Overdrive Reccomendations For Mesa Mk1 Head

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Overdrive Reccomendations For Mesa Mk1 Head

Since Lucid is my bud ( I hope still) I gotta say that the KOT is what Petrucci and others love with their high gain Mesas. Granted, Johns amps are are the MkV's and Rectos, but still, I don't think a stock Screamer is a very good suggestion.
Id say a KOT, because for tha MK, as has been mentioned having awesome breakup all by its lonesome, the clean section can get a more of the natural gain than most respected dedicated clean boosters and actually augment/add to the MkI's breakup in an amplike way reatining the charecter of the amp . Also would be good for you is a A Screamer variant ,like the Maxon VOP-9, which I just happen to have one I am selling now on ebay, since I perfer my KOt.
The Vop-9 is also like a KOT, with less mid-bump, less chopped lows/tihgter lows, 2 sections on the pedal and an amp like feel / reponse and very dynamic modern sound with the 18 volt on the pedal option.It has a very good clean boost and a dual section that mixes clean with the overdrive which , to give you analogy, consider on a cold day driving with your window down and cranking the heat. Sure, its better than feezing, but when you roll up the window and then mix the heater with the vented air form outside, its much nicer feeling.

Wondered where you had been hiding!

 

[TIOK]

Re: Overdrive Reccomendations For Mesa Mk1 Head

I want to be able to play clean and hit a pedal for my dist/OD. With the Mk!, to change over I have to stop playing and either turn a gain knob or switch the cable to the other input.

Surprised no one mentioned it, but the Duncan Twin Tube is a nice option and it gives you some variety. I'm a big fan of the TT.

If you really just have to switch input jacks to go from clean to crunchy with your mk1, a cheap solution is an A/B switch box that lets you stomp between the two inputs on the amp. [Note: not sure this works - my 1970s mkI it won't as the two jacks are wired in parallel - only 1 preamp input really].

The other trick that might be interesting and is even cheaper, run the pre-amp gain up and the guitar volume down for clean, and roll it up for crunch. Depending on the pickups you have and how your guitar is wired, you may find something you like at the low end of the volume pot. Very different sound than the pickup unencumbered into a clean amp, but can be nice too.

Good luck - he search for the right sound is never ending!

-TIOK

 

[DankStar]

Re: Overdrive Reccomendations For Mesa Mk1 Head

When I was in the boogie room at the local pedal show they were playing one of their grid slammers through one of their heads and it sounded killer! I was pretty surprised.

 

[51501984]

Re: Overdrive Reccomendations For Mesa Mk1 Head

I want to be able to play clean and hit a pedal for my dist/OD. With the Mk!, to change over I have to stop playing and either turn a gain knob or switch the cable to the other input.

I'd go with the Bogner Blue if you medium plexi type gain or the Bogner Red for all out saturated Distortion. Pricey but worth it