Help decide on new Mesa amp(prev MarkIV owner)

[Dondante]

I posted in general area earlier, figured I'd post here instead:

Looking for a Mesa amp for home playing mostly. I owned a mark IV a few years back and had to sell for home purchase etc..

Mark IV likes:
Cleans
hi-gain
effects loop
pedal/foot selector
just over all sounds/tones it was capable of

I'm interested in a rectoverb also. I do not have ability to play any of these as I live immobile Alabama and mesa's are few in this area

would love to hear some other opinions and maybe experience between the two amps or others.

Music style: Trey/Phish, gov't Mule, my morning jacket(love Jim James tones with his rectoverb).

Guitars and equiptment:
ibanez artcore (335ish)
Les paul standard
VS Jekyll n Hyde Od/dist
VS H2O chorus/echo
crate palamento 16 tube amp.

Thanks ahead of time

Chad k
mobile Al

 

[Geiri]

My man get yourself another MK IV. If you liked the tight focused sound of the mk IV then anything from the recto family will sound annoying at best. I've been through most of the mesa catalogue and it was a MK IV that cured my amp gas for good.

 

[Dondante]

Thanks man, **** they have gone up a few bucks. I Do remember I had to get a closed back 2x12 Mesa cab to achieve my best tone ever. One of those things in life that I sold and regretted every day for doing so. I really scared of the time it took to get it dialed in? So many options and tweaks. It was 8-9 years ago thinking back. Patience isn't what it used to be. Lol. I do LOVE the foot board, god it was so handy with all u could do.

I'm not sure what series I had A or B? What's the differences?

 

[Geiri]

The a series has two loops one that is on all the time and the other is switchable. The b series has one stereo effects loop. You could hook the b series to any other amp and get it in stereo through the loop, very handy if stereo is your thing. The b supposedly has a tad more gain on r2 but that seems to be more of a myth rather than an actual fact.

Dude read this very carefully. I believe the mk will hold it's value more now than before. Why do you ask ? The mark V is to different from the mark family and is lacking some key elements so to those who have marks the V isn't the end all be all amp it was supposed to be. Don't get me wrong the V is stellar and I would love to have one, but I don't think it's good enough to sell my 19 year old MK IV for it.

Get out grab yourself a mark, V, IV it's a matter of taste but those who own marks seem to agree on that the V is lacking. Those who are entering the mark family for the first time are certain it's the end all be all amp for them.

Hope these ramblings of mine help

Geiri

 

[Scary]

For home playing i'd defintely go Mark V. That 10 watt mode rocks. It's easier to get good tones at lower volumes from the FIVE than the IV.

 

[Geiri]

Well I mostly use my mk4 at home and I don't have any bad tone issues at a very low volume. A 10 watt option is a very nice feature but like I said no problems on my end. As I'm writing this the clock is 06:45 here in Iceland the wife and my two kids are sleeping and I'm playing. Sounds sooo sweet :mrgreen:


But in my opinion you can't go wrong with mesa, you just have to figure out which mesa moves your soul.