# Marshall Mode Four MF350



## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

I got the chance to try out a Mode Four and..........................it is actually a nice sounding amp. I was shockingly surprised!!!! I went into it like a cork sniffer!!! I figured, hybrid? Junk!!!! And I plugged it in and it did sound kind of crappy, but then I adjusted it to my taste and holy sh*t!!!! I could'nt believe that it sounded this good. 

It has that nice harmonic sag when you do a nice bend, which I always look for in an amp and it is actually not as one dimensional as everyone online seems to think. It has a beautiful clean channel, that when you dime the gain knob it sounds like my old champ I used to have. OD2 on the other side is equally as nice for lighter gain stuff (or higher gain), which is perfect as I am playing blues rock material now. The other channels are great (actually amazing) for metal and stoner rock but a little too wild for what I am doing. 

But, if you stick an overdrive in front of the amp and add it to the channels that I use (amps or modes, whatever you want to call them) it reacts just like my other tube amp's have. My Les Paul sounded god like through this thing, I could'nt believe it. I did'nt want to believe it and but it was so consistent that I had to. I am still uncomfortable with the fact that I really dig a hybrid amp, but I do dig it. I guess if it is good enough for Alex Skolnick, it can't be that bad as he is pretty picky LOL!!!

Does anyone know how much the tubes affect your tone in this amp? We did a tube swap and it seemed to be quite a significant change in tone and the overall characteristic of the gain of the amp, but are these preamp's like the JMP-1? Kind of tube and kind of not, LOL!!!! Just curious as to what make's this amp tick. Please, no hater's I thought it sounded good and all I am concerned with is why.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I don't understand the problem with enjoying an amp that sounds how you want it to. There's plenty of great sounding SS/Digital/Hybrid amps out there (tech 21 and Peavey XXL spring immediately to mind).

It sounded good because the R&D department did their job.

Enjoy


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## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Budda said:


> I don't understand the problem with enjoying an amp that sounds how you want it to. There's plenty of great sounding SS/Digital/Hybrid amps out there (tech 21 and Peavey XXL spring immediately to mind).
> 
> It sounded good because the R&D department did their job.
> 
> Enjoy


You said it brother!! I know there are tons out there that sound awesome, but I was admitedly a douche with regards to tube or nothing. However, my views have changed. I am wondering though, how do the tube preamps affect the tone. There is one 12ax7 in each amp, or preamp (??????) for a total of 2 12AX7's. I was thinking of trying a set of RFT's in it but don't want to waste any money if it won't do that much. Anyone know?


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

a friend of mine used to have one...don't know if he still does or not...

i had a VOX AD50VT...hybrid...loved that amp...sounded great...the 12AX7 in that amp was in the power section...

there must be a manual online to look at...


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## Rick31797 (Apr 20, 2007)

I had one of these amps,i cant really help you with your question, i never did get the most out of it or even experiment using different tubes, had alot of gain and i thought sounded good, you cant go by all the bad reviews this amp has, I can remember all the negative remarks when i was trying too sell it ,people get really wrapped up in the all tube amps, i have an old Yamaha solid state amp that i have had several people thinking it was a tube amp. I used my MF-350 with pedals because i was using it at lower volumes sounded pretty nice, and i miss the low end growl. iT sounds like this amps is doing everything you expect it too, injoy...


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## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Ya, Rick you are right. The amp is doing more then what I expected. It smoked my expectations and changed my perspective quite a bit. I had to go out and play it 3 times today (it is in my garage). I keep thinking this is a love affair type thing, where you have something new for and for the first little while you get all wrapped up in it. But, I got this to flip it for something else, as I was not cool with having this in my rig, and I decided I had to keep it after a little playing time.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I imagine the preamp tubes will affect your MF350 like they'd affect anything else - in some small but somewhat noticeable way.

I wouldn't worry about putting nicer tubes in it - you'll probably notice a small change in tone and have bragging rights about X brand tubes (in an amp you may get smack about owning).

As I said, if it's getting the sound you want then don't tinker with it.

Retube it when you've tried every imaginable EQ/gain/volume combination with fresh ears


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## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Budda said:


> I imagine the preamp tubes will affect your MF350 like they'd affect anything else - in some small but somewhat noticeable way.
> 
> I wouldn't worry about putting nicer tubes in it - you'll probably notice a small change in tone and have bragging rights about X brand tubes (in an amp you may get smack about owning).
> 
> ...


Ya dude, once again, you are right!!! I am going to leave it alone, as I am digging it. I already got smack from the other guitarist in our band. He has'nt even heard it, but his nose is in the air. I can't knock him though, my nose was in the air at first as well. I have it set up for what I like now and I imagine he will be pretty blown away by the tone, but won't say so. I expect negative feedback from him post practice, LOL!!!

I have another question though. I am using a 412 cab in stereo with 2 heads (Kind of like Joe Bonamassa does). First being my Orange TH30 and the other being this head. It is uber powerful, and I have 2 50 watt WGS speakers on it's side. I don't crank the damn thing, actually I run it on like 1 and a half, but for shows I want to be able to turn it up a bit but not too much. I don't want to blow the speakers or damage the amp, so if I mind my volume control, should this be safe?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

You should be fine. I think those amps are only 350W at 4 ohms, like how bass amps work. I'd check the manual. That said, I still wouldn't worry about it. You're not *supposed* to run a bass guitar through a regular guitar rig, but you can. So long as the ohms match up, rock on!


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## JimiGuy7 (Jan 10, 2008)

Thanks Budda, I just bought these WGS speakers and love them. I don't want to blow them up. Also, for those who are interested, I did read that changing the preamp tubes makes quite a big difference in the tone of this particular amp. I am not changing what I have in it though, as I dig the tone. Thanks for the help guys!!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

People say that about a lot of amps. I put KT77's from 6L6's in my JSX and EL34's from 6L6's in my roadster, it was not night and day. Nor was my speaker swap from Sheffields in a XXX cab to WGS British Leads (Classic Lead 80). YMMV


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