Mesa Mark Series Appreciation Thread

[Jon Pearson]

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?

Agreed. It's not like the compactness makes it any easier to transport - my Mark VII is a boat anchor, every bit as difficult to load as my Roadster or JVM. The 19" chassis helps to keep rackmounts and headshells on a common platform which is a convenient and smart from a production standpoint, but they could definitely go taller.

 

[spawnofthesith]

So I get there the amp is beautiful and pristine. Some nice Russian gentlemen. Fire it up, powers on but no sound, tubes not lighting up. Tinker around for a minute not getting anywhere

Then I see it’s a European mode. 240v :facepalm

I passed. I realize I could invest in a step down transformer but a. I don’t want to fuck around with all that, and B. Don’t technically know if everything works and also don’t know what ramifications if any might be associated with powering that amp on in a us outlet might be

 

[DarkstarII]

Ah yeah…that sucks…older Marks had a rotating switch to select current. Thanks for the update; sorry it didn’t work out.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I talked to him further, I went ahead and ordered a step down transformer. Once it arrives I’m gonna go back and test the amp. If everything’s working, I take it for $1k out the door

Worse case scenario, I have to return the transformer at Kohl’s and I wasted a bit more time

 

[spawnofthesith]

Journey has come to a happy ending with $1k for the IV plus $40 transformer. Gonna still see if I can get it required for US voltage, from what I’ve read export models have all the taps?

 

[kmanick]

So I got my Mark IV back yesterday from my tech the lead gain pot broke on it. mesa no longer carries that pot, so this is what he had to do.
He swapped the R2 lead pot with the one that was broken (the lead gain pot). put the new one in R2 and the R2 pot in the lead gain position. He also put in a new power chard(attached) as the one on there had no ground pin on it, and replaced the fan power chord. checked all the caps to see if any were broken or leaking---- all good.
Sounds like I have more gain in there now, the pot that broke was cutting in and out so my gain levels were constantly going up and down.

I have a NOS Mullard Blackburn in V1 a JJ in V2 a NOS RFT in V3, a JJ in V4 and a Sovtek LPS in the PI. Thing sounds like a monster now, I can't believe how loud this freaking thing is, RFT's are great in the lead slot. I had one in V4 too but the JJ actually sounds better.
Tom at Aztech Electronics in Watertown did the work (he's done work for me before on Marshalls and Peaveys) Mesa highly recommends them, but he ain't cheap , $100 an hour on the bench, but he turned it around for me in 4 days (and his shop is wall to wall amps) he was working on a Mark III when I picked up my IV,
so anyone one in the Boston area that needs an amp Tech, IMO he's the guy (very sarcastic sense of humor too)
He know his way around Mesa quite well.
Nick

 

[Apex1rg7x]

Recently got a near mint condition Mark IV that was recently serviced by Mesa. This is my first Mark amp and man, I've been missing out! This amp is incredible and easily top 3 high gain tones I've ever had.

 

[Marked Man]

Lotsa talk about getting the amps, but not as much in recent posts about something just as important: The right cabs and speakers.

I use only Mark half-back cabs with either Celestion C90s or Lead 80s up top, and mighty EVM12Ls on bottom (actually a pair of EVMs in my vert 2x12). I have a small colony of EVMs.....

I no longer play other amps. MARKS ONLY.

In the Lower Dungeon (MkIII+ and Quad/2:90):




In the Upper Dungeon (MkIV Widebody + Thiele EVM12L):



The Quad/2:90 stands alone above the others, it is a force of nature. I'm currently scheming on my next Marks. Will either be a JP-2C head, a MkV 35 head or combo, or a MkVII this year. I am a Mark Phreak, so I'll eventually get a MkIIB and Tri-Axis as well before finally getting a MkIV head. At least one or more will have to be hardwood + wicker with matching cab.

 

[Marked Man]

When I first got my IV, I left it in triode for the longest time. I found the biggest difference was that things got a lot more percussive when I went to pentode mode.

I use Triode mode with Harmonics on because it's tasty and already so freakishly LOUD that more isn't needed. Likewise I use "half power" on the MkIII+, which is actually only about 15-20 watts, but the biggest watts you'll ever hear.

 

[DarkstarII]

I NEED a mark 4x12 in my life so bad…

 

[Marked Man]

I NEED a mark 4x12 in my life so bad…

Eat your Wheaties© before lifting.......real toan is freakin' heavy.

 

[spawnofthesith]

My combo has the C90 in it. Prior to even bringing it home I had the thought of doing a head shell conversion in my mind. In the past I've never had much luck with open back combos and high gain sounds. First practice with the IV blew me away though, and I also found that the combo mic'ed incredibly well/easily too for our in ears. So now I'm not so sure. I have a madison 2x12 with T75s in it at my drummers taht I'm going to try out with it tonight at practice. Everyone has said I still need to try this amp with a closed back cab.

I started peaking around at 1x12 thieles with an EV too for a mini stack, but then you're starting to shift away from the convenience of a combo... and then while I was looking theres a mesa 2x12 with EVs for the same price as the only 1x12 with an EV, which woul seem like a better value and I'd be able to use it with my roadster and otehr heads too... but then still getting into headshell conversion territory with the IV.

I have the EVH 2x12 too with H30s that I generally prefer to the T75 loaded cab. Need to try that out with the IV in tweed/class A mode also

 

[kmanick]

So I finally got a chance to try the Mark IV out at rehearsal the other night.
I don't know if mine has been modded or it's the tubes I've got it in, but the R2 channel on mine almost has as much gain as the lead channel , it just has a much brighter un compressed voicing to it.
It sounds amazing with single coil pickups.
I always use my Splawn since most of the stuff we do was recorded using Marshalls (old dad classic hard rock cover band).
The other guitarist uses a Suhr PT15-IR and it blended really well with it.
These amps are monstrously loud LOL! I had mine on full power pentode /simul class / harmonics and man it was shaking the walls.
One thing I did notice is that I brought the 750 slider up a bit from where I had it at home and it really filled out the sound.
I'm so glad I scored this thing, so much fun to play through.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Thinking harder and harder about grabbing a thiele for a ministack....

Made an offer on one locally loaded with a c90

 

[TedEH]

There's a thiele + c90 available locally too that has been tempting me, despite me not needing it at all.

 

[spawnofthesith]

He had them listed for $400, I offered $300 and he said $375 was his lowest. Fair price?

There's one with an EV for $500 but I'm not sure I could bring myself to spend that on a used 1x12. Especially since there is a mesa 2x12 with EVs for the same price


I played it through my madison 2x12 with T75s at practice last week and while I did enjoy the closed back lowend response immensely, I'm not totally sure it was enough of an improvement over just the combo to sway me back in the headshell conversion direction. Now this of course could just be the speakers/cab construction...

But I feel like a ministack is the most balanced and affordable best of both worlds move to make right now

 

[spawnofthesith]

 

[Hollowway]

So I finally got a chance to try the Mark IV out at rehearsal the other night.
I don't know if mine has been modded or it's the tubes I've got it in, but the R2 channel on mine almost has as much gain as the lead channel , it just has a much brighter un compressed voicing to it.
It sounds amazing with single coil pickups.
I always use my Splawn since most of the stuff we do was recorded using Marshalls (old dad classic hard rock cover band).
The other guitarist uses a Suhr PT15-IR and it blended really well with it.
These amps are monstrously loud LOL! I had mine on full power pentode /simul class / harmonics and man it was shaking the walls.
One thing I did notice is that I brought the 750 slider up a bit from where I had it at home and it really filled out the sound.
I'm so glad I scored this thing, so much fun to play through.

What year is it? And has it been recapped? I have a V, and I’m super happy with it, but I want a III and IV now. Gotta catch ‘em all!

 

[kmanick]

What year is it? And has it been recapped? I have a V, and I’m super happy with it, but I want a III and IV now. Gotta catch ‘em all!

it's a 92, an early "transitional "B", and yes it's been recapped (not by Mesa though) I sent pictures of the guts and they said it looks fine but I could send it it if I want it returned to 'stock".
I'm probably going to send it in to Mesa at some point and have them do that and replace the relays /LDLS so i don't have any issues there, but I just had a local tech (mesa authorized) replace my lead gain pot and he gave it a once over (replaced the power chord and the fan power chord as well) and he gave a thumbs up and it sounds so good as is I 'm in no rush