Bought a Mark VII!

[rarebitusa]

Hi - this is dlpasco. I lost access to my old email address and apparently needed to create a new account.

I still have the VII, and it's great. I ran into one issue while playing live, but it was extremely situational. I'm used to playing with amps with a volume control that governs the entire amp, not just the volume on an individual channel. Our drummer got really loud during rehearsals and I ended up dialing in all of the channels high so that I could hear over him, and when we finally got to the venue, he suddenly got much lighter on the sticks and I needed to redial all three channels, on stage, to try and come up with something more suitable to the space we were in.

In the future, I could keep a volume pedal in the fx loop to dial things in quickly. Otherwise, I'd look to something like my V:90 so that I could hit a level that would keep all of the channels consistent with the new volume needs.

Welcome back

This is why I'm so glad I got my Mark Five not long ago right about the same time they came out with the Mark VII.
I glad everyone likes the missing Master Volume. I wouldn't like not have a Master Volume. for playing live.
The other Guitarist in our band used an EVH 5150III with no Master Volume and turning the amp up or down a little required balancing the 3 channels all over again.
For sure that's not happening during a show.
So over the course of several songs your battling with your guitar amp.

Yea for sure, no time to mess around with that during a show. Always relied on having a vol pedal in the loop even though the primary gigging amp currently is a V:90. Other Mesas I gigged with have Master Vols so vol pedal usage scenario was the same. But picked up a Badlander, haven't gigged it yet but while it's two chans I do find there's an added level of vol balancing. With 3 chans that'd be worse for sure.

 

[mace]

Yeah, I do miss that master volume when playing live or even at practice. But, I know an Ernie Ball volume pedal in the LOOP works just fine for controlling the VII volume.

 

[Elliot Twist]

Yea for sure, no time to mess around with that during a show. Always relied on having a vol pedal in the loop even though the primary gigging amp currently is a V:90. Other Mesas I gigged with have Master Vols so vol pedal usage scenario was the same. But picked up a Badlander, haven't gigged it yet but while it's two chans I do find there's an added level of vol balancing. With 3 chans that'd be worse for sure.

It's been longer than I can remember since I've bee using a Line 6 POD HD500 or a DigiTech RP360Xp in the FX Loop of ALL my amps. I'm one of those awful Marshall guys and I've never run anything in front of my amps.
Not even to "tighten" up the sound. LoL I run EL34 tubes and the Variac mode on my Mark Five.
I don't want it tightened up.
I always set the master volume on the processor units to unity gain, but just in case, that master volume is a quick fix for live shows.
Especially on an amp with no master volume.
When I got my EVH 5150III I got the 1X12 combo, and it has an incredible reverb as well as a power level knob that serves as a master volume.
For many years I ran a Marshall DSL100H, and there's no master volume there.
But I'd long already been running a Line 6 POD HD500 in the FX Loop, so I had that for a quick master volume.
I read on here and other places that the amp might sound better without a master volume and that it's not necessary.
I run a Marshall DSL100HR with two master volume and some folks say they hate 'em and to pretend they're not there and to put 'em on 10.

 

[bandit2013]

Yeah, I do miss that master volume when playing live or even at practice. But, I know an Ernie Ball volume pedal in the LOOP works just fine for controlling the VII volume.

Good to know.

 

[Revelation]

It has been a year since I purchased this amp and I could not be happier. The graphic EQ really helps to get the sound you want. For clean, deep jazz, and country, it is fantastic. The over drive offers good crunch, and the Mrk III C IV, and VII distortion sounds great. All have a different sound, and they all sound great. Highly recommend this amp. With one 12 inch over two 12's, it has a more open top end and low end is not as full or big. But I found this preferable many times. When I want a fuller sound, I go to my Fender Twin with my Mesa Boogie pedals. The DI output in the back offers different sounds which are decent, but like most digital pedal boards, its a little flatter sounding. They sound ok when combined with using the mic on the amp as well.

 

[FastRedPonyCar]

Hey folks! New MKVII owner here. Loving this thing so far. SOOOO much better than my MKV 90. I really really liked the 35w V as well. I'm convinced that it was a completely redesigned circuit in that amp. It had literally zero in common with the sound of my 90 and I almost bought the 35w but I wanted a bit more punch and power from the lead channel. The crunch on that amp was to die for though.

I feel like the VII is about as "no compromise" as it gets. I still want to try the JP2C and the Reissue IIC+ but the built in reactive load is a HUGE plus for me on stage. Just being able to show up with the amp, have a couple of my IR's I really like loaded up and just run straight out into the PA is really nice. Saves me the hassle of bringing my OX box in it's pelican case to the shows.

Anyways, I'm still playing around with it but immediately out of the box, I was able to dial in so many great sounds and honestly the most striking difference compared to the 90w V is that I get sounds I love with the EQ all over the place. It's like you have to work to find a bad sound and on the 90w V, I was really struggling to find a sound I liked. Just never bonded with it. The top end was too scratchy or too dull... no in between and I tried a couple sets of tubes with no help. The lower midrange was also very compressed and stuffy and boxy sounding. It made the amp sound smaller than it should have been no matter what cabinet I plugged into. The VII is much better in this regard too.

Anyways, I'll have some VII content up on my channel this week and an initial thoughts/review video.

www.youtube.com/fastredponycar

I've got other Mesa stuff like the 35W V review, some vids of my Studio Preamps I used to own, the Mark V and Mark IV.

I'm on the Zzounds review list to get a IIC+ reissue at some point based on availability as well as the JP for full comparisons. I don't really focus on the metal stuff on my channel. There's other channels for that. I'm more in the 90's rock/classic rock and heavy 2000's rock camp as that's what my band plays and the VII is absolutely incredible for that stuff.

Here's a quick clip I grabbed yesterday. I was standing right next to the amp so that's where the noise is coming from. It was my Tokai les paul into an OCD pedal into the amp and the direct dry output into an OX Stomp box with the V30 mesa cab model then out stereo to the interface.

Starts on crunch mode then over to IV mode then IIC+ mode boosting it here and there.

MKVII Test1.mp3

 

[rarebitusa]

but the built in reactive load is a HUGE plus for me on stage.

Congrats oh yea the Cabclone IR is great... I don't have a VII but do have a Badlander with the CCIR and it's most excellent.

 

[SonVolt]

Hey folks! New MKVII owner here. Loving this thing so far. SOOOO much better than my MKV 90. I really really liked the 35w V as well. I'm convinced that it was a completely redesigned circuit in that amp. It had literally zero in common with the sound of my 90 and I almost bought the 35w but I wanted a bit more punch and power from the lead channel. The crunch on that amp was to die for though.

I feel like the VII is about as "no compromise" as it gets. I still want to try the JP2C and the Reissue IIC+ but the built in reactive load is a HUGE plus for me on stage. Just being able to show up with the amp, have a couple of my IR's I really like loaded up and just run straight out into the PA is really nice. Saves me the hassle of bringing my OX box in it's pelican case to the shows.

Anyways, I'm still playing around with it but immediately out of the box, I was able to dial in so many great sounds and honestly the most striking difference compared to the 90w V is that I get sounds I love with the EQ all over the place. It's like you have to work to find a bad sound and on the 90w V, I was really struggling to find a sound I liked. Just never bonded with it. The top end was too scratchy or too dull... no in between and I tried a couple sets of tubes with no help. The lower midrange was also very compressed and stuffy and boxy sounding. It made the amp sound smaller than it should have been no matter what cabinet I plugged into. The VII is much better in this regard too.

Anyways, I'll have some VII content up on my channel this week and an initial thoughts/review video.

www.youtube.com/fastredponycar

I've got other Mesa stuff like the 35W V review, some vids of my Studio Preamps I used to own, the Mark V and Mark IV.

I'm on the Zzounds review list to get a IIC+ reissue at some point based on availability as well as the JP for full comparisons. I don't really focus on the metal stuff on my channel. There's other channels for that. I'm more in the 90's rock/classic rock and heavy 2000's rock camp as that's what my band plays and the VII is absolutely incredible for that stuff.

Here's a quick clip I grabbed yesterday. I was standing right next to the amp so that's where the noise is coming from. It was my Tokai les paul into an OCD pedal into the amp and the direct dry output into an OX Stomp box with the V30 mesa cab model then out stereo to the interface.

Starts on crunch mode then over to IV mode then IIC+ mode boosting it here and there.

MKVII Test1.mp3

Interesting. Yeah, I sold the Mark V after a couple years b/c it sounded "small" no matter how loud I cranked it. Too compressed. Lifeless. The Mark IV is still the benchmark for me on pure aggression and openness. Curious how the VII compares.

 

[Revelation]

Hey folks! New MKVII owner here. Loving this thing so far. SOOOO much better than my MKV 90. I really really liked the 35w V as well. I'm convinced that it was a completely redesigned circuit in that amp. It had literally zero in common with the sound of my 90 and I almost bought the 35w but I wanted a bit more punch and power from the lead channel. The crunch on that amp was to die for though.

I feel like the VII is about as "no compromise" as it gets. I still want to try the JP2C and the Reissue IIC+ but the built in reactive load is a HUGE plus for me on stage. Just being able to show up with the amp, have a couple of my IR's I really like loaded up and just run straight out into the PA is really nice. Saves me the hassle of bringing my OX box in it's pelican case to the shows.

Anyways, I'm still playing around with it but immediately out of the box, I was able to dial in so many great sounds and honestly the most striking difference compared to the 90w V is that I get sounds I love with the EQ all over the place. It's like you have to work to find a bad sound and on the 90w V, I was really struggling to find a sound I liked. Just never bonded with it. The top end was too scratchy or too dull... no in between and I tried a couple sets of tubes with no help. The lower midrange was also very compressed and stuffy and boxy sounding. It made the amp sound smaller than it should have been no matter what cabinet I plugged into. The VII is much better in this regard too.

Anyways, I'll have some VII content up on my channel this week and an initial thoughts/review video.

www.youtube.com/fastredponycar

I've got other Mesa stuff like the 35W V review, some vids of my Studio Preamps I used to own, the Mark V and Mark IV.

I'm on the Zzounds review list to get a IIC+ reissue at some point based on availability as well as the JP for full comparisons. I don't really focus on the metal stuff on my channel. There's other channels for that. I'm more in the 90's rock/classic rock and heavy 2000's rock camp as that's what my band plays and the VII is absolutely incredible for that stuff.

Here's a quick clip I grabbed yesterday. I was standing right next to the amp so that's where the noise is coming from. It was my Tokai les paul into an OCD pedal into the amp and the direct dry output into an OX Stomp box with the V30 mesa cab model then out stereo to the interface.

Starts on crunch mode then over to IV mode then IIC+ mode boosting it here and there.

MKVII Test1.mp3

I am glad you are enjoying the amp. I still really enjoy my Mark VII. My question to you is what speaker(s) do you use with this amp? I purchased the combo and the mids are very forward with this amp. I had no issue with it with the exception of my PRS Core 24 which also is a mid-focused guitar. I reduced the mids on the EQ slider and mid knob and it sound just decent with some settings. I am thinking about adding another Mesa 12" speaker (underneath the combo and removing the wheels) to get a richer sound. But I have to admit since I already have a two 12 amp, the one 12 is also nice to have for a different sound.

I have a Fender Twin with a Flux 5 pedal that gets a nicer fuller sound with the two 12 speakers. In addition, my Mesa Boogie Express 525 has a nice creamer tone with its one 12 speaker.