Mesa folk...Setting suggestions!

[Sinistas]

Alright, so we're currently tracking our new demo/ep in a studio that has a shit-ton of awesome gear. Just last night, we tracked using a '61 Martin 00-18 (hi-strung), Collings OM-2HD, '62 Strat, '68 Tele w/Bigsby, '67 Twin Reverb, and '59 Gibson GA-77. Hey, the cleans will sound good, right? :ROTF:

So next week, we're hitting the heavy parts. We'd use our own stuff for it, but we've had some issues as of late, so we're "stuck" with what they've got at the studio...a Mesa Mk II and Tremoverb combo. We tested both out last night before we left, and I definitely think they'll work for what we do (maybe put a boost in front of the Mk II). However, we won't have ages to tweak, and I know both amps are rather finicky as far as getting it just right.

Can anybody recommend some settings for each based on what we've got for clips on our Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/dreadedsilence)? I'd really appreciate it so we don't have to spend ours getting the right sound.

Thanks in advance!

[Twisteramps]

How can you get settings advice when we don't know:

1) guitar and pickup you're going to use

2) cab used

3) mic used

If the MK II has an EQ, then run the bass control pretty low, add the low end with the EQ. Use less gain than you'll think you need, as it records better. If you can, get in the control room with a long cord so you can hear what's actually being 'laid down' in the live room and have some poor bastard with ear plugs move the microphone or tweak the amp while you're listening to the monitors. Otherwise you won't really have an idea of what it's going to sound like. Remember that a good guitar sound IN A MIX may not be what sounds good on it's own, and that the guitar will likely sound very different when you're in the same room with the amp as opposed to the control room listening to the monitors.

Oh, and just because you CAN crank up the amps doesn't mean you HAVE to. Worry about what sounds good, not what seems like a cool thing to do at the time.

Pete

[Sinistas]

Ha, fair enough. I don't ask for advice often, so there you go

Guitars:
SLSMG w/ X2N in bridge
Carvin DC127 (alder/maple) w/ Tone Zone in bridge
and probably their '73 LPC

Cab:
Carvin MTS 412, not sure on the speakers.

As for mics, not sure, but probably the good ol' SM57 with something else. There's a ton of mics there, so I'm not sure what else we'll set up with. We do track in the control room, which helps immensely. Lastly, I hear you on the cranking it thing. We had an issue with that previously.

Thanks for the input!

[Shawn Lutz]

its all in your hands anyway bro amp settings are not consistent for EVERY player. You know what sounds good so I say set everyting to 5 (12 o'clock) and tweak away from there using your ears and making yourself happy with whatever your tone tastes are

[Sinistas]

I'm sure I could get something usable, but I've read more than a couple of comments about Mesa's EQ system being less user-friendly than most. I just want to get the best sound possible,

[AlexL]

I'm sure I could get something usable, but I've read more than a couple of comments about Mesa's EQ system being less user-friendly than most. I just want to get the best sound possible,

The thing to remember is that the low, mid, and high EQ adjustments interact with each other.

Set them all at 12:00, and adjust the treble first, which has the greatest influence on the sound, and the greatest interaction on the mids and lows.

Mesa manuals typically have advice on how to adjust the EQ and gain. I suggest going to their website, downloading the manuals for those amps, and read up on their suggested settings, and how to best adjust them.


- E.

[Twisteramps]

bass control on a mark series will make it wooly as hell sounding - pull it WAY the hell back, especially if you have an EQ on that amp. Trust me on this.

[Endrik]

remember that the Treble works as a gain knob... if you turn it on like 9 you have ridiculous amounts of gain

[Sinistas]

Now THIS is what I'm talkin' about! Thanks, everybody!