Mesa/Boogie Mark IV Amplifier manual Lead Gain, Lead Treble, Lead Bass & Lead MID, Lead Drive

CONTROLS: (Continued)

LEAD GAIN: (Continued)

There are also some great singing, slightly distorted sounds that come from low settings of Gain and Drive with FAT pushed in. “Onset of Clip” and “threshold of distortion” are phrases often used to describe these sounds, which reveal the true blue beauty of the MARK IV’s all-tube lineage (see the traditional blues setting on the Sample Settings sheet further back in this manual).

LEAD TREBLE:

This control along with RHYTHM 2’s PRESENCE control should be worked with together to produce the desired gain and brightness of the mode. Setting the TREBLE higher, as always, increases the gain of the mode and allows increased distortion and sustain.

Lower settings allow the MID and BASS controls to become more dominant adding warmth to the sound.

8	7	6	5
			4
9			3
10
			2
		0	1

RHY1 GAIN

INPUT

PULL BRIGHT

INSTRUMENT

8	7	6	5
			4
9
			3
10
			2
		0	1

RHY2 GAIN LEAD GAIN

8	7	6	5
			4
9
			3
10
			2
		0	1

PULLFATPULLFAT

8	7	6	5
			4
9			3
10
			2
		0	1

R1 TREBLE LEAD TREBLE

7	6	5	4
			3
				2
8
9			0	1
	10

LEAD BASS & LEAD MID:

Both of these controls add body and warmth without really affecting the strength of the signal. Merely dial in to your liking but note again that too much Bass combined with too high of a LEAD GAIN setting will

		6	5	BRIGHT				6	5	FAT			6	5			6		5				6	5		take away from the tight, highly focused lead sound that this mode offers.
8	7				8	7					8	7			8	7					8	7
			4						4					4					4					4
9			3		9				3	PULL	9			3	9					3	9				3
10				PULL	10						10				10						10
			1						1					1				1						1
		0	2					0	2				0	2			0		2				0	2
RHY1 GAIN					RHY2 GAIN						R1 TREBLE				R1+R2 BASS						R1+R2 BASS
					LEAD GAIN						LEAD TREBLE				LEAD BASS						LEAD MID
	INPUT			INSTRUMENT				6	5	FAT			6	5			5		4				5	4
						8	7				8	7			76						76
									4					4					3					3
					9				3	PULL	9			3	8					2	8				2
								0			10		0			10				1		10			1
									1					1
					10				2					2	9				0		9			0

LEAD DRIVE:

This control works in conjunction with LEAD GAIN to determine the amount of sustain and overdrive. It is not necessary or even recommended to run the LEAD DRIVE way up in order to generate a sound that is fully saturated, so try settings in the 5 to 7 region. Higher settings tend to increase noise and squealing without really embellishing the sound or feel.

8	7	6	5
			4
9			3

10		2
	0	1

RHY1 GAIN

INPUT

PULLBRIGHT INSTRUMENT

8	7	6	5
			4
9			3

10		2
	0	1

RHY2 GAIN LEAD GAIN

8	7	6	5
			4
9			3

10		2
	0	1

PULLFATPULLFAT

8	7	6	5	8	7	6	5	8	7	6	5
			4				4				4
9			3	9			3	9			3

10			2	10				2		10				2
		0	1			0	1					0	1
R1 TREBLE				R1+R2 BASS						R1+R2 BASS
LEAD TREBLE				LEAD BASS						LEAD MID
8	7	6	5	7	6	5		4		7	6	5		4
			4					3						3
			3						2						2
9				8						8
									1						1
10			2	9				0		9
		0	1		10						10			0

Notice that this control comes on very rapidly at low settings, then changes only gradually throughout the rest of its rotation. Familiarize yourself with the point which represents the beginning or “threshold” of overdrive; it creates an ex- pressive distortion which is touch-sensitive to picking dynamics, providing har- monics that stay glued to the fundamental note. You’ll find lots of great sounds in this 2 to 4 region!

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