Lee Jackson Metaltronix Amplifiers

[cacophony]

Hi! I send e-mail couple of weeks ago about my problem with metaltronix's bass control. Nobody answered.. Now it seems that it was old preamp tubes that causes the problem. It sounds amazing now. huh..
I'm still interesting if there is something wrong in "clean " channel. When I pull the knob and activate clean it's only drop the volume down, but it still distorts hard. I know it's should not be ultimate clean, but in my amp it's absulutely same degree of distortion, but only much less volume. (Stage II is not connected.) Should it be that way..and if so, i want to know why? Is there anything I can do? If I want that mean distortion sound I have to turn volume about 15.00 clock. There is no way I can get clean, or even close. As I said it seems to be same sound only lower whwn I switch clean on.
Last week I found secondhand Ampeg vl-502 and I'm really pleased. There is personal charecter in your amps. I like it! Only need xls..maybe someday. In finland they are quite rare.

[metaltronixmike]

Not sure how much this will help, but here's my experience. As you may know the MTX achieves it's various "channels" through multiple gain settings. It is essentially a single channel amp but through these gain stagesgoes from clean to distortion. I have been playing mine about three years and I'm still learning new settings. Try this:

1. Start with all knobs on "0"
2. Set tone controls to desired settings
3. Bring system level up to desired level
4. Bring Master 1 up to desired level
5. Slowly bring your clean/distortion level up with distortion disengaged.
You should now be hearing a clean tone. EQ to your liking.

As you continue to raise the level of clean/distortion knob, your signal will begin to break up, so set this level to your desired "clean" sound.

Now, engage the distortion. You should hear a very distinct switch from clean to distortion. Adjust to your liking.

If you engage Stage II now, you will introduce yet more gain.

I would try all of this with Master II/Attenuator "off".

Get your sound first, then play around with the gain stages. I play with an 80's style sound, not a scooped metal tone. I have a clean setting, then I engage the distortion for rhythm, and finally I use Stage II for leads. Sometimes I use the clean with Stage II on to get an AC/DC kind of breakup.
Question: Are you using footswitches or the effects loop? If you use the loop, I would turn it off before you attempt the above steps. Once you get your sound, then set your loop. I hope this helps, maybe Lee can add something. Let me know how you make out. Mike

[cacophony]

it works with distortion and stage II, but if I set my sound on clean channel it certainly kicks my face in if I turn distortion on. It is not clean, it distorts and is very silent. If I put stage II with clean it ads distortion, but it's still silent. ..and then it's much too loud with distortion. opposite: If I make my distortion sounds good, Clean is way too low.
I use those 80's settings as well. I play old school hard rock. Master II is not on, but it make no difference, if it is. There is nothing in the loop.
Thank you anyway!

[metaltronixmike]

Have you tried changing out your preamp tubes? If not you may want to try that. Good luck, Mike

[cacophony]

I got bad luck with my M1000. Today it broke again! problems I mentioned before didn't make stop to use it.
Suddenly distortion went blurry and soft, it also start to hiss loudly. Actually it didn't distort too much after that. I try to put all gain up, but sound was like big muff as it's worst.
There was still one good thing about that. Local serviceman's assistent take guitar lessons from me, and everything happened just when he was in his lesson. ..so he took my tronix AGAIN!
Everyone got good advice how I can take low cycle hum out of that amp. Now it's not most important thing, but sametime when it's in repair shop, it would be nice to make something about that low humming noise. Is it something to do with heaters? Ampeg amplifiers has hum cancelling pot back. I know it is not necessery in every case, but I think that humming is disturbing.

[metaltronixmike]

Sorry to hear about the M 1000. I'm afraid I can't help you with the hum, that's a little outside my expertise.

[LeeJackson]

Hi Guys

If the M-1000 starts to humm or loose its sound quickly, I would check to see if there are any cracked control pots.

On the very early M-1000's I didn't put extra supports under the board, so they tended to break if dropped or shipped.

I still have all the original control pots in stock if you need any.

The other thing would be a cracked solder joint on the main circuit board.

Tell you tech to put signal into the effects return and see if the power amp section is working properly.

If so, then the problem is from the input to the send, which is much easier to find.

I have a video on the M-1000 Here: http://leejackson.com/MasterSeries/videos/M-1000_Service.mov

[metaltronixmike]

Thanks for the response Lee.
Mike