Fractal Talk

[DrewJD82]

+1000.

I vehemently disagree with people requesting that the EQ sliders behave the same as the amp. They're far too touchy. The only reason the amp is like that is because linear taper sliders are readily available. The ideal taper would be an 'S-taper' but those aren't easily sourced.

I can say with 100% certainty that I’ve never once said “Damnit, I wish these knobs were just as much of a bitch to move as the real one!”

 

[norminal]

I just can't dial in the classic Metallica albums tone with the IIC+/IV models, they're not tight enough and don't have the same gain structure.

Hetfield's IIC+ is extremely tight and gainy, how the fuck did the get that tightness from a IIC+ without boosting it.
THE tone starts at around 2:00,

I’ve never heard that in isolation, but it sounds like they were driving the living shit out of that cabinet.

Edit: Typos.

 

[saarangnarayan]

I never heard that in isolation, but is sounds like they were driving the living shit out of that cabinet.

I think it's the T-75s but I was NEVER a fan of this tone. Or the tone on MOP. I much prefer the Bob Rock era tones. *ducks for cover*

 

[norminal]

I think it's the T-75s but I was NEVER a fan of this tone. Or the tone on MOP. I much prefer the Bob Rock era tones. *ducks for cover*

For myself, The Black Album is peak Metallica tones, but I digress.

 

[GTR37]

I think it's the T-75s but I was NEVER a fan of this tone. Or the tone on MOP. I much prefer the Bob Rock era tones. *ducks for cover*

That’s the 421 / 160 mic combo that Rock uses frequently I think and a bunch of room mics

 

[deathbyguitar]

+1000.

I vehemently disagree with people requesting that the EQ sliders behave the same as the amp. They're far too touchy. The only reason the amp is like that is because linear taper sliders are readily available. The ideal taper would be an 'S-taper' but those aren't easily sourced.

I think that's my favorite part about reading your tidbits about amp design philosophies over the years. So much mystique can be attributed to "those were the only parts available" or pot manufacturing tolerances, ect. Or when people just make up shit about crystal lattices or something

 

[iaresee]

If I still owned one, or when I buy a VII, I might get a 3D printer just to make some protective covers that can attach to the face of the amp to protect the knobs during a gig. One with my perfect settings and then one to just cover/protect it while traveling.

Have to see if I have a picture of my old Rectoverb sporting it, but I had a foam piece with tight-fitting holes for the knobs I used to keep on it so they'd stay put. It was actually my dad's idea for keeping them from moving much, especially in transit, after I had complained to him about it over beers after a gig.

 

[dk_ace]

This is just as much the Mesa Mark signature as the tones are and why making adjustments mid-song at a gig was a fool’s errand as well. I used to pinch those sliders between my thumb and finger while mounting my hand on the amp to move those damn sliders millimeters instead of centimeters.

If I still owned one, or when I buy a VII, I might get a 3D printer just to make some protective covers that can attach to the face of the amp to protect the knobs during a gig. One with my perfect settings and then one to just cover/protect it while traveling.

My recto was touchy as hell too. More than any other amp I’ve used. There was a fine line between “this tone is almost perfect just need a little more/less of X” and “everything is ruined now and I can’t find my way back.”

I gigged a mark V once, it sounded good the way my buddy had it so I was careful to not touch a thing other than my guitar controls.

Probably the thing I dislike most about Mesa amps. They had a few models that didn’t seem to suffer from this, but most of my favorites have been super touchy. Apparently the rectos are inconsistent like the mark amps too, because people describe rectos in ways that don’t at all align with my experience with them. I just think I had a particularly good one, of course I only realized that in hindsight and I have no idea who has that amp today….

D

 

[norminal]

If I still owned one, or when I buy a VII, I might get a 3D printer just to make some protective covers that can attach to the face of the amp to protect the knobs during a gig. One with my perfect settings and then one to just cover/protect it while traveling.

Just install a T.I.N.A.

 

[dk_ace]

+1000.

I vehemently disagree with people requesting that the EQ sliders behave the same as the amp. They're far too touchy. The only reason the amp is like that is because linear taper sliders are readily available. The ideal taper would be an 'S-taper' but those aren't easily sourced.

I used to be in the camp that wanted them to match the real amp. My logic is that I don’t have much experience with the real amps, but I see where most people set the sliders for the classic sounds so I could easily copy that.

Not having experience with the real amps, I did not know that they are stupidly sensitive and hard to use as a result.

In the end, I just use my ears and hope for the best. I’ve managed to get some super cool sounds from the mark models when I have the time to experiment with them, but I still in the back of my mind wonder if I’m doing the GEQ “right” and getting the full experience.

Maybe someone with a real one can post a 7=9 type thing sometime to help those of us that are new to them find our footing. Been meaning to check out some of Leon’s presets to see where he sets them.

D

 

[norminal]

Maybe someone with a real one can post a 7=9 type thing sometime to help those of us that are new to them find our footing. Been meaning to check out some of Leon’s presets to see where he sets them.

 

[norminal]

@dk_ace this is probably a better example:

 

[norminal]

Just want to add that I played through a Mark IV B head for several years and the Fractal model is spot on IMO.

 

[JiveTurkey]

As far as Mark stuff goes ime; FAS nails it. You're not getting that experience from a Boss turd.

 

[laxu]

Maybe someone with a real one can post a 7=9 type thing sometime to help those of us that are new to them find our footing. Been meaning to check out some of Leon’s presets to see where he sets them.

The fast crash course of the Mesa Mark series EQ:

Knob EQ:

• More Treble = less effective Mid and Bass knobs.
• More Treble = more gain and bite. It's almost like an extra gain knob.
• Mids. Adjust to taste, even very low settings are fine.
• Bass. Almost always keep it low, and turn up the 80 Hz / 240 Hz GEQ sliders instead.
• There's some specific modes on Mark amps where this pattern does not work, and those need to be dialed very differently. Mark V 90 Extreme, Tweed and Edge modes for example.

Graphic EQ:

• 80 Hz. Turn up, unless using a particularly bassy mode.
• 240 Hz. Doesn't matter that much. Try up or down.
• 750 Hz. Almost always turn it down more than you think.
• 2.2 KHz. Leave at center, a bit above for more bite, or a bit below for less.
• 6.6 KHz. Adjust based on cab until it's the right amount of bright.

 

[Frodebro]

As far as Mark stuff goes ime; FAS nails it. You're not getting that experience from a Boss turd.

It’s a trade off. You never see people on the GT1000 forum asking about RANF.

 

[GTR37]

It’s a trade off. You never see people on the GT1000 forum asking about RANF.

You need to have new firmware to RANF though

 

[Frodebro]

You need to have new firmware to RANF though

 

[KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!]

You need to have new firmware to RANF though

HA! The price to be paid for constant, almost relentless improvements is actually knowing how to use the device to take advantage of them.

 

[GTR37]

HA! The price to be paid for constant, almost relentless improvements is actually knowing how to use the device to take advantage of them.

Auto RANF is coming though