Is the ACE or Rectoverb way different than a Mark IV???

[Mountain Fever]

One of my biggest issues is trying to understand which model of Mesa overlaps into another model's sound pallette.

I recently demo'd the Ace 2x12 and the Rectoverb combo. I thought both amps had some really sweet sound on channel one and for my tastes less so on channel two. Many have touted the ability of the Mark IV to be very capable of a wide range of sounds, but frankly I get lost in the 10 billion combinations of knob and switch settings.

Similarly, I tried the Marshall JVM 210 and really like the tone from the clean channel on the amber setting and the crunch sound on teh green setting. I know that the Mark IV should be able to get me close, but I really don't understand what creates that sound. I'm sure someone can go, "OK. That is X for power, Y for diode or triode rec, Z for gain/master/output, and maybe use this particular speaker."

If anyone has some thoughts about posts or other resources that would help I would greatly apreciate it.

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

You need to read the user manual, then read it again and understand what each control does. It's actually pretty straight forward and the suggested settings are a good starting point

 

[hfisher3380]

Having owned a Mark IV combo (now sold) and an Ace (which I still have), I can tell you that these are completely different amps and have to be dialed in completely differently. The Mark IV is definitely more versatile but has its own voicing which to me seems a bit less natural in some way (at least IMHO - for example I have a harder time discerning the differences in pickups because it has its own strong distinct voice). The Ace has a classic Marshall rock'n'roll sound with higher gain options and a decent clean but doesn't quite have the varied tonal palette that the Mark IV has. I find the Mark IV's R2 and lead channels to be a bit dark-sounding and require lots of treble in the EQ whereas the Ace is completely the opposite. For example, I ran R2 with treble full-on and bass almost completely off, boosted with a Maxon OD808 - and still I found it a bit too dark-sounding to pull off a good classic rock tone. However with the Ace on either Crunch or Tite gain mode the treble has to be rolled off as it can be extremely bright...but once that is spiced to taste it puts out great classic rock tone. It's sort of like a "Marshall on 'roids" type of sound.

 

[MusicManJP6]

Having owned a Mark IV combo (now sold) and an Ace (which I still have), I can tell you that these are completely different amps and have to be dialed in completely differently. The Mark IV is definitely more versatile but has its own voicing which to me seems a bit less natural in some way (at least IMHO - for example I have a harder time discerning the differences in pickups because it has its own strong distinct voice). The Ace has a classic Marshall rock'n'roll sound with higher gain options and a decent clean but doesn't quite have the varied tonal palette that the Mark IV has. I find the Mark IV's R2 and lead channels to be a bit dark-sounding and require lots of treble in the EQ whereas the Ace is completely the opposite. For example, I ran R2 with treble full-on and bass almost completely off, boosted with a Maxon OD808 - and still I found it a bit too dark-sounding to pull off a good classic rock tone. However with the Ace on either Crunch or Tite gain mode the treble has to be rolled off as it can be extremely bright...but once that is spiced to taste it puts out great classic rock tone. It's sort of like a "Marshall on 'roids" type of sound.

I agree with pretty much everything here. I'll add that the Mark IV's clean is dull and bland IMO. R2 was a cool channel but hard to dial in and the Lead channel was where the 'magic' happened for me. Even though the MIV is capable of a variety of tones I thought only certain settings sounded like I wanted so to me it wasn't as versatile as I would have liked. I read up on it extensively and knew how to tweak it but it was very temperamental. Too much of this or 'fat boost' not engaged would throw the sound off and you'd have to find what went wrong with all the knobs and scratch your head. I've owned several Mesas since the Mark IV (Roadster, F-30, Rectoverb) and have settled on the Ace 1x12 combo. It is versatile and sounds good no matter what settings! You just have to settle on the settings that work for what you are trying to sound like really. It's my favorite Mesa amp by far...

 

[srf399]

I've owned all 3 amps. The Recto had a great aggressive sound for rhythm but too grainy for soloing. The MKIV was a dead/dull sounding amp... that tracked extremely well but didn't flow between notes when soloing. It exposes everything you do... no covering up. Also...all the knobs in the world don't do a thing it the amp sound changes everytime you turn it on. Very inconsistent amp. One night it sounds great then the next night, with exactly the same settings it sounds like poop and you spend the whole night dailing trying to recapture the sound that is now elusive... while your band mates wait and look at you... scratching your head. A waste of valuable playing time in my opinion. The Stiletto is pretty much plug & play and sounds the same every time you turn it on. The Stiletto is to EL34's what the Lonestar Classic is to 6L6's. Makes you sound better than you actually are. Beautiful amps both the Lonestar and the Stiletto. The Stiletto clean is better than the MKIV's as well... IMO

 

[MusicManJP6]

I've owned all 3 amps. The Recto had a great aggressive sound for rhythm but too grainy for soloing. The MKIV was a dead/dull sounding amp... that tracked extremely well but didn't flow between notes when soloing. It exposes everything you do... no covering up. Also...all the knobs in the world don't do a thing it the amp sound changes everytime you turn it on. Very inconsistent amp. One night it sounds great then the next night, with exactly the same settings it sounds like poop and you spend the whole night dailing trying to recapture the sound that is now elusive... while your band mates wait and look at you... scratching your head. A waste of valuable playing time in my opinion. The Stiletto is pretty much plug & play and sounds the same every time you turn it on. The Stiletto is to EL34's what the Lonestar Classic is to 6L6's. Makes you sound better than you actually are. Beautiful amps both the Lonestar and the Stiletto. The Stiletto clean is better than the MKIV's as well... IMO

I agree with everything said here as well.

 

[vertigo_]

Having owned a Mark IV combo (now sold) and an Ace (which I still have), I can tell you that these are completely different amps and have to be dialed in completely differently. The Mark IV is definitely more versatile but has its own voicing which to me seems a bit less natural in some way (at least IMHO - for example I have a harder time discerning the differences in pickups because it has its own strong distinct voice). The Ace has a classic Marshall rock'n'roll sound with higher gain options and a decent clean but doesn't quite have the varied tonal palette that the Mark IV has. I find the Mark IV's R2 and lead channels to be a bit dark-sounding and require lots of treble in the EQ whereas the Ace is completely the opposite. For example, I ran R2 with treble full-on and bass almost completely off, boosted with a Maxon OD808 - and still I found it a bit too dark-sounding to pull off a good classic rock tone. However with the Ace on either Crunch or Tite gain mode the treble has to be rolled off as it can be extremely bright...but once that is spiced to taste it puts out great classic rock tone. It's sort of like a "Marshall on 'roids" type of sound.

I agree with pretty much everything here. I'll add that the Mark IV's clean is dull and bland IMO. R2 was a cool channel but hard to dial in and the Lead channel was where the 'magic' happened for me. Even though the MIV is capable of a variety of tones I thought only certain settings sounded like I wanted so to me it wasn't as versatile as I would have liked. I read up on it extensively and knew how to tweak it but it was very temperamental. Too much of this or 'fat boost' not engaged would throw the sound off and you'd have to find what went wrong with all the knobs and scratch your head. I've owned several Mesas since the Mark IV (Roadster, F-30, Rectoverb) and have settled on the Ace 1x12 combo. It is versatile and sounds good no matter what settings! You just have to settle on the settings that work for what you are trying to sound like really. It's my favorite Mesa amp by far...

untill you get another mesa amp.... Every single time you get a new mesa amp you are all about that. Are you gonna get like a lonestar next? or just leave mesa and go to like another maker?

 

[count_chocolat]

I personally like the platform of Stiletto, Rectoverb, Lonestar. Two channel, independent EQ, very straight forward. For a simple minded person like me, the Mark 4 is a science experiment, a test rig that was cleaned up for production...just not interested regardless of how it sounds.

 

[srf399]

I'm going to get a Lonestar Classic head and use both. Either that or a Bogner Ecstasy Classic

 

[count_chocolat]

SRF399,

Where you located, I'm near Montreal.

 

[Melodyman]

All three are very different.

The Ace has tons of treble that will kill your ears if you're not careful. The Rectoverb is more modern sounding.
The Mark IV has the classic boogie lead tone from yesteryear.

The Mark IV's clean has plenty of top end depending on how you dial it in, at loud volumes I would have to wear ear plugs to keep the top end from killing me.

I thought the Mark IV was a brighter overall amp then either the 2 or 3 channel Dual Rec's I used to own, because of the tone stack you have to run the treble high on the Mark's to get the gain, and the only way to dull it back down is to 0 out the presence controls and/or use the graphic EQ.

 

[srf399]

I'm on the West Coast

 

[MusicManJP6]

untill you get another mesa amp.... Every single time you get a new mesa amp you are all about that. Are you gonna get like a lonestar next? or just leave mesa and go to like another maker?

It's true. I am in love with each amp I own at first and then I end up getting rid of it for one reason or another. But I really think the Stiletto does everything I want it to do and nothing bugs me about it! I really think i've found a keeper. Honestly!! only time will tell though... :lol:

 

[vertigo_]

untill you get another mesa amp.... Every single time you get a new mesa amp you are all about that. Are you gonna get like a lonestar next? or just leave mesa and go to like another maker?

It's true. I am in love with each amp I own at first and then I end up getting rid of it for one reason or another. But I really think the Stiletto does everything I want it to do and nothing bugs me about it! I really think i've found a keeper. Honestly!! only time will tell though... :lol:

yes the ace is a badass amp! We play a roadster and ace in our band and I love the sound of the ace. You made a right choice..and you should def keep it around even if you decide to get another amp. That amp really sounds great in any setting.