Mesa/Boogie Mark IV Amplifier - Manual (Page 8)

This control adjusts frequencies higher than those found on the TREBLE control. There are so many different sounds that RHYTHM
1 can produce, you must experiment using your guitar and your ears. Try settings such as low on the TREBLE control, high on the
PRESENCE control...and the opposite...as an experiment, both with and without the BRIGHT switch.
Notice too that when playing very loud, higher settings of the PRESENCE will help you cut through
the background wash of cymbals. Don’t forget to turn RHYTHM 1 up loud and blow...It’s a great
overdrive sound as well !
This MASTER control adjusts the signal level of the RHYTHM 1 mode. It allows you to run various settings of the RHYTHM 1 GAIN
while still controlling overall RHYTHM 1 volume via the MASTER. That’s important because of the striking
tonal differences the BRIGHT switch makes at lower and higher settings of gain, and because high GAIN
control settings are useful for producing “onset of clip” distortion sounds. The R1 MASTER also acts as an
Effects Send Level control for RHYTHM 1.
RHYTHM 2 GAIN sets the overall characteristic of this mode, which is the most versatile of the three modes. At high settings 10 9
and with the FAT switch pulled, RHYTHM 2 produces its maximum gain for crunch and can double as an alternate lead sound. This
modes’ gain falls off quickly as the control’s knob is reduced, providing a range of lower-gain “onset of clip” sounds and the ability to
produce an alternate voicing for clean sounds at its lowest settings.
PULL FAT has tremendous impact on both the gain and voice of RHYTHM 2. When pushed in, RHYTHM
2 loses gain in the low mids and the sound reveals more of your guitar’s inherent personality. For clean
playing or blues styles you’ll probably prefer the FAT pushed in. Work with the R2 TREBLE control and
PRESENCE controls to dial in traditional blues-style solo tones from RHYTHM 2. For hard rock and
metal sounds, pull out the FAT and max the RHYTHM 2 GAIN control, using RHYTHM 2 TREBLE and
PRESENCE to dial in cut and brightness.
These are the only shared tone controls on the MARK IV. You probably won’t need much adjustment from their RHYTHM 1 setting
because they are designed especially to have less dramatic effect in RHYTHM 2. Again you’ll notice
that the strength of these controls is influenced by how high or low the RHYTHM 2 TREBLE is set.
Excessive settings (especially of the BASS control) can cause a flubby sounding distortion if the
TREBLE control is set low.
CONTROLS:
(Continued)
R1 PRESENCE:
PULL SHIFT
R2 TREBLE
PRESENCE CONTROLS
R2 MID
6 2
3 4 5
7
8
9
1
0 10 6
2
3
4
5
7
2
3
4
7
8
9
1
010
6
5
R1 MASTER:
PRESENCE MASTERS
R1
LEAD DRIVE
R2 TREBLE
6 2
3 4 5
7
8
9
1
0 10
6 2
3 4 5
7
2
3
4
7
8
9 1
010
6
5
6 2
3 4 5
7
RHYTHM 2 GAIN & FAT:
INPUT
PULL BRIGHT
INSTRUMENT
PULL FAT
6
2
3
4
5 7
8
9
10 10
RHY2 GAIN RHY1 GAIN
6
2
3
4
5 7
8
9
10 10
R1 + R2 BASS & R1 + R2 MID:
R1+ R2 BASS R1 TREBLE R1+R2 MID
6
2
3
4
5 7
8
9
10 10
6
2
3 4 5
7
8
9
1
010
6
2
3 4 5
7
8
9
1
010
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