1086/Plexi Plus...

[Hamner1]

Well I figured I have had this module long enough that I can finally give some feedback on it.

Gain - I think the new badge of Plexi plus is maybe a little misleading as even with the gain switch off this module has more gain than the Plexi. Granted you can dial it back & get a respectable plexi overdrive level. The gain switch does what it boasts & increases the gain, but I think it is very useable. I expected the tone to go to mush with the switch to the right & the gain set at 8. It did not & it remained useable.

EQ controls are great in being able to dial in some good tones (more on this below).

Voicing switch - has been mentioned as a Marshall/Mesa switch. I disagree with this. It maybe should be labled neutral & mud. With the switch moved to the right it zaps the mids & just muds up the module. With this setting I have to have the Mids dimed to get a tolerable tone. With the switch to the left this module is similar to the SL+ but darker. I tried the following settings as I was looking for a scooped mids tone:
Gain 7, Boost on/right, Voicing off/left, Bass 7, Mids 3, Treble 6, Level 5

This resulted in an ok tone but lost its luster after a short period of playing. I think I just need to admit maybe the scooped/minimal mids thing is not for me. While I think I like less mids than Julia, I apparently have a threshold on how much of the mids I can cut & still like the tone. Or maybe it is just in need of a mod by Pete. Or maybe the Grail is the way to go for me.

Here is the current control settings I have on it:
Gain 7, Boost on, Voicing off, Bass 7, Mids 5, Treble 5, Level 5

RM4 settings are Master 12:30 & Effects 12 o' clock

Blasphemy about to commence :lol: I pulled the plexi so I could run the SL+, Scary, & 1086. I like that the 1086 has more gain than the plexi, so I may see if I can dial in the Plexi tone I had going but with the extra gain. My only concern with this is, if it ends up sounding like/similar to my SL+, it would be kind of redundant.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

^I think this review is dead on to my experience with the 1086

 

[m0jo]

^I think this review is dead on to my experience with the 1086

Same here.
So it is what everybody already knew but was in denial about.. just a rebadged 1086

Important question Hamner1: do you play downtuned?

 

[Hamner1]

Important question Hamner1: do you play downtuned?

E flat primarily. Sometimes I will drop the low E string a step to hit drop D flat, but this is rare.

Another thing I stumbled on today is that the module does not clean up as nice as the Plexi. As stated it has more gain, so to get the module to clean up you need to roll the volume down more resulting in ugh for a cleanish tone. It sounded kind of muffled to me.

 

[Rod]

I just bought a Plexi +/1086... I was reluctant because of all the negative press this module has, but I gotta say I think it's a vastly improved Plexi and then some...Very versatile......the plexi sounds dull in comparison....
I love the tone of this mod....And mine doesn't turn to mud...at any setting...and it doesn't sound anything like a Mesa...yea!!

 

[Hamner1]

Rod I agree with you 100% that there is no Mesa sound in this module. Even with the voicing switch to the right you get a good tone out of it?

I'll say it is growing on me, but I primarily use it for the old school Megadeth & Metallica stuff. Again I do not have the voice switch on. That zaps way too much mids & for me sounds like mush.

What type of stuff are you using this module for? If I remember your sig correctly, you are all about the blues rock stuff & no metal. Care to dish on your favorite settings for this module?

 

[Rod]

Rod I agree with you 100% that there is no Mesa sound in this module. Even with the voicing switch to the right you get a good tone out of it?

I'll say it is growing on me, but I primarily use it for the old school Megadeth & Metallica stuff. Again I do not have the voice switch on. That zaps way too much mids & for me sounds like mush.

What type of stuff are you using this module for? If I remember your sig correctly, you are all about the blues rock stuff & no metal. Care to dish on your favorite settings for this module?

Hi Hamner..yea, I play blues/rock, but I use a fair amount of gain..like Warren Haynes does, but this module is just great for that style of music...I do keep the Mids switched to higher mids.....It sounds great in both gain positions