Just picked up my 3rd Mark V - my adventure comes to an end.

[exbest182]

I was very unfamilar with the Mark series amps back in 2009 when I picked up my first Mark amp.. I had just bought a triple rectifier and sent a friend some pictures , who plays the same style of music I do, and he was like dude, get a mark amp.. i asked him what amp he used on their records.. he said he used his mark iic+.. that's when I ended up here trolling for information about mark iic+, and all the other mark series, then I was like wow.. Mark V, iic+ circuit .. must be good.. I was living in Tulsa, Ok at the time, and their were no Mark V's to be found... so I bought one from a member on here (magh8) - and I loved it.. fell in love with the mark amps... then I bought a 60w mark iii - red stripe, it had some issues and i was impatient so I sold it... then it happened, I picked up a IIC+ - sold my V for it... well, everybody that remembers, it was a IIB -> iic+, but ended up with a mark iii tranny, and all sorts, sent it to Mike B, got it perfect... while I loved it, I missed the V, ended up selling the iic+, and somehow ended up with Roadster, that I traded for another Mark V...

Surely, I learned my lesson and didn't let go of it again... about a year later, I got an infatuation with 5150 iii gear and the EVH brand - i'm pals with a few of the EVH brand guys, and got a good deal, and just like that, all my boogies were gone, and i had 5150iii 100w and 50w, 2 wolfgangs (my favorite guitars ever) - and you know it was an impulse thing... I was pretty stoked and happy with that stuff.. but again, time passed, and i was missing the Mark V.. so my never ending trade game started... I traded my 5150iii 50w and cab for a Roadster, which I then traded for a Rev F recto - which I then traded for a Mark IV (with a local guy in mind that picked up a V but didnt like it and wanted a IV) but then that fell through, and today - I took the IV up to guitar center, and traded it in towards a brand new Mark V.

Which by the way, deals are to be had with guitar center and mesa gear right now.. i got my Mark V today, brand new in the box for $1639.17 + tax.

Here's the thing, as of yesterday I was going to keep the Mark IV, and buy a Mark III purple stripe, and have it modded with the "+" - talked to Mike B about it who said something along the lines of "I hope you guys change your underwear as much as you change amps" - which is real talk... at least for me..

but I'm done now.. I've had so many random amps over the last few years, I dont think i can deal with it.. I play in punk bands, and i dont need 100 amps, I have 2 guitars I love, and my mark V back, and I think I've finally ran out of GAS.

My final thought is at the end of the day, chasing someone else's tone isnt worth the trouble, what's a holy grail to one person, might be nothing to the next...

i'm stoked now.. except i'm at work.. on my 30th birthday, with my mark v sitting in the car, and 3 hours to go...


Here's all the amps I went through to get to this point.. in order.

Mesa Triple Rectifier (Rev G)
Mesa Tremoverb
Mesa Mark V
Mesa Mark III red stripe (60w/geq)
Mesa Mark IIC+ (B -> C+)
Mesa Roadster (2x12)
Mesa Mark V
Mesa Stiletto Duece
Mesa Dual Rectifier (Rev G)
EVH 5150 III (100w)
Marshall 74' Super lead
EVH 5150 III - 50w
Mesa Roadster (head)
Mesa Dual Rectifier (Rev F Blackface)
Mesa Mark IVa
Mark V

That's a lot of amps.. holy ****.

Ok, I'm done rambling.

 

[boogieman60]

AMEN...LOL..I love my MK.

 

[SteveO]

The grass isn't always greener on the other side, eventually you'll learn to quit peeking over the fence... :wink:

 

[exbest182]

The grass isn't always greener on the other side, eventually you'll learn to quit peeking over the fence... :wink:

So true.. as soon as I plugged it in (i still had all my old settings saved) i realized why I love this amp... all the marks are great, but something about the V is different... and nothing else quite does it for me.


and also, the EVH Wolfgangs sound killer thru the Mark V... so much clarity...

 

[SonVolt]

That's cheap for a mark v. Was that after the trade-in?

 

[exbest182]

That's cheap for a mark v. Was that after the trade-in?

Nope... That was before trade in, and they gave me $900 for my mark iv... With them not being Mesa dealers anymore, there is room to haggle.. As it seems they really just want to get rid of new inventory.

 

[bdubbs]

That's cheap for a mark v. Was that after the trade-in?

Nope... That was before trade in, and they gave me $900 for my mark iv... With them not being Mesa dealers anymore, there is room to haggle.. As it seems they really just want to get rid of new inventory.

Yeah I got mine brand new for $1800 (DC area a little less wiggle room).

I think the thing that surprised me the most about my mark is how much feel there is in the amp. It makes my JVM feel like a loveless amp.

 

[thunder100]

... then it happened, I picked up a IIC+ - sold my V for it... well, everybody that remembers, it was a IIB -> iic+, but ended up with a mark iii tranny, and all sorts, sent it to Mike B, got it perfect... while I loved it, I missed the V, ended up selling the iic+, and somehow ended up with Roadster, that I traded for another Mark V...
Mesa Triple Rectifier (Rev G)
Mesa Tremoverb
Mesa Mark V
Mesa Mark III red stripe (60w/geq)
Mesa Mark IIC+ (B -> C+)
Mesa Roadster (2x12)
Mesa Mark V
Mesa Stiletto Duece
Mesa Dual Rectifier (Rev G)
EVH 5150 III (100w)
Marshall 74' Super lead
EVH 5150 III - 50w
Mesa Roadster (head)
Mesa Mark IVa
Mark V

.

May I ask some questions?

How would you compare your special Mk II C +++ vs the MK II mode on Mark V
What are Major noticeable audible differences?
Which Speakers wer (or you used) in both amps

What is a
Mesa Dual Rectifier (Rev F Blackface)?

Thanks

Roland

 

[exbest182]

May I ask some questions?

How would you compare your special Mk II C +++ vs the MK II mode on Mark V
What are Major noticeable audible differences?
Which Speakers wer (or you used) in both amps

What is a
Mesa Dual Rectifier (Rev F Blackface)?

Thanks

Roland

As for the the Mark IIC+ vs the Mark V - it's going to depend on how you use the Mark IIC+ - for me, i play in punk and thrash bands, I use the scooped tone.. in that aspect, I honestly can't tell much of a difference... I sat down with my IIC+ and V, set the Mark V to triode, and in IIC+ mode, and dialed in my settings as closely as I could, and the result was close enough that honestly, I couldn't see a reason to keep the IIC+ - but that's my expierience, and how I use it.. some will say it's close, some will say it's nowhere near close... for me and how i use it, it was almost dead on.

I use Mesa oversized 4x12 with v30s, I have also ran the Mark V through an EVH 4x12 with EVH celestion greenbacks

The Dual Rectifer rev F - the rectifier went through several early revisions before the final massed produced two channel (and then 3 channel) models - C,D,E, and F - these early revisions had slight circuit board differences, and used old Mark III transformers.. and it had a black diamond faceplate instead of the chrome.

 

[thunder100]

Thanks a lot

I know they are very close,just if you play hard rock with liquid leads it always (out of memory so no meaning) felt to me that the IIC+ behaved differently mainly on tonal change depending how hard you hit the strings

As I have an AXE FX too I know gap is subtle if existing at all

Roland

 

[exbest182]

I know they are very close,just if you play hard rock with liquid leads it always (out of memory so no meaning) felt to me that the IIC+ behaved differently mainly on tonal change depending how hard you hit the strings

I agree, the response and the immediate attack of the IIC+ is undeniable.

 

[bandit2013]

I already have my amp, if I had the funds I would get another at that price. Bummer, I paid full price for mine last year.

That is a long adventure.

If you get that itch again, try tube rolling first. You may like what you get with different tubes.

 

[mule#1]

I have walked in those shoes lol. I have to say that my love affair with the MK V has lasted longer than any other amp I have had. And I've had A LOT of Boogies! I traded a beautiful maple MK IVB for my MK V head. I just recently made up for that with a beautiful Quilted Bubinga MK V combo.

 

[exbest182]

I have walked in those shoes lol. I have to say that my love affair with the MK V has lasted longer than any other amp I have had. And I've had A LOT of Boogies! I traded a beautiful maple MK IVB for my MK V head. I just recently made up for that with a beautiful Quilted Bubinga MK V combo.

I have to say, it's my favorite Boogie amp.. I've went through my fair share (as mentioned) and the funny thing is I've never even changed out stock tubes.. I actually quite like stock Mesa tubes in it, even though I use Doug's tube kits in everything else I play... and it's one of the only Mesa amps I like stock tubes in.. however, I'm going to do some tube rolling one of these days, and I think I'm only going to love it more.

 

[mule#1]

I have walked in those shoes lol. I have to say that my love affair with the MK V has lasted longer than any other amp I have had. And I've had A LOT of Boogies! I traded a beautiful maple MK IVB for my MK V head. I just recently made up for that with a beautiful Quilted Bubinga MK V combo.

I have to say, it's my favorite Boogie amp.. I've went through my fair share (as mentioned) and the funny thing is I've never even changed out stock tubes.. I actually quite like stock Mesa tubes in it, even though I use Doug's tube kits in everything else I play... and it's one of the only Mesa amps I like stock tubes in.. however, I'm going to do some tube rolling one of these days, and I think I'm only going to love it more.

Keep me posted on that. I like the stock tubes as well. The Mark series has always been designed around the tubes they were using. Look at what people pay for STR-415 for MK IIC+and STR-420 for MK IV's! I would think pre-amp tubes may have a bigger impact on tone in the V. I tried EL-34's in the power section and although it was a cool tone the cleans suffered. I like 6L6 better in this amp!

 

[exbest182]

I like 6L6 better in this amp!

I do as well, I haven't like EL34s in any Marks.. Mike B. also agreed with that.. I used Doug's preamp kit in my IIC+ with Mesa power tubes and it sounded great.. I'm going to swap some of them out eventually, but it's not top on my priority list...

 

[exbest182]

just ordered some preamp tubes - hoping for mucho bueno..

 

[cradlefish]

That's a hell of a ride you've been through! Wow! Back to where you started...lol

I love the Mark IV and V. I don't plan on selling either one for I can't say one is better than the other. There are some things I like about the IV over the V and vice versa. None the less, both are great amps both will be in my collection.

 

[exbest182]

I ordered a tung sol for v1, Ruby 12ax7acz hg for v2, Mullard ri for v3, going to leave v4-6 stock, and then the sovtek lps for the PI... If I hate the tung in v1, I can try the Mullard out.. But I have a feeling this is going to be a good combo

 

[mule#1]

let us know how it turns out!