MARS 45 – Kemper Profile and Performance Pack

IMPORTANT NOTES

1. KEMPER STAGE AND REMOTE FUNCTIONALITY BUILT IN. All the profiles and performances included in this pack have button assignments for both the Kemper Stage and Kemper Remote built in. Every profile and performance also includes morphing – morphing will increase the amount of ambience.
2. PROFILES AND PERFORMANCES INCLUDED: We’ve included both profiles and performances in this pack, which let you get up and running instantly.
3. HOW TO IMPORT: To import these profiles and performances, connect your Kemper to a computer via USB and use the Rig Manager software from Kemper to import.

THE AMP

This pack includes profiles and performances of a Marshall JTM45 Re-Issue MkII from 1990. These amps were built in the Korg factory in the UK. This is classic Marshall tone – the JTM45 is the one that started it all. We profiled the amp through a MojoTone 2×12 cabinet loaded with a Celestion G12H30 and G12M25.

THE PROFILES

We created profiles using both a single coil guitar (telecaster style) and a humbucker guitar (Les Paul style). The amp features both a Bright and Normal channel, and the channels can be jumped as well. We’ve profiles all three options, denoted by ‘BRT’ (bright channel), ‘NRM’ (normal channel), and ‘JMP’ (jumpered channels).

Each channel contains both SC and HB profiles, which were made separately with both single coil (tele) and humbucker (Les Paul) guitars. The numbers at the end of the profiles indicate the level of gain, and for the highest number on each channel, the amp is more or less dimed. 

PERFORMANCES

This pack includes two performances – one dailed in for guitars with single coils and one for humbuckers.

We’ve set up these performances to use all five slots and all four effects buttons of the Kemper Remote/Stage with morph functions in all slots. Here are the slots and associated effects:

SLOT 1: CLEAN-ISH

This is your clean tone, but we set it up so that it breaks up on the bridge pickup, as long as your pickup has moderate output. Here are the effects in the different slots:

1. EFFECTS 1: Tremolo (off by default)
2. EFFECTS 2: Pure Booster (off by default – gives you a bit of drive)
3. EFFECTS 3: Quarter Note Delay (off by default)
4. EFFECTS 4: Dotted 8th Note Delay (on by default)

MORPH: Morphing will increase the wetness of both the reverb and delays. The reverb goes into a big ambient verb sound, and the delays increase in both level and feedback.

PROFILE USED: Mars45 NRM SC/HB 2

SLOT 2: DRIVE 1

This slot gives you two levels of overdrive. It’s default tone is a light to medium-light level of drive (depending on how hot your pickups are). Hit the boost, and you’ve got a bit more gain on tap. The overdrive in this slot is provided by the Kemper Drive effect.

1. EFFECTS 1: Tremolo (off by default)
2. EFFECTS 2: Pure Booster (off by default)
3. EFFECTS 3: 8th Note Delay (off by default)
4. EFFECTS 4: Dotted 8th Note Delay (on by default)

MORPH: Morphing will increase the wetness of both the reverb and delays. The reverb goes into a big ambient verb sound, and the delays increase in both level and feedback.

PROFILE USED: Mars45 NRM SC/HB 2

SLOT 3: DRIVE 2

This slot gives you two more levels of overdrive, both louder than the biggest setting in ‘Drive 1’. It’s default sound is a big rhythm drive tone. You can add more gain with the boost on Effects 2.

1. EFFECTS 1: Tremolo (off by default)
2. EFFECTS 2: Pure Booster (off by default)
3. EFFECTS 3: 8th Note Delay (on by default)
4. EFFECTS 4: Dotted 8th Note Delay (off by default)

MORPH: Morphing will increase the wetness of both the reverb and delays. The reverb goes into a big ambient verb sound, and the delays increase in both level and feedback.

PROFILE USED: Mars45 NRM SC/HB 3

SLOT 4: LEAD

For our Lead tone, we set up a big gain sound with a level boost above the biggest drive sound in ‘Drive 2’. You’re guitar will lift nicely in the mix. Here are the effects available via the effects buttons: 

1. EFFECTS 1: Analog Octaver (off by default) – this adds a subtle low octave that will add a lot of body to your leads.
2. EFFECTS 2: Pure Booster (off by default)
3. EFFECTS 3: Quarter Note Delay (on by default)
4. EFFECTS 4: Dual Delay – 8th and dotted 8th (on by default)

MORPH: Morphing will increase the wetness of both the reverb and delays. The reverb goes into a big ambient verb sound, and the delays increase in both level and feedback.

PROFILE USED: Mars45 NRM SC/HB 3

SLOT 5: AMBI/SWELL

This slot can be used for volume swells or for super ambient playing (without swells). The delays and reverbs trail for a very long time – proceed with caution :).

1. EFFECTS 1: Tremolo (off by default).
2. EFFECTS 2: Pure Booster (off by default)
3. EFFECTS 3: Crystal Delay (on by default) – this delay creates an awesome Shimmer reverb sound.
4. EFFECTS 4: Dual Delay – 8th and dotted 8th (on by default)

MORPH: Morphing will increase the wetness of both the reverb and delays. The reverb morph adds more shimmer, and the delays increase in both level and feedback.

PROFILE USED: Mars45 NRM SC/HB 2

MAKING CHANGES FOR YOUR GUITAR

Start with the ‘Definition’ and ‘Clarity’ controls on the amp

These two controls have an enormous impact on the overall tone, and are very efficient at adjusting the gain structure and clarity/tone of the sound, all without straying too far away from the base tone. They’re perfect for tailoring a patch made with humbuckers to a single coil guitar (or vice versa). We always recommend starting here rather than EQ or Gain controls.

EQ Controls: From there, adjust the EQ controls (in the amp stack). If the tone is a bit dark or bright, adjust the EQ to compensate.

Gain control (proceed with caution). We recommend adjusting the gain on the amp last – especially raising the gain. This will introduce digital gain, which sounds pretty gross – it does not behave like a gain knob on an amp. If you need more gain, either adjust the definition control or increase the level control on the compressor. If you need less gain, turn the gain control down works well.

HOW ARE THE PROFILE PACKS DIFFERENT THAN PERFORMANCES?

Our full profile packs include both the fully-featured performances, and individual profiles. When we profile an amp, we profile all the channels that it offers at various levels of gain, and we create individual profiles for different types of guitars. the Performance products include just a few profiles in the performances, but you get everything you need to play a full set.

SHOULD I GET THE PROFILE PACK OR THE PERFORMANCE?

If you would like to experience an amp’s true potential, the profile pack is the way to go. When we profile an amp, we profile all the channels that it offers at various levels of gain, and we create individual profiles for different types of guitars. If you just want the bare essentials of an amp in a ready-to-play package, the Performance products are for you.