Mesa Mark Series Appreciation Thread

[Jon Pearson]

Since grabbing a V:35 I’ve moved from the 5150 camp towards the Mark. Crunch on that is just amazing, works great with and without a boost with just a few adjustments. I prefer the IV mode on the second channel, the IIC mode doesn’t have quite the oomf I want (or not dialing it in right!), while the Xtreme is too over the top. None of them are bad, but just don’t hit the level of pissed off I like. Definitely makes me interested in a real IV if prices ever get reasonable again.

The VII has me interested also as a companion to V, but I don’t think I’d get as much out of it since I mainly just want to play metal with it. Unless the channel 3 modes are superior to what I have? Change my mind?

The VII has my favorite high gain modes from any of the Marks. That's from owning two different IIIs (red and blue stripe), both a rev A and B IV, a V25, and honorable mentions of the Triaxis and Studio Pre.

Not everyone agrees with me, but I felt strongly enough about it that I traded my Mark III when I got my VII.

 

[narad]

View attachment 139319

Pardon the wayward Dual Caliber. Sold a lot of amps and these are what I have left. IV is still the king of the High Gain Channel. Channel 3 is just my grail tone. But the JP2C and Mark VII are also great Marks. Currently, playing the VII alot since it has the best Ch2 Crunch channel. Way better than EVH Blue crunch channel that I used to like a lot. If the IV had this crunch channel in R2, that would rule. It is also easier to gig with the Cabclone IR.

The JP2C is hard to dial a nice Metallica tone. It always has a thick, grinding midrange that is hard to dial out, but it lends to an instant Petrucci sound---especially when you have a guitar with Petrucci pickups (DiMarzio Crunch Lab, in my case). It also is the best amp from these choices to do modern metal downtuned stuff since it has a fat midrange. People will say it tends to sound boxy. Sure, but most of those people also use very middy sounding pickups. Your mileage may vary.

It's sad to me they can put out a VII and still it fails to nail the IV enough to warrant selling it. I've also regretted selling my IV... we A/B'd it against my IIIs and concluded that the IIIs were close but better, and there's a lot of backpanel settings on the IV I just flat-out don't like, but I kind of miss it. Hard to describe how it was different, but the JP2C I had had a more modern sound to it. More "crisp"? A little more boxy? The IV was a little bit more like that compared to the III, but in a way that I also liked.

 

[TedEH]

Of all the gear I own, I don't think I'll ever be able to part with my IV. (Even if the Fractal model of the IV is very good.)
Strange to hear that people prefer the IV mode on the 25 to the Xtreme mode - which to me sounds closer to the real IV, but that could be a matter of how I dial things.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

It's sad to me they can put out a VII and still it fails to nail the IV enough to warrant selling it. I've also regretted selling my IV... we A/B'd it against my IIIs and concluded that the IIIs were close but better, and there's a lot of backpanel settings on the IV I just flat-out don't like, but I kind of miss it. Hard to describe how it was different, but the JP2C I had had a more modern sound to it. More "crisp"? A little more boxy? The IV was a little bit more like that compared to the III, but in a way that I also liked.

Agree. The real IV has in my mind 3 modes on the high gain channel.

a. The presence pushed/pentode/ harmonic on is the quintessential IV sound to me. Huge sounding, a bit drier more refined.
b. Presence pushed/pentode/ mid gain on is the other Mark IV sound you can hear bands use the most. More saturated, gainier, more modern. 90s metal.
c. Then there's the presence pulled/Triode mode. The less boxy option and the 2C+ mode according to the manual. I think this is the mode people use when doing Metallica stuff. Matt from Theocracy sets his IV like this, afaik.

The VII has only one mode. And the closest is a mix between B and C. Gained out, squishier, but still has that pentode kick. You don't get the dry and percussive low end of A.
The V has an Extreme mode which is closest to A. But that one is still different sounding. That's why I'm keeping the IV. I like presence pushed, pentode, harmonic.

Of all the gear I own, I don't think I'll ever be able to part with my IV. (Even if the Fractal model of the IV is very good.)
Strange to hear that people prefer the IV mode on the 25 to the Xtreme mode - which to me sounds closer to the real IV, but that could be a matter of how I dial things.

Yep. Extreme mode is where it's at. The only mode I use on the V. But it definitely feels stiffer UNLESS you really open the volume on the Mark V90. Like big venue loud. You get a bit more juice under your fingers. IV mode however records better. It sits better in the mix. The inherent low mids on Extreme mode always sound congested to me on a mix.

 

[DarkstarII]

 

[TedEH]

The inherent low mids on Extreme mode always sound congested to me on a mix.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense to me. I've always had to make pretty dramatic eq cuts in a recorded IV when I just throw a mic in front of my live sound. But live though..... it gives the amp that magical property of "you will hear me, I give you no choice".

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

IIRC isn't MKIV mode based on a MKIV set to Harmonic gain while Extreme is based on one set to Mid gain? Or is it more complicated?

 

[TedEH]

I thought it was more complicated than that - includes the states of the pull switches, etc., and I think a fixed drive level. It's in the manual but I'm too lazy to look it up right now. If I remember right, the xtreme mode matches the state of the pull switches that I usually use, which is likely why I prefer it.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

IIRC isn't MKIV mode based on a MKIV set to Harmonic gain while Extreme is based on one set to Mid gain? Or is it more complicated?

Afaik in the V:
Mark IV mode- Presence pulled, mid gain
Extreme mode- Presence pushed, harmonics

 

[spawnofthesith]

I've owned and loved a V and a red stripe III


Have a line on a super clean looking Mark IV combo for a pretty dang good price... attempting to wait on a tax return to drop presumably in the next week before pulling the trigger.

I was thinking if this happens I might do a headshell conversion. I've found in my experiences that high gain sounds always kinda flub out (espeially at higher volumes) in open back combos... anyone able to speak to this from experience with a Mark IV combo?

 

[TedEH]

I can't remember at all what the mid-gain switch is supposed to do. I don't think I've heard of anyone using it.

I've found in my experiences that high gain sounds always kinda flub out (espeially at higher volumes) in open back combos...

I have a "partially open" back 1x12 with a c90 in it, I imagine that might be comparable to the combo? It's worth remembering that a Mark isn't like a Recto in the way the low end works. A Mark can throw out a lot of low end, but where a recto will WHOMP a mark will CHUNK, if that makes any sense. I find it pretty difficult to get my IV to flub out unless I use too much of the pre-gain bass knob.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I can't remember at all what the mid-gain switch is supposed to do. I don't think I've heard of anyone using it.


I have a "partially open" back 1x12 with a c90 in it, I imagine that might be comparable to the combo? It's worth remembering that a Mark isn't like a Recto in the way the low end works. A Mark can throw out a lot of low end, but where a recto will WHOMP a mark will CHUNK, if that makes any sense. I find it pretty difficult to get my IV to flub out unless I use too much of the pre-gain bass knob.

Ah yeah, miss that mark chunk... hope this deal ends up working out

 

[Kyle Jordan]

I can't remember at all what the mid-gain switch is supposed to do. I don't think I've heard of anyone using it.

Most of Leon Todd's Mark IV videos have Mid Gain selected. It's his favorite setting.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Afaik in the V:
Mark IV mode- Presence pulled, mid gain
Extreme mode- Presence pushed, harmonics

Okay I went back in the Mark IV manual and I guess that makes sense. Mid Gain mode has more gain but Mesa themselves recommend the Harmonics mode for high gain.

I can't remember at all what the mid-gain switch is supposed to do. I don't think I've heard of anyone using it.

More distortion in the midrange on the lead channel. More gain on tap and makes things a little thicker.

 

[TedEH]

More distortion in the midrange on the lead channel.

I guess that explains why the IV mode on the 25 sounds more hairy/saturated maybe? I could have sworn I heard complaints about it being prone to feedback and unwanted noises. I always just left it on harmonics, never touched it, and mostly forgot the switch was there.

 

[Choop]

Always wanted a IV, but I'll probably never be able to justify buying one at this point. I love the tone of my III, just the controls make it a little less versatile and more convoluted to balance correctly between channels and get the most out of each one.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Always wanted a IV, but I'll probably never be able to justify buying one at this point. I love the tone of my III, just the controls make it a little less versatile and more convoluted to balance correctly between channels and get the most out of each one.

I know Mesa won't touch the III for whatever reason, but a reissued III with 2 independent channels based on the Blue or Green stripe would be fucking killer. A Mark series *strictly* tweaked for high gain.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Picking up mark IV combo tomorrow!! Pumped. Seller accepted $1300 for it too so I’m pretty jazzed about that in 2024. And it’s probably one of the cleanest looking IVs I’ve seen floating around based on the pictures

I know Mesa won't touch the III for whatever reason, but a reissued III with 2 independent channels based on the Blue or Green stripe would be fucking killer. A Mark series *strictly* tweaked for high gain.

I’ve been saying this!! Sort of lol. I’m sure it would sell like hot cakes the III is legendary. Althoigh personally I’d still like R1.

A 40th anniversary RI next year would be the bees knees. Cmon Gibson, we know you love nostalgia and reissues

 

[Jon Pearson]

Picking up mark IV combo tomorrow!! Pumped. Seller accepted $1300 for it too so I’m pretty jazzed about that in 2024. And it’s probably one of the cleanest looking IVs I’ve seen floating around based on the pictures




I’ve been saying this!! Sort of lol. I’m sure it would sell like hot cakes the III is legendary. Althoigh personally I’d still like R1.

A 40th anniversary RI next year would be the bees knees. Cmon Gibson, we know you love nostalgia and reissues

They should reissue the quad preamp, but stereo, integrated into amp head with a 2:90 power amp for full stereo options.

A man can dream, right?

 

[narad]

They should reissue the quad preamp, but stereo, integrated into amp head with a 2:90 power amp for full stereo options.

A man can dream, right?

It is a bit weird to me the amount of engineering they'll do to cram so many switches and knobs in a standard sized front panel, like on the JP2C especially with like 2 EQs, when they could just add another row. Imagine two rows of channel cloning like on the badlander, with an EQ on each channel, but with mode assignments as broad as the VII?