disillusioned by mark iv and Mesa in general

[phyrexia]

i think you just like to run your mouth, and i think you like british amps more than american ones in general.

and they haven't stopped making the mark iv...?

 

[phyrexia]

and like six months ago weren't you raving how you couldn't kill your IV even when you tried?

 

[trem]

Mark IV is what it is. Either you like it or you don't, as with anything else. Rivera is different enough sonically to make it not comparable. I agree about the adjustable bias though.

 

[MrMarkIII]

Well, if one brand of beer worked for everybody, there'd be only one beer company.
This like the the guys who like to argue that Fords are better than Chevys.
If you don't like your Ford, then bloody sell it, buy a Chevy or whatever, and stop boring us.

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

Ok, we have your opinion, time to head for the Rivera forum now instead eh ?
Missing you already !! 8)

 

[ytse_jam]

nothing's wrong with your opinion, rabies, everyone may prefer an amp over another one or a brand over others... i just don't get the attitude of waving the flag trying to set a way for everyone. it seems to me sometimes there is so much more hype on topics like adjustable bias rather than amps/brands themselves...
then it surely happens that some people may be quite narrow-minded about mesa, and i'm not that happy about those thousand patents as well (considering at the beginning mesas were almost built after fenders)... but, for the music genre i like listening too, artists/local bands with mesa amps always sounded so much better than other ones both recorded and live to me. my ears can be different from yours, but that just isn't hype to me!

 

[Aart]

and like six months ago weren't you raving how you couldn't kill your IV even when you tried?

this is true. the mark iv is really a tank. only dead tubes for me. amp works perfectly still. but I killed the stiletto.

I just think you guys should try out some other brands. that's all. and the cold-biased thing is unacceptable too.

Everybody raving about the 'cold bias' thing should stop and listen. I owned two Mk 4 A versions, one with a bias mod and one without. No difference. none, zippes, nada.

And about the other brands: I think most people owned more amps than just the Mark IV.

I owned a Marshall 2100 SL-X, a Peavey 5150 II, A London City plexi clone, a crate BV150(the three channel ampeg version) and an ADA MP1.

Next to that I've played countless amps in shops and at friends', and I never had the idea my Mk 4 was a toy.

I'm sorry, but you sound like somebody that haas to many ideas and stuff about the bias and mode-**** that nobody else cares about.

I know you used to post about the tri-class mesa should introduce and how it would be the best thing ever. I think you read to much and you should play more amps. Then you would've found out earlier that you didn't like the Mark 4.

 

[trem]

Everybody raving about the 'cold bias' thing should stop and listen. I owned two Mk 4 A versions, one with a bias mod and one without. No difference. none, zippes, nada.

Hey Aart, care to share about the details of the mod? Thanks.

 

[Aart]

Well, I don't know the technical aspect of it, but there was a bias-pot installed.

I traded it(combo) for a rackmount shorthead, and when the guy came by we tested it an hour next to the rackmount(stock).

Both had JJ 6l6 tubes(the stock version had tubes in mesa specs) and sovtek 12ax7 tubes.

There was no difference. I just didn't hear it(both amps tested with the same cab).

 

[CoG]

rabies, dude, you have awesome taste in music (btw, check out Yakuza) but you learned how to use a bias tester what, like two months ago and now you're second-guessing Mesa's designers... sorry man :lol:

 

[trem]

Well, I don't know the technical aspect of it, but there was a bias-pot installed.

I traded it(combo) for a rackmount shorthead, and when the guy came by we tested it an hour next to the rackmount(stock).

Both had JJ 6l6 tubes(the stock version had tubes in mesa specs) and sovtek 12ax7 tubes.

There was no difference. I just didn't hear it(both amps tested with the same cab).

Thanks, but I think the test you did didn't do the mod justice, so as to warrant the "no difference" comment. The purpose of having adjustable bias is that so you can use whatever tubes you want. Did you ever get to experiment with different tubes (and adjust the bias accordingly)?

 

[sbalderrama]

I don't think adjustable bias, or even ability to select other brands of tubes ( which isn't prevented by fixed bias anyway), buys you all that much unless you are cooking your power section to some extent. Running at anything less that deafening volumes, any properly biased tube amp will be well within the range of the tubes operating characteristics and any tone differences are pretty slight. If you crank the amp to start getting power tube saturation, then you will start seeing the differences more pronounced.

Most boogies generate their tone from the preamp stage, and the vast majority of boogies players would probably rather spend time playing the amps than experiementing over and over with different tubes and bias points for very minimal results.

 

[seajay]

and like six months ago weren't you raving how you couldn't kill your IV even when you tried?

this is true. the mark iv is really a tank. only dead tubes for me. amp works perfectly still. but I killed the stiletto.

I just think you guys should try out some other brands. that's all. and the cold-biased thing is unacceptable too.

Everybody raving about the 'cold bias' thing should stop and listen. I owned two Mk 4 A versions, one with a bias mod and one without. No difference. none, zippes, nada.

And about the other brands: I think most people owned more amps than just the Mark IV.

I owned a Marshall 2100 SL-X, a Peavey 5150 II, A London City plexi clone, a crate BV150(the three channel ampeg version) and an ADA MP1.

Next to that I've played countless amps in shops and at friends', and I never had the idea my Mk 4 was a toy.

I'm sorry, but you sound like somebody that haas to many ideas and stuff about the bias and mode-sh!t that nobody else cares about.

I know you used to post about the tri-class mesa should introduce and how it would be the best thing ever. I think you read to much and you should play more amps. Then you would've found out earlier that you didn't like the Mark 4.

You nailed it with the points that are in bold.

Sorry rabies, but this thread is so full of fail that it hurts.

 

[phyrexia]

and they haven't stopped making the mark iv...?

psychodave posted recently that they wouldn't replace his defective mark iv. maybe it's just the short or medium heads they're not making anymore? couldn't find the thread...

They don't have any more short chassis, period, and aren't ordering any more. Dave's is a short head, right?

 

[Boogiebabies]

So, you got a bias meter and now your a mental case. I understand.
Put the meter down and put the amp in the closet for a week or two.
Take a break from it and try it again with a fresh outlook. When I put KT-66's in my SLO-100 I must have tried a dozen bias settings. I would love the tone on Monday and effin hate it on Tuesday and pull the chassis again and again to bias it. I finally just biased it as a 25W tube to 60% MPD and left it for a few weeks. After that, all was well. All this technical stuff can get into your head and occupy every free though. Don't lay awake at 3 am thinking about bias pots and settings. Just relax and take a break. Enjoy the Rivera for a while and come back to the MK IV when your clear.

 

[CoG]

are you talking about this band?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iu1vExdB9As

there was an asian yakuza as well. that above link is a great song, thx dude. i used to play tenor in high school, love that.

yeah, that's it, I thought you'd dig that... those guys are unbelievable live, just jaw-dropping.

Plus, they have my dream mistress advertising merch on their myspace :twisted: She loves me, she just doesn't know it yet.

 

[AustinK]

I think that this whole big to do about biasing is ridiculous. Different people like different things and i feels that there is no "best" amp. I have played riveras that i liked and some that i didn't. Same goes for every other amp brand that i have tried.

Everyone is different and that is why there is more than one amp to chose from.

Rebies I am glad to hear that you found the right amp for you but it is a bit lame of you to go around saying that mesas are overrated.

 

[Octavarius]

I think that this whole big to do about biasing is ridiculous. Different people like different things and i feels that there is no "best" amp. I have played riveras that i liked and some that i didn't. Same goes for every other amp brand that i have tried.

Everyone is different and that is why there is more than one amp to chose from.

Rebies I am glad to hear that you found the right amp for you but it is a bit lame of you to go around saying that mesas are overrated.

I agree. And you are on a Mesa board, after all..

 

[guitardude05]

i feel like selling my mark iv for a 5150 :?

 

[Shep]

i hate rivera's.. they sell them at my work and there isn't a single one i like at all..but it's all cool that you do.try a c +!