Mesa Mark IV Problems..Need Some Help

[Oblivion99]

Hey guys...first of all I will admit that I am a complete noob when it comes to amps. Please help me out here if you can, I'm pretty much clueless :think:

I recently just purchased the first tube amp I have ever owned, a used Mesa Mark IV medium head from 2006. I have it plugged into a straight Mesa 4x12, and I have the cabinet and head connected in the matching 8 ohm slots.

Being a "gain freak" kind of guy, I immediately wanted to test out what the lead channel sounded like. As soon as I switched to lead, I heard a bunch of static, far more than I expected this amp would have. There was also a faint clicking sound. I turned the amp off, because I thought something was wrong. I turned the amp on again, and it was still there.

I thought something might be wrong with the tubes, so I turned the amp off, took the tubes out, and put them back in, just in case something was loose.

Well the sound is still there, and at the volume I have it (very low volume), it is quite annoying.

These are the settings I am using (just incase I'm doing something wrong here):

its in triode, simulclass
tweed power (55 watts I believe)
gain: 7 treble: 8 bass: 3 mid: 6 bright: 6 (pulled) presence: 4
EQ is on, "triangle" formation (high on the ends, bottom in the middle)
the mid stack switch is on (not harmonics)
master volume: 2.5 channel volume: 1.5

The amount of noise/clicking that the amp is producing is actually noticable OVER my playing, and if I stop playing for a moment and leave the guitar volume up, the sound is extremely loud/annoying.

I am guessing this is a tube issue, but I wanted to make sure this wasn't an issue that all of these amps have before I shell out the cash for new tubes for it.

I'd appreciate any help with this. Thanks.

- Matt

[Robert Burns]

Im guessing a tube went... should be under warranty? Most of the time
they will just ship you the replacement tube, and you ship your old one
back.. Samething happened to me with my VHT.. sucks, but its most
likely an easy fix. Just a drag.

[6string40]

You said 'static' and also 'clicking.' To me, they would be completely different sounds (and probably different problems). So is it more like a loud static/crackling noise that you can hear both not playing and over your playing? If so, it could be a number of things, but it sounds like a similar problem I had with my Mesa 2:90...IIRC, several capacitors were a lesser rating as what they should have been and one or more blew causing corrosive fluid to leak onto several other components. My amp guy was able to clean it up and replace all the components with properly rated ones and she's good as new.

[Oblivion99]

Thanks for the replies dudes...

Robert- yeah man, I hope it is what you are saying. still sucks to buy new tubes, but its better than a bigger issue

6string40- it's a bit odd. there is a constant static but at times a crackling noise that you can hear through the static seems to be there. I hope that the issue is not as big of a deal to fix as your 2:90...glad to hear you got that worked out though!

[Hellraiser6502]

Yes

It's just tubes...I had the exact same thing happen to mine. Took into the Mesa store in Hollywood and had it re-tubed & biased.

Good as new!

I realize I'm lucky to have a Mesa Store in town!

You can re-tube yourself & any competent amp tech should be able to handle the re-bias.

[akoch]

Reduce the gain. You might actually find your sound.