Trying to get that Marshall honk out of channel 2

[golfnguitarz]

Been playing through a Marshall TSL for the past six years or so. Don't like the clean channel, the high gain in it is just sorta, meh. But the crunch is the bread and butter Marshall sound IMO. I just can't get the MV to nail that, and I don't think it is just a matter of adding EL34's to the power section and here's why. First, I love the channel 1 and 3 on the MV. But I keep wanting channel 2 to be something different. I have my friends Randall modular rig, which is basically a bunch of modular preamps designed by Egnater I believe. Anyway the plexi module gives the same basic crunch as my TSL, or close enough not to matter. So, for grins, I ran the randall rig into the send of the effects loop of the MV and set channel 1 to as clean as possible and I had an AB switch to use the same guitar into both preamps. Long story short, I was able to switch between the plexi module and the Crunch in channel 2 (and Mark I) and compare. So they are both using the same power section and cab and in my mind that just takes EL34's as the key to the sound out of the equation(correct me if I am wrong).

To my ears, the MV has this added brighter frequency/note as compared to a Marshall and you can roll it off somewhat, but not get rid of it. I kept trying to pump up the mids and that got me darn close along with rolling of the treble and presence alot. But I still couldn't quite get there. The plexi module also kinda "smears" the notes a bit as compared the MV. The MV is absolutely a more articulate amp than the plexi, it is just voiced brighter and I can't get that "honk" out of it.

Anyway, that isn't to say that there isn't alot to like about the MV, but with so many distortion modes on the amp, I guess I wish the Edge and Crunch circuits were a little closer to the amps they were seemingly trying to emulate/remind you of. Just my opinion, not about to sell it.

 

[Heritage Softail]

I thouht the Edge mode was a waste of a slot. When trying out JJ EL34's, that mode came to life. It turns into a good Marshallish mode. IMO Ch 1 took a hit/change in tone with the EL34's, but CH 2 and 3 got better. Edge in particular got good. I never ever used it with 6L6's in there. A set of EL's is the cheapest way to get a bunch of new tones.

 

[golfnguitarz]

I thouht the Edge mode was a waste of a slot. When trying out JJ EL34's, that mode came to life. It turns into a good Marshallish mode. IMO Ch 1 took a hit/change in tone with the EL34's, but CH 2 and 3 got better. Edge in particular got good. I never ever used it with 6L6's in there. A set of EL's is the cheapest way to get a bunch of new tones.

I assume you would have to buy 4 EL34s, right?

I will probably end up trying it, but I still think it has more to do with the how the channel was designed, because the Randall plexi module was also running through the 6L6 power section of the MV and it still retained that sound that I could not duplicate on the Crunch channel of the MV.

 

[shogun]

i personally get all my british desires out of ch2, crunch, with the master turned up high

 

[Heritage Softail]

yep, a quad of JJ's at 27 per pair. I got them from RackCrew here in Atlanta. Great guys. Michael George is one of the owners. He did sound engineer for Aerosmith, Nugent, toured with U2, did amp work for Neal Schon. It is cool to see the platinum records in the store with his name on them. Lots of BS out there on tubes/sound processing. But those framed silver discs on the wall carry some weight IMO. That is who/where I go for the final word when I am going to spend some $$$ on gear.

 

[theroan]

Try this guy's settings?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak6H1Q1kiwA