Help with mark V

[Geiri]

There is no holy grail brutha. There is only Monty Python.

Your'e wrong dude.

There is a holy grail and it's all things Mark, made by mesa. I II III IV V. A lot of grails

 

[bigbomb2u]

If your looking to get heavy sounds out of the mark v in a 1x12 I wouldnt count on it. I just got the head and have it on my 4x12 rec cab and it sounds nothing like the clips ive heard of the 1x12's. Run it through a 2x12 cab and youll hear a night and day difference. The bottom end alone will make up for it.

 

[gibson5413]

If your looking to get heavy sounds out of the mark v in a 1x12 I wouldnt count on it. I just got the head and have it on my 4x12 rec cab and it sounds nothing like the clips ive heard of the 1x12's. Run it through a 2x12 cab and youll hear a night and day difference. The bottom end alone will make up for it.

Give me a short review on your head so far? Maybe it will hold me over until mine arrives. Thanks!

 

[smd24fan]

I have to admit, it took me two weeks to get my Mark V head to sound the way I want it to. I also admit, some of it was ignorance on my part not ever owning a Mark Series amp before. Now that I have read the manual a few times over and just tweaked and tweaked some more, I would never part with this amp. It is all I hoped it would be and more. I agree with other replies, you must try through an extension cabinet. I have a 2x12 and recently got a 4x12, and they both sound HUGE! I love the 4x12 the most, but understand that it it is allot for some players. I'll bust up my back to drag this thing around, it's worth it! Well, maybe not that worth it! Keep tweaking man, I swear you will get there!!

 

[fatbagg]

Nah, I know the breaking of a c90, as I played years on a VERY early 90's mark IV, then the mark IVb, then the lonestar. Plus I have a budda cab with some eminence, and an avatar with celestion heritage speakers.

It's just not my style amp...its like a mark amp with recto "structured" gain (not amount, just the fact it blends in the mix, not stands out). And the sustain you get on this is kinda...not mark IV!

 

[Shang Chi 66]

Nah, I know the breaking of a c90, as I played years on a VERY early 90's mark IV, then the mark IVb, then the lonestar. Plus I have a budda cab with some eminence, and an avatar with celestion heritage speakers.

It's just not my style amp...its like a mark amp with recto "structured" gain (not amount, just the fact it blends in the mix, not stands out). And the sustain you get on this is kinda...not mark IV!

Fatbagg, sorry the amp was,nt for you, but everybody likes what they like!

I,m curious however, what do you mean about, "the sustain you get on this is kinda...not mark IV!" ?

This isn,t the first time I,ve heard something similar about sustain (or lack of it) with the Mark 5.

What, it did,nt sustain well for you? I thought the hallmark of the Mark series was endless, liquid SUSTAIN! I would be beyond pissed if this amp doesnt hold a note for days, thats the main reason I,m waiting on it.

Someone who knows, please chime in and put my fears to rest! Thanks.

 

[danyeo1]

Can we hear some clips or videos so we have a reference to go by? And do you REALLY own more than 1 Cornfored, a Two Rock, AND an XTC?

 

[fatbagg]

Within the past year I have owned them, and now I currently have a few amps still, XTC and a cornford, and a mark IV.

Well...the sustain on the mark is like a recto, NOT a mark. Its like instead of sustaining the note you have smoothly, and with the bloom effect, it does what most overgained notes do...go to a super higher octave and get squeely...and forget legato and slides where EVERY note can sustain...nope...It does it half-assed, ...not like the IV.

I am not saying this amp is shitty...I just think its the first mark that doesnt sound like a mark series amp, and just feel that...it WAY too modern sounding, they have other amps for that. The amp isnt for me, I like the smooth gain structure of the IV, and the fat, dark mids...not only that, but the graphic EQ on the 5 isnt that great.

Its like a very edgy mark amp, with very sterile soul to me. Ive played two now, owned one, played through three cabs, 4 different guitars...and it was always decent...never AWESOME.

 

[Shang Chi 66]

Within the past year I have owned them, and now I currently have a few amps still, XTC and a cornford, and a mark IV.

Well...the sustain on the mark is like a recto, NOT a mark. Its like instead of sustaining the note you have smoothly, and with the bloom effect, it does what most overgained notes do...go to a super higher octave and get squeely...and forget legato and slides where EVERY note can sustain...nope...It does it half-assed, ...not like the IV.

I am not saying this amp is sh!t...I just think its the first mark that doesnt sound like a mark series amp, and just feel that...it WAY too modern sounding, they have other amps for that. The amp isnt for me, I like the smooth gain structure of the IV, and the fat, dark mids...not only that, but the graphic EQ on the 5 isnt that great.

Its like a very edgy mark amp, with very sterile soul to me. Ive played two now, owned one, played through three cabs, 4 different guitars...and it was always decent...never AWESOME.

****! Not what I wanted to hear at all!

I,m like you are, thick juicy low midrange, and full blooming, smooth sustain for days. I thought that was what the Mark series was supposed to be all about?

If my opinion winds up being anything close to yours, the Mark 5 won,t be in my possesion for very long at all.

Anyone else who who has played one or owns one care to chime in on this? I,d really appreciate it.

 

[Shang Chi 66]

No one, anyone at all with an differring opinion on the Mark 5,s lead tone?

 

[JohnDNJ]

No one, anyone at all with an differring opinion on the Mark 5,s lead tone?

Look at my post regarding the V. I played the first one in NJ (most likely anyhow) for HOURS trying to tweak it
to something I liked. I walked away with the last new IV they had and I'm not sorry I did. I've been back to play
the V about 5 or 6 times since trying to change my mind and take it home (or order a head) and I can't. Played
it through at least 4 different cabs..2x12 and 4x12 recto's and a stiletto...The voicing of it IS too sterile sounding
and "honky" in the mids..The EQ also doesn't "feel" as good as it does on the IV..Call me crazy....The IV sings
and sustains sooooo nice while the V has more of a modern edge to it especially on channel 3. It's crisp and punchy
but it didn't feel so hot to me for lead work. It's like I was fighting it all the time instead of it flowing with me..Again,
call me crazy...

I stand by my earlier assessment: It's like the Triaxis, which I owned for 10 years and just sold for almost what
I paid for it 10 years ago...It has alot of good sounds...but no really great ones with the exception of the clean and
the Mark 1 (if you tweak it enough).

I know that is not a popular opinion around these parts. I'm sure my buddy JDruso will disagree with me here as he got to
hear Petrucci himself play through one in front of his face and he was floored..Although I would be floored if
JP played through an old Rockman plugged into a boom box in front of me.

Bottom line: Try it for yourself BEFORE you buy it or at the very least make sure you have some sort of
7-10 day return policy with a full refund if you aren't happy. This is a brand new piece of gear and "my"
feeling is the early adopters will be kicking themselves in the *** when the Mark V "B" gets released in
a few years.

I can wait.

 

[Shang Chi 66]

Awesome. Thanks for the honest review, even though, yeah, it may not be popular opinion!

And as you said, the bottom line will always be every player has to come to his/her own conclusion. It,s nice to have some advance reviews/thoughts ahead of time though.

I will in fact be able to sit and play before I make up my mind, and believe me, I,m going to take my time in the store, especially after having to wait 3 or 4 months longer than what I was told!