I'm new, and need your opinions on Mk 4's

[JacobofEW]

Hello to you all, my name is obvious and I play in Eden's Way on Souljoy Records. I come to you because I am becoming increasingly unhappy with my current rig for tour and recording. Here is my current rig...

With a Marshall 1960A with Hellatone 60's(V30's) and a VHT cab with the stocks, Fat bottom version. I use a basswood Schecter with Dimarzio Evos. I am finding the 5150 to not be my thing lately. I don't like using a ton of gain and prefer a clear present rock/metal tone. The 5150 does this but the smoothed over super saturated and buzzy/grainy sound of the distortion keeps bugging me through both cabs and different guitars. Now I've always said I would never replace it except with a Mk 4, but they are a big difference in tone and feel.
I'm looking for a good clean channel finally and a lead channel that sounds clear and not smoothed over, a nice bite and BIG super tight kick. I need a switchable effects loop for my rack. I absolutely LOVE Petrucci's live tones, not with the roadkings as much as the Marks, the Marks just sing and are so much tighter. I'll be hitting the studio with the 5150 soon and after that I'll be looking for a new amp unless the studio brings my ears back to the ol 5150.

You can hear some of my recordings with the 5150 here....
www.myspace.com/revoltstudios (That Girl)

I seek a tone change and wonder if you could tell me if I'm in the right direction. I want something warmer and tighter and less buzzy grainy than the 5150. But I still like my mid presence to cut.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Well, funny you ask, because I went through something very similar, but reversed yesterday.

Over the past few days, I had a really bad urge to get a REALLY mean and over-saturated amp to run with my Mark IV. As you have said, the Mark IV is a VERY tight and clear amp, even in the highest applications of gain.

So, I took my rig (Mark IV, Mesa Traditional 4x12, amongst other things) to GC to try it against some amps, and low and behold, a guy walks in wanted to sell his 5150 block letter head.

I tell him I might be interested in the head. I sit down with it on my Mesa 4x12, and start playing. DAMN, that is a mean amp...really has the low mid saturation I was looking for. But the longer I play it, the more I hear buzz and lack of definition. It was mean as all hell, but it begins to remind me of my rectifier. Actually, it wasn't THAT muddy, but it was the same tonal structure. Tones of buzzy saturation, which gives of an evil vibe, but looses definition.

So, I tell the guy I'll call him if I'm interested. I hook my Mark IV back up, and start playing. It's a completely different vibe, but I have to tell you, after playing the Mark for 5 minutes right after the 5150, I can tell you I will not be purchasing the 5150. The Mark has all the 5150 aggression, but without the over the top saturation, buzz, and lack of definition. I could hear EVER note I played on the Mark IV. When I went to play a pinch harmonic on the 5150, it was covered up by the saturated buzz. I first blamed myself for ****** technique and lack of practice, but when going back to my Mark, everything was ringing through PERFECTLY.

Long story short, the Mark IV is REALLY a special amp. It has a very unique tone, that stays clear and percussive ever at the most extreme settings, and I love it! I was beginning to thing I needed something more modern for some of my things, but this amp, side by side with the competition, blew them away without questions.

Get the Mark IV...run it into a 4x12 with an x pattern of V30s and Mesa c90s....turn it up, and I guarentee your jaw will be on the floor.

I have some suggested settings for quite possibly the best rhythm tone I've EVER heard out of a Mark IV, but I don't think I can share them. I would be scorned from the Boogie Board for life, and people would thing I have lost my mind entirely. :lol:

 

[guitardude05]

oh share the settings... they can't be that bad can they?? :lol:

and i completely agree with ibanez4life, the 5150 is a badass amp for a little while, then it starts to become lifeless to me. the mark iv however, starts out as just an OKAY amp... then the more and more i play on it, the better and better it sounds and the more i know how to tweak it. i could go for hours on my mark iv and not get bored of the tone now, where the 5150 i can go maybe 30 minutes and get sick of it.

its like, your ears and mind have to adjust to a mark iv for a while before you can really hear the greatness that oozes out of it. 8)

 

[LEVEL4]

I'm replacing my non-plus, 6505 head with a Recto Solo 50, Rectoverb, or Dual soon. Played my 6505 again today and had some second thoughts, but I'm sure I'll be much happier overall with a Recto.

 

[JacobofEW]

I've managed to get a somewhat better tone by replacing the EVO with a TZ and placing the TZ on the pickup rin level, real low. Still buzzy but no where near as much. Still would like some input. What's the price for a good Mk. 4? All I see are at least 1200 on ebay but some say 800 and up? Also, what's the best albums to listen to for the mark sound? I know some do but it could be processed to all hell.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Chevelle, Lamb of God, and new Dream Theater are all tones that are easily obtainable with the Mark IV IMO.

 

[Elpelotero]

that clip on your website really has a cool Marshall undertone...You may also want to check out a Stilleto or a Splawn. These are both different versions of hot rodded Marshalls.

But I give a big +1 to the Mark4.

 

[JacobofEW]

Yes it does, but that's what I want to get away from, the smoothed over high gainy stuff. I want balls with crunch that doesn't sound saturated. Strangly the only amp I've found that itches my ear is the Mark 4. Surely there are others along the same lines.

 

[disassembled]

There are other options similar to a mark IV which would allow you to keep your existing amp:

Studio Pre rack preamp
Quad rack preamp
Triaxis rack preamp


All of those options are less than $1k used and are pretty common on ebay. I own a Mark IV short head and a Triaxis/simul 290 rig. I really like the Mark for it's straightforwardness and great tone but sometimes the tonal options are overbearing. I also just sold a quad because it was too close to the mark IV in tone but is nearly the same size WITHOUT a power amp section so it just wasn't practical for me to keep. The triaxis/290 setup is a 3 space setup that is great for versatility with 90 channels but it is a bit more compressed than the Mark IV (but not by much). I like the clean in the Triaxis better because none of controls are shared like in the Mark IV head. Either way, buying any of the preamps mentioned will give a very good idea if you will like the Mark IV's clean and lead channel.


I don't think you will find a mark IV under $1K unless you search high and low or just become very lucky but it is very possible depending upon your patience.


Greg

 

[adrenaline junkie]

that clip on your website really has a cool Marshall undertone...You may also want to check out a Stilleto or a Splawn. These are both different versions of hot rodded Marshalls.

But I give a big +1 to the Mark4.

+1 Either of those amps should give you the Crunch you're looking for without sounding too saturated, and no buzz. Personally I think the MkIV is a very saturated sounding amp. It's a killer amp, but it's a very smooth saturated sound IMHO.