MG100DFX Crunch channel gain far too high

[stratfordade]

I was just assessing an MG100DFX that seemed to have very trivial issues (cosmetic stuff, and couple of scratchy pots) but otherwise sounded great on Clean and OD channels. But when I selected Crunch option on the clean channel it sounded terrible — far too high gain and nothing like a crunch sound at all.

Happened to have an identical MG100DFX in too for a new fan so thought I'd check with that, and the Crunch channel behaved in exactly the same way. It's like Crunch its way higher gain than the OD channel?

Is this an MG100DFX design fault? I was working on an MG100HDFX head recently and I'm sure it didn't behave like this at all.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[FutureProf88]

Mine behaves that way. The Crunch mode on Channel 1 has loads of gain if you run it past about 1 on the dial. When I want a classic sound from it I use the OD channel in OD 1 mode and thicken it up with the contour control and the EQ.

 

[stratfordade]

Thanks. Not just me then! Wonder why Marshall arranged it like that? Not experienced it in other amps including other Marshall’s where the crunch has just that nice nasty edge to it, but not in OD territory.

 

[FutureProf88]

Definitely not just you! I kind of think that it is the same with how a lot of "plexi" overdrives are really saturated and gnarly sounding vs. the real thing with is a fat, clean amp that will give you a nice mild to mid gain grind when pushed. So they figured with the Crunch mode people would want it to be nasty and saturated. There are some very nice sounds to be had on Crunch mode if you barely crack the gain and goose the amp's master volume. Just make sure you don't accidentally switch to one of the OD channels if you're using the pedal unless you have their volumes way down!

 

[stratfordade]

Thanks I’ll experiment with those low gain settings