Which will make my Amp crunchier?

[Mllerrin]

I have a Mesa Single Rectifier Series 1, but lately I've been noticing I really don't get as much crunch as I want. Now there are a couple things it could be:

1.) I'm playing at room volume, which is about right under 9 O'clock. I wish I could play louder but even with deaf parents they can feel the vibrations on the floor.

2.) My Tubes need replacing. I forgot what the guy who sold the amp to me said whether they are new or not. What do you suggest for more crunch, it runs right now on 6l6's

3.) My Settings:

Low: Right under 9 o'clock
Middle: 1 o'clock
Highs: Exactly 3 o'clock
Gain: 5 (Anything above 6-7 and it sounds more compressed, not crunchier)
Presence: About 9 o'clock

Idk any suggestions anyone?

 

[greendy123]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

You could try switching in some different pre-amp tubes or a distortion pedal. Did you check if it was the amp, not your guitar thats decreasing your crunch? If it is not you could try getting new pickups. I think pre-amp tubes have more of a effect on the crunch sound cause they produce the distortion on lower volumes.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

What about just a good booster? Like the Duncan SFX-01.

 

[drew_half_empty]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

boost, maybe a hotter bias

and trust me, your mesa will sound much, much different when you crank it

so a hotplate might do exactly what you want

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

You need to tighten up your overall amp tone and drive the amp harder...I think an attenuator might take your tightness of tone away? I don't use alot of gain though,but I feel a booster might be a first step in the right direction.

 

[some_dude]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

Volume.....to get a Recto to move out of "buzzy bee" gain into heavy gain you need to push that volume up higher. With the settings you're running around 10:00 might work, but above 12:00 would work better.

If by crunch you mean something similar to what a Marshall does, you're not really going to get that from a Recto.....it does more of a punchy thump than a crunch sound.

Also, when you retube you could contact an online tube dealer and tell them you want something that's a little bit hotter than the stock tubes. If you tell them that, they'll know what you mean.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

I'm assuming you have 6l6s in it?

Flip that bias switch, put some EL34s in it, and make sure you turn off the tube rectifier

 

[ErikH]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

I'm assuming you have 6l6s in it?

Flip that bias switch, put some EL34s in it, and make sure you turn off the tube rectifier

Bingo. EL34's = more crunch IMO. That and slam the front end with a booster like STRATDELUXER97 recommended.

 

[Mllerrin]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

Yeah I was thinking El34's would be the way, but the problem is since mine is a Series 1, it doesn't have that nifty switch to change the bias, and I don't know if anyone around here does that kind of stuff. People say JJ6l6's smooth out the tone and give a better bottom end which is what I don't need right now. I'm also going to get Sovtek 12AX7-LPS for my preamp while I'm at it. Reading the descriptions of these http://thetubestore.com/tad6l6gc.html seem to be the 6l6's i'm looking for but haven't really heard anything about them.

As for the pickups, I was going to wait and save for Bareknuckles but I'm going to get a Distortion for the bridge for now, which should help as well. The pickup booster is another option i'll try.

My parents are gone for the day, I'll try the amp louder and hope the neighbors don't call the police lol. My band hasn't been practicing lately as with winter we can't practice outside and the stack is too much for any indoors, makes me wish I had a basement or something lol. So I can't really test at those levels.

Update: Messed with my settings a nd Crunch is actually no longer a problem, just a bit of tweaking is all it took:

Solo: Right above 2 o'clock
Output: Right at 5

Red Channel:

Master: 9 o'clock
Presence: 9 o'clock
Bass: 3 o'clock
Mids: 2 o'clock
Highs: 9 o'clock
Gain: 11 o'clock (Yes, better crunch by lowering it, I couldn't believe it)

Green Channel:

Master: About 8 o'clock
Presence: 5 o'clock
Bass: 10 o'clock
Mids: 1 o'clock
Highs: 2 o'clock

I am in love with my cleans right now. The Gain could be a bit better but atleast I'm happy with the crunch. What I really want more of from the bridge is single note definition. When I play on the A string it barely sounds distorted and it sounds muffled. Can anyone tell me how I can get this? Better pickups? My Bridge is already pretty hot at 16.4k so I don't know why it doesn't do this.

 

[muttonchopsrule]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

Flip that bias switch, put some EL34s in it, and make sure you turn off the tube rectifier

+1.

EL34's in a rectifier = tone heaven

i think too many people overlook the fact that you can put EL34's in these amps....give it a shot man

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

Put some EL34's in and get yourself a power attenuator!

 

[Quencho092]

Re: Which will make my Amp crunchier?

use your bridge pickup.

wait...i think i've been playing my 22 watt fender too much...sorry