anyone else has problems with the stop FX in their ToV effects loop.

The volume just seems way too low to me, I'm having to crank the amp too high to get a loud tone... how do you know if you have a tube problem?

Thanks!!!

 

[stephen sawall]

Hey thanks guys,

I've heard elsewhere that it could be that I'm running stompboxes throught the ToV and not a rack unit, wondering if anyone else has problems with the stop FX in their ToV effects loop.

The volume just seems way too low to me, I'm having to crank the amp too high to get a loud tone... how do you know if you have a tube problem?

Thanks!!!

First set up the amp with the effects loop off. Nothing but guitar, amp, speaker. Do not hook up any pedals at all or anything else .... is there a volume problem ?

Almost all effects loops are for line level effects and do not work well with pedals. This may be part of why you are losing volume. If the pedal is not line level it belongs in front of the amp. What effects are you using ? Make and pedal ?

You can set the send level low and the the loop master in front high to get it more in the range of pedals .... but it is not the way I would do it.

The signal chain goes something like this ....

Master for each channel (front) ~ use these to balance the volume of both channels

Send level (back) ~ this controls the level sent to effects.

Mix level (back) ~ This is a blend knob for effects and dry amp.

Loop Master (front) ~ the final volume after effects before power amp.

Here is how to control it .....

Send level, Mix Level, Loop master all at noon with the loop bypassed on the back.

Set up the master volumes (front) to the volume you want for both channels.

Turn the loop on in the back. .... adjust the send level so the it does not distort. Best would be so it is the same volume as when the loop is turned off.

Best to do this with the cleaner of the two you set up. The more gain you have the more compressed it is. You are more likely to find distortion in the loop by a send level set to high here.

Now adjust the loop master to the volume you want.

Adjust the mix level till you have the mix of dry amp and effects you want.

Now start over by fine tuning the knobs in the order told above .... if you did it right you well move them very little or none.

Your number 2 Question is hard to say with out looking at it. But I would guess no.

Question 3 .... I just point at the manual it is very good.

Found the other thread .....

Of the effects you mention there .... the EQ and delay are the only ones I would put in the loop. The Flanger should also work but I feel this pedal sounds best in front.

The phaser and micro amp do not belong in the loop at all.

I would go in this order ....

Micro Amp
Phaser
Flanger

Amp

In Loop ...

EQ
Delay.

Any Qusestions ?

 

[gambit]

The EQ and the Flanger were horrible in the FX unit, they were generating ridiculous feedback and they had to be removed.

The MicroAmp must be in the FX unit or it doesn't work, it doesn't boost the signal at all... this seems to be a common problem with the Micro Amp users.

The other two pedals are delay and phaser that I'm leaving in the FX loop.

As far as just a basic volume pedal it goes from almost mute to pretty loud at about the 9 oclock position... its like below that I'm not getting any juice and then after that it seems fine.. this is all of course without the FX loop on.

What does line level mean? I'm sorry but this is new to me =) How do I know whether or not a pedal is line level?


If I gather what you are saying correctly:

1.) Send, Mix, and Loop master all off.

2.) Set Master Volumes to desired volume. (both orange and red channel)

3.) Send and Mix to 50% each.

4.) Turn up Loop Active Master to desired volume level.



This is more or less what I've been doing but I'm going to try it again in this sequence.

Thank you so much for you reply!

 

[stephen sawall]

I have never seen or heard of anyone use a Micro amp in the loop and it is not designed to be used in the loop same with all phasers. Both of these pedals are always instrument level.

If you are getting feed back the setting on the pedals or amp must be wrong, none of these pedals should cause feedback at all.

There is line level and instrument level effects. Line level is much stronger. Instrument is about the same output and input of a guitars output. The way to find out is look at the pedal .... it is often on the pedal or on the paper work .... other wise ask the manufacturer. Look up line level on the web for more details.

The thing you have wrong is you are setting the masters for the channels with the loop on. Just go by the steps I said above one at a time. You need to set up the amp with no effects at all and the loop off first.

I never saw anything about a volume pedal before ? What are you talking about ?

The way I recommended the pedals is how 99% of guitar players do it. ....but what ever works for you.

Good luck .... I well be back here if you ask more.

 

[gambit]

Im sorry I meant the volume master knobs on front.

 

[stephen sawall]

Im sorry I meant the volume master knobs on front.

.... I see .... that is how all of them I have seen are. Most people set the masters in the 9 o'clock to 2 position. I use 10 ~ 1 myself for almost everything.

Here is a trick that works with a lot of amps to get low volume control....

Set the masters to a balance and tone you want.
Set the mix all the way dry. Change to add effects of course.
Set the send level as low as you can and get good tone. If using effects use as you always do.
Use the loop master to control the volume.

This well almost always get better tone at low volumes.

Any luck on figuring that thing out ? The loop that is. It may take some time .... but once you get it .... it well seem simple.

 

[gambit]

Hey man, Yeah I'm slowly trying to figure this thing out...

This is funny.. tell me what you think:

With the loop switch off, and the master volume ALL the way down on the red channel I still get sound when the gain is up.

I have that one tube with the cracked plastic on the bottom exposing the bulb, one of the 646's, im hoping changing the tubes solves some problems... i have two new ones coming in the mail.

Those are power tubes so I'm hoping this solves some volume issues.

Dude, I cant tell you how much I appreciate your replies. My E-Mail is [email protected] and I have a Blackberry so I get messages instantly if you ever want to shoot me an email.

Thanks brother!

 

[stephen sawall]

No problem .... :mrgreen:

It took a little time for me to figure it out also. Every amp I have owned took some time to learn.

A lot of amps well let a little sound come thru when you would think it should not. Nothing to worry about in most cases.

If the glass is not cracked it should be fine .... not a bad idea to have a few spares. The plastic is mostly there to make sure it is lined up right and stays in the right place.

The thing with the web is I am not right there to see and hear what you do. So some stuff I am guessing.

I have had my Tremoverb 15 years and it is still one of my favorites.

Many people have helped me on the forums ...... we are all in this together.

 

[gambit]

Yeah dude, thats awesome people are there to help eachother out.

I got a new tube td and replaced the 3rd power tube, I also switched power mode from spongy to bold. I did both of these at the suggestion of a so called "amp doctor" and nothing helped.

My send is at 50% on the back of the amp, mix is at 50% also...

I set my master gains to the volume I want before I turn the loop on.

I then adjust the loop master and I'm having to turn it up almost ALL the way to get an equivalant of 25% volume without the FX loop on.

Heres the crazy part... its not the FX, I unplugged the cables that go into and out of the loop and I was still having the volume issue.

Any suggestions?!?!?!

Thanks guys!

 

[stephen sawall]

I think we are getting closer .......

With no effects .... just guitar / amp / cab .....
Set the masters to at least 10 o'clock.
Turn the mix to 100 % amp.
Loop Master at noon.
Turn up the send till the volume is the same as the effects loop off. .... on or off same volume.

If this is turning it way up .....

My next guess is a preamp tube ...... V4.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/Tremoverb.pdf

If you look at page 15 of the manual you well see where V4 is and what it does.

Try putting a other tube here .... you may be able to switch a few around without buying one if you have no spare. Just know what tubes came from where ..... so you can put them back. Keep in mind what the different tubes do (also on page 15). I would recommend V5 (reverb) as the first try for a switch.

If it is not a bad tube ..... I would guess your amp has a other problem and may need to be repaired at a shop. It is best in most cases to have a MESA authorized repair place look at it or just send it to MESA.

Let us know what the results of messing with preamp tubes are .....
I guess now you understand why it is important to set up the amp first with out effects ?

Good Luck.

With these results .... I well see if I can think of anything else before you spend money on a repair and / or shipping.

My Tremoverb is being used by a friend who is having problems with his Diezel for the last few weeks. ... so I am doing this from memory. Someone correct me if I am wrong with my advise. :mrgreen: