Since I was a freshman in High School and my best friend bought a Single Rectifier and let me play it I've wanted a Boogie. That was 12 years ago. I still have yet to own one, but will finally be able to buy one in the next month or two. Through out the years I've done a great deal of research and I've played quite a few of them. As of late I've narrowed my decision to two (possibly 3) Boogies. Road King II v.2, or Mark V (the possible third one being a Roadster) I'd love some feedback from owners of these bitchin' amps. Also, I am curious about the Road King I. Does it have progressive linkage also like the RKII? I know the RKII has the LoneStar cleans and reverb as well as the improved effects loop, but the progressive linkage is one of the main things that draws me to this amp. I love the Mark series, but am wondering if it'll be ballsy enough for my taste. I enjoy playing everything from your very clean, acoustic-like sounding soft rock/jazz/church music to in your face Lamb of God/Norma Jean/August Burns Red metal/hardcore stuff. Anyway, any and all feedback will be much appreciated. Thanks.
Finding the right Boogie for me
- Thread starter dbsens03
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TimeSignature
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From what you described.... the Road King or Roadster would suit you best.
I personally prefer the Mark Series ...so try them all out.
Good luck.
I personally prefer the Mark Series ...so try them all out.
Good luck.
If Progressive Linkage is a big thing for you, then the Road King is it. I had a Roadster prior to my Mark V, and I really liked it except for the gain channels didn't quite get me where I wanted to be. I'm happier personally with the Mark V.
If you can, try them out side-by side into identical cabinets so you can hear the differences in each, then make your decision from there. For me, the Roadster sounded best in a Recto 2x12 (V30s), and the Mark V works better with a 3/4 back 2x12 (C90s).
If you can, try them out side-by side into identical cabinets so you can hear the differences in each, then make your decision from there. For me, the Roadster sounded best in a Recto 2x12 (V30s), and the Mark V works better with a 3/4 back 2x12 (C90s).
Dolebludger
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I have never played on a Mark V, but I sure would check it out before buying any amp. The reason is that its primary controls are set up very much like those on my Nomad, and I find them easy to use. And ease of use of major controls can be a big issue in using a Mesa. There are some great tomes in there, but also some ugly tones -- sometimes only a click or two away on the knobs. I used to have a Mark III, but with controls that worked for more than one channel, I never could get it right for all three channels, so I sold it. I got the Nomad, and was thrilled that each channel had its own, separate set of controls, because now I can just use the foot switch to switch channels with its tone and volume independently dialed in, with out worrying that I would switch into ugly, like my Mark III did too many times. I understand that the Mark V is an improvement over the Nomad. If so, it is one hell of an amp! 
I tried the Mk5, Lonestar Special, Lonestar Classic, and the Electrodyne side by side somewhere between living room and stage volumes.
Of course, nothing is apples to apples. The tube lineup hasn't been optimized in these amps, so I'm sure there's dramatic improvements to be made from what I heard.
'Out of the box', I really liked the Lonestar special, and really found a lot of ugly sounds in the Mk5.
But none made me want to part ways with my Nomad which I now have sounding pretty awesome by comparison to out of box.
Of course, nothing is apples to apples. The tube lineup hasn't been optimized in these amps, so I'm sure there's dramatic improvements to be made from what I heard.
'Out of the box', I really liked the Lonestar special, and really found a lot of ugly sounds in the Mk5.
But none made me want to part ways with my Nomad which I now have sounding pretty awesome by comparison to out of box.
Rezamatix
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I tried everything in the Hollywood Mesa boogie store, ended up buying the mark v fromguitar center a little while later, it really does it all but you have to dial it in...
TimeSignature
Well-known member
Tommy_G, if you found a lot of ugly sounds coming from the MK5, there was something wrong with it!
TimeSignature said:
I love the FIVE, but it is very easy to get an unbalanced ugly tone. That's why you hear of people dumping it weeks after getting it. Wasn't it Lamb of God that didn't care for the FIVE until someone from Mesa helped them out? I've noticed tiny changes in the dials changing things from dull/lifeless to explosive/vibrant.
That being said, I think the FIVE is the right boogie for anyone with a wide taste in music.
Elpelotero
Well-known member
This question is more about Rectifiers vs. Marks than anything else. I suggest you research what the main tonal differences between these two are. One amp comes from a Fender lineage, while the other from the Soldano/souped Marshall lineage.
The cleans on both will be outstanding. The bigger difference is in the gain dept. Rectos have more low end, low mids. Scooped high mids, and have a somewhat fizzy high end. Whereas the Marks are very tight, have luscious high mids and a smooth high end. The rectifier is not so great for leads, but it can chug like nobody's business. The Mark excels at lead tones, and has a very tight chug.
The cleans on both will be outstanding. The bigger difference is in the gain dept. Rectos have more low end, low mids. Scooped high mids, and have a somewhat fizzy high end. Whereas the Marks are very tight, have luscious high mids and a smooth high end. The rectifier is not so great for leads, but it can chug like nobody's business. The Mark excels at lead tones, and has a very tight chug.
KH Guitar Freak
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^Pretty much that. They both have different voicings, and require a little bit of knob fiddling. But once you hit the sweet spot, WHAM!!! :lol:
Dolebludger
Well-known member
Yes, I found with my Nomad that it is an instrument you have to LEARN to play -- just like your guitar. This was true of my old Mark III also -- except with it I never got it right because some controls effect more than one channel. Even though major controls on the Mark V (and Nomad) are specific to only their assigned channel and do not effect other channels, it takes some learnin'! In other words, don't buy one of these on your way to a gig and expect instant good sounds without a lot of fiddling.
Which brings up a suggestion for another option for the OP. A mint used Nomad. Very similar to the Mark V as to controls. I'm sure that circuits are very different. Somehow, somewhere, Nomad got a bad name that (IMO) it doesn't deserve. In years past, lucky stiffs picked them up real cheap because of this. I picked up a mint 55 2X12 a year ago for $600. I'm seeing them priced a bit higher now, but you should be able to find one under $1000. I play jazz, country, classic rock, blues, mellow, and metal. And the only things I have to do to make the tonal changes while playing is press a button on the footswitch and adjust the guitar's controls. While I'm sure I could do the same things had I bought a new Mark V, there is the matter of the $2000 still in my pocket because of my choice to go with the used Nomad.
Which brings up a suggestion for another option for the OP. A mint used Nomad. Very similar to the Mark V as to controls. I'm sure that circuits are very different. Somehow, somewhere, Nomad got a bad name that (IMO) it doesn't deserve. In years past, lucky stiffs picked them up real cheap because of this. I picked up a mint 55 2X12 a year ago for $600. I'm seeing them priced a bit higher now, but you should be able to find one under $1000. I play jazz, country, classic rock, blues, mellow, and metal. And the only things I have to do to make the tonal changes while playing is press a button on the footswitch and adjust the guitar's controls. While I'm sure I could do the same things had I bought a new Mark V, there is the matter of the $2000 still in my pocket because of my choice to go with the used Nomad.
eudaimonia02912
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Lamb of God uses Mark IVs, I'm pretty sure.
The Mark V has some awesome cleans in it, and can really grind. I also like its midgain settings better than those on the RK or Roadster.
Basic differences, in my fairly noobish opinion, is that the Mark is tight, articulate, and great for leads, while the RK is loose, fat-bottomed, and better for certain kinds of rhythm playing where a loose feel is acceptable.
The Mark V has some awesome cleans in it, and can really grind. I also like its midgain settings better than those on the RK or Roadster.
Basic differences, in my fairly noobish opinion, is that the Mark is tight, articulate, and great for leads, while the RK is loose, fat-bottomed, and better for certain kinds of rhythm playing where a loose feel is acceptable.
KH Guitar Freak
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eudaimonia02912 said:
Lamb of God has been using the Mark Vs for some time now...
hey! i own a dual recto roadster 2x12 combo, i get every sound i need from it. i play from clean acoustics to hardcore metal. its has a really wide range of sounds, i do agree the leads are hard to get right but it just takes some fidling around, i also run a tube screamer in front to tighted things up, i haven't tried a Mark series amp, but now interested in trying one hehe xD
scott7d
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I'm a hard rock/metal guy myself, but have to cover a lot of styles in my band. I could have either bought a new Mark V or a used RK.
After getting some playing time in with both, I clicked better with the Mark V in the end. Although the RK is regarded as having more gain, something about the Mark V high gain tones just sounded heavier, and yet more musical. And as far as single note solo tones, it wasn't even close for me.
Would I complain if I had to play through a Road King? Absolutely not. I won't say one is better than the other, the V just fit my style better. If I could afford it, I'd have em' both.
After getting some playing time in with both, I clicked better with the Mark V in the end. Although the RK is regarded as having more gain, something about the Mark V high gain tones just sounded heavier, and yet more musical. And as far as single note solo tones, it wasn't even close for me.
Would I complain if I had to play through a Road King? Absolutely not. I won't say one is better than the other, the V just fit my style better. If I could afford it, I'd have em' both.
Heritage Softail
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I played a used Nomad 55 about 9 months ago, I think it was $600. Cool and versatile amp. It actually was the amp that got me over to the Boogie section of GC. Long story short, after a few months of playing every Boogie a few times each weekend, I bought a MKV for the variety of tones and then picked up a used single rec series 2 to cover that tone. The MKV stock tubes are OK, had one go bad and took that opportunity to change out to SED winged C's and Tung Sol 12AX's. The MKV covers 80% of what I want to play. As others posted, it is not a REC and will not jump thru that hoop. Cool thing about the MKV is with a few tube changes it adds a different side to the beast. Gotta love that amp. Fexibility is the word.
