Mesa Boogie /JP-2C tone

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yy46

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I recently purchased an Engl 2x12 horizontal cab with a Celestion V30. I use the FM3 with a power amp, and it sounds amazing. With so many amps available and liking John Petrucci's tone, I've always wanted to play this amp, but I've never heard a MKIIc+ or Petrucci’s amp sound good. I recently found a post on how to set up this amp from Cliffs, but he uses IR, which I don't. I set it according to his recommendations: bass, middle, treble, EQ—everything listed doesn't sound as clear or powerful, lacking definition. I have Revv, Savage, Fryette, Stealth, and even Recto—and they sound much clearer and cleaner. It sounds very muddy to me. I also use the EQ at the end of the chain before Out2, and it's better, but it's still not what I hear on YouTube :



for example. I can't play this amp, so I'm left with YouTube. Has anyone else had similar experiences? Any suggestions on how I can get the full 3D tone from MKIIC+ amps? Is it a guitar issue? I know the Majesty is a great guitar, and I have an Ibanez 7-string with a Dimarzio X2N...
 

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I’ve changed it to different value but I didint notice much difference. I can get maybe better bottom end but highs are still not that clear, the tone is not that crispy …
 
The settings Cliff posted cannot be Always useful...it depends on the Guitar, pickups etc..use your ears not eyes especially on the graphic eq
 
Thanks, I was tweaking last night, I can’t get decent tone, it’s muddy, over distorted, if less gain than sounds thin … I’m just looking if anybody else is running similar setup with power amp and cab and have got decent sound… what’s the key? Suggestions ?
 
Most who play Mesa Mark series will tell you the JP2C is the weakest sounding of the Mark Series (it is boxy in the mids and not as tight as the other Mark Series amps). I have the real amp, and it sits in the corner with the dust cover over it. I will hold on to it and sell it when the prices go crazy. :D It's a Pre Gibson and Pre Mexican transformer amp.

Also Petrucci has a always online boost in his guitars driving the front end of his amps
 
I’ve tried different mk models . And none of them for me sound really decent.
I’ve heard about the boost that’s 20db but only used on lead tone, no actually for rhythm tone…

I think I’m comparing 2 different things…
I won’t get the same tone to YouTube video , just because it’s already with mics and polished for YouTube video …
I wanted to ask other people using similar setup how to achieve or and if possible to his tone ….
 
baron55 said:
Most who play Mesa Mark series will tell you the JP2C is the weakest sounding of the Mark Series (it is boxy in the mids and not as tight as the other Mark Series amps). I have the real amp, and it sits in the corner with the dust cover over it. I will hold on to it and sell it when the prices go crazy. :D It's a Pre Gibson and Pre Mexican transformer amp.

Also Petrucci has a always online boost in his guitars driving the front end of his amps
Click to expand...

Bold statement. I have the JP-2C and the Mark IV, and I think you don't know how to dial in your amp, good sir :)

To the OP, the digital emulation isn't the same as the real thing. It works well to emulate, but it's not the same thing. And the power amp also makes a huge different. A tube amp is a tube amp..

I have gone down this rabbit hole for many years. My input is that you either accept and love the tone you get from your setup, or you get the real thing. It is also important to note that the sound you're hearing in that clip is recorded with mics and mic preamps which also makes the "sound".

Also, the cab is important. I remember connecting my rectifier to a marshall cabinet once and hated what it did to my sound, so the right cabinet plays an important factor.
 
I seriously doubt the guitar you have will make the most difference. Here's an example to illustrate this:



Plus, JP uses a Mimic pedal in the front of his chain, which gives that 3D sound you're referring to. Not sure if it's "always on", but he definitely uses it a lot in his live rig, to emulate how he double-tracks most things in the studio.

I'll try to find the video where he talks about it.
 
Petrucci has his mics quite dark on his cabs. He balances out the highs with that.

Try a mk4 midgain, boost it, keep bass in pre eq very low, mids 10 o clock, highs almost all the way up. Do a v in the post eq. Take it easy on the highest band.
 
Fretboard-Racer said:
Petrucci has his mics quite dark on his cabs. He balances out the highs with that.

Try a mk4 midgain, boost it, keep bass in pre eq very low, mids 10 o clock, highs almost all the way up. Do a v in the post eq. Take it easy on the highest band.
Click to expand...
Ok thanks What about :
What’s the mk4 midgain? Is that :

USA MK IV LEAD MID GAIN​

Gain?
Distortion?
Boost it by what? T808 or horizon ?
Or maybe in preamp? I’m using hot pickups with 510mv output anyway …
 
I guess thet the frustration will be eternal in this case... there is so much difference between what you're using and what you're trying to achieve.. You should not be comparing a tone of a full tube amp + 4x12 Cabinet mic'ed with multiple Mics + Mic preamps to a FM3 simulation + Power Amp + 2x12 Cabinet in the room, without Mics... the result will never be the same...

The Mics and Mic Preamps play a huge role in this case... acting as filters/EQs and shaping the final sound...

It would be much easier to achieve JP's tone with IRs, as they can have similar Mics and Preamps to those used in the recordings. Just my two cents...
 
yy46 said:
Ok thanks What about :
What’s the mk4 midgain? Is that :

USA MK IV LEAD MID GAIN​

Gain?
Distortion?
Boost it by what? T808 or horizon ?
Or maybe in preamp? I’m using hot pickups with 510mv output anyway …
Click to expand...
It s a back switch tone option in the original mark iv amp..so choosing that you ll have the amp in that configuration
 
yy46 said:
Ok thanks What about :
What’s the mk4 midgain? Is that :

USA MK IV LEAD MID GAIN​

Gain?
Distortion?
Boost it by what? T808 or horizon ?
Or maybe in preamp? I’m using hot pickups with 510mv output anyway …
Click to expand...
Yes, that amp.
Gain to taste, i use the FAS boost. Bring up the lowcut in the preamp section of the amp.
The gain and lowcut are in relation to your pickups.
 
Admin M@ said:
Well, all I can say is that If you can't get there by starting with @Cooper Carter's Petrucci Rig preset, the problem isn't the Fractal.
Click to expand...
Thanks
I know fractal is fantastic product capable of getting great tone…
I was asking for suggestions , advice about using this amp in fractal with power amp and real cab…
I’ve tried today different settings and it’s better, much better bottom end, crispy sound …

Thank you all for your comments
 
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