I'm on the fence on keeping my 5:50 Plus or just upgrading to the Mark V for the extra channel. Does anyone know if the MkV Crunch channel is the same thing on both amps? It's too hard to tell at low volumes in the store compared to cranking the Express at home.
Crunch Channel on Express 5:50 Plus
- Thread starter pkdawg
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ifailedshapes
Well-known member
If you can survive the financial hit, get the Mark V. Totally worth the upgrade, IMHO.
midifail
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I really can´t answer this, but the Mark V should be a big Step forward in case of Flexibility - 3 Channels, 6L6 or EL 34, selectable Rectifier, foot switchable Tuner output and FX Loop...pkdawg said:
I think, you can get a Express Plus close to the Sound of Clean and Crunch Mode of the Mark V, but you can´t foot switch between them...
DannyB_KY
Active member
Well, I wonder how this worked out?
It was explained to me that the 5/50Plus is not a Mark V and the Mark V is not a 5/50Plus. They are two different amps. The V is more versatile but is nearly $1000 more in cost. The V is more of a "Best of Mesa," all rolled into one head. The 5/50Plus is not part of it. It might be part of the future Mark VI though! If I could wish for one added feature, I would wish the Plus had the 6L6/EL34 bias switch. But I'm very happy with the way it is with the 6L6s and I get to keep a grand!
It was explained to me that the 5/50Plus is not a Mark V and the Mark V is not a 5/50Plus. They are two different amps. The V is more versatile but is nearly $1000 more in cost. The V is more of a "Best of Mesa," all rolled into one head. The 5/50Plus is not part of it. It might be part of the future Mark VI though! If I could wish for one added feature, I would wish the Plus had the 6L6/EL34 bias switch. But I'm very happy with the way it is with the 6L6s and I get to keep a grand!
babow2
Well-known member
I've got a Mark V and an Express 5:25Plus (and a Royal Atlantic RA-100). I've also owned every Mark series back to the IIB, and most of their other series amps over my 30 year relationship with Mesa. The Express "series" is not in the Mark family. It isn't intended to be part of the Mark series. It was designed to be voiced differently, to hit a different part of the market and to hit a different sonic palette than the Mark palette. Could you spend time tweaking and trying to get the Express to sound like some of the sounds in the Mark V? of course you could. There will be some overlap and some commonalities between the two as they are both primarily "american voiced" amps by Mesa, so they have some common lineage.
The Express stands on its own, with its own strengths, weaknesses, features and limitations, and is a really nice amp, without comparing it to a Mark V, Royal or Rectifier. I would say you have a really good two channel amp with a ton of tones in it. Get the most out of what you have and find the tones that work for you in your amp, rather than worry about what you don't have or what it doesn't do. You could spend hours comparing its limitations to the MV, the Rectifier, the Lonestar, and on and on. It is its own amp- enjoy it and grab as much tone out of it that fits your style and your ears. If you can't get the tone you want/need out of it, then look to figure out what amp will get THE tone for you.
Good luck and enjoy the ride.
Brent
The Express stands on its own, with its own strengths, weaknesses, features and limitations, and is a really nice amp, without comparing it to a Mark V, Royal or Rectifier. I would say you have a really good two channel amp with a ton of tones in it. Get the most out of what you have and find the tones that work for you in your amp, rather than worry about what you don't have or what it doesn't do. You could spend hours comparing its limitations to the MV, the Rectifier, the Lonestar, and on and on. It is its own amp- enjoy it and grab as much tone out of it that fits your style and your ears. If you can't get the tone you want/need out of it, then look to figure out what amp will get THE tone for you.
Good luck and enjoy the ride.
Brent
jmontgomery
Well-known member
I agree with the above post. If you like the tones your getting with your 5:50, keep it. If you like it but just want a third channel or a different flavor of overdrive, buy an OD pedal. The Express series are very nice amps.
That said if you try out a Mark V and it blows you away, and you can afford it, get a V.
That said if you try out a Mark V and it blows you away, and you can afford it, get a V.
jmontgomery said:
Great advice. I've got an Express, and have added a Mesa Flux Drive to my pedal board, and now I've effectively got 3 killer channels for about $1000 less. Would I like to buy a Mark V - sure, but I'd also like a Mark IIC+, and another Studio 22+, and, well, you know. Express amps are great for the gigging guitarist...great tones at a reasonable price....
Al
babow2
Well-known member
Oh, I forgot to mention, I also havea Flux Drive and a Tone Burst mesa pedal. They are voiced really well for Mesa amps and sound seamless with the Express. I totally agree that those pedals give you more channels. The Tone Burst acts like a Solo boost.
I actually use the crunch channel for a dirty rhythm channel and the Flux Drive for my "lead channel".
Tone Burst on Clean Channel = Clean boost, clean lead
Flux Drive on Clean Channel = Great searing lead tone
Tone Burst on Crunch Channel = Crunchy lead tone
Fllux Drive on Crunch Channel = over the top.
So, I can get all kinds of tones with the Express and those two pedals.
Good point!!
I actually use the crunch channel for a dirty rhythm channel and the Flux Drive for my "lead channel".
Tone Burst on Clean Channel = Clean boost, clean lead
Flux Drive on Clean Channel = Great searing lead tone
Tone Burst on Crunch Channel = Crunchy lead tone
Fllux Drive on Crunch Channel = over the top.
So, I can get all kinds of tones with the Express and those two pedals.
Good point!!
babow2 said:
Exactly! I've got the Express +, so I use my solo feature as well. My clean channel is my clean rhythm, my blues channel is my crunchy rhythm, the solo boosts both for solos, and the Flux drive goes on top of either channel (as does my OCD). So I've really got 8 tone choices at my foot when you include the OCD. Great flexibility!!
Al :mrgreen:
