Mark I Reissue. best kept sercet?

[DaveP]

I just picked up a Mark I reissue from 1992. I wasn't sure what to expect but I am pleasantly surprised.
What an amp. The cleans while plugged into input 2 are the closet you can get to a Twin Reverb. Strats sound fantastic.
Input 1 uses the cascading gain from the effects loop volume 1 and volume 2. Setting volume 2 to approx 7-8 and adjusting
volume 1 to the desired level of gain can get you mild overdrive to great Marshall tones. If you jumper the effects loop it allow you to
set the level for another gain stage to put you into the Metal tones.
The only drawback which is common for the Mark I, II, III is that you have to compromise a bit to great and great clean and gain setting.
This one requires an a/b footswitch to switch between input 1 and input 2.
Also you can run all EL34's or 6V6's (in tweed mode) and of course 6L6's. So it's very flexible in the power tube options.
From what I understand from Mike B at Mesa, the Mark I reissue was modeled after Robben Fords Mark 1. They had a lot of options originally
just like the II, and III and when Mesa decided to reissue they decided to make them all one way. 60/100 no GEQ ala Robben Ford

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Thanks for the great synopsis Dave! I have often pondered a Mark I just to have around the studio or for rocking the f* out. I did notice that all the reissures were non-EQ...kinda a bummer, but I've also noticed lately I can get (on record through experimentation) the same tone without EQ in the loop engaged as with it, by changing alot of very fine points...although it's takes a bunch of ear tweaking. Is the Mark I tone stack very sensitive?

 

[DaveP]

The tone stack is sensitive, you can get many different sounds from this amp with a little tweaking.
I always wondered about them myself then I had the opportunity to pick one up off eBay. I bought a non working amp for a great price.
I took a chance that it would be something minor. When I got it it wouldn't fire up. I checked the fuse and the power tubes. All tested fine.
I called Mesa and got an RA and sent it in. I spoke with Mike on it and he said worst case it was the output transformer.
Well I got an email from Mike to bust my balls asking if I wanted to be an amp technician when I grow up. LOL
Turns out it was the fuse cap. It wasn't making contact with the end of the fuse to complete the circuit. Doh!!!! Who would have known that??
I mean how many fuse caps does a person have laying around that the wrong one would be put on by mistake. Good thing is it wasn't an expensive repair
so I got a great deal on a killer amp.

 

[igfraso]

Thanks for the great synopsis Dave! I have often pondered a Mark I just to have around the studio or for rocking the f* out. I did notice that all the reissures were non-EQ...kinda a bummer, but I've also noticed lately I can get (on record through experimentation) the same tone without EQ in the loop engaged as with it, by changing alot of very fine points...although it's takes a bunch of ear tweaking. Is the Mark I tone stack very sensitive?

In the vintage Mark I, the EQ was not very sensitive.
A common mod is to place the EQ after the master. Mike Bendinelli recommended it to me (and also did it). There is where you can appreciate the full range of it.

 

[RR]

...I had the opportunity to pick one up off eBay. I bought a non working amp for a great price.
I took a chance that it would be something minor. When I got it it wouldn't fire up. I checked the fuse and the power tubes. All tested fine.
I called Mesa and got an RA and sent it in. I spoke with Mike on it and he said worst case it was the output transformer.
Well I got an email from Mike to bust my balls asking if I wanted to be an amp technician when I grow up. LOL
Turns out it was the fuse cap. It wasn't making contact with the end of the fuse to complete the circuit. Doh!!!! Who would have known that??
I mean how many fuse caps does a person have laying around that the wrong one would be put on by mistake. Good thing is it wasn't an expensive repair
so I got a great deal on a killer amp.

Reminds me when I sent my Mark IIB for repairs back to the shop. I receive a call from Mike Benedelli : "Your main problem, when you put back the tubes, you put your 12AT7 in a 12AX7 tube socket. Your amp checked out fine. Could use a new set of power tubes though. I did change a few components that I felt needed to be changed ... oh by the way, since I have your amp opened up, for a fee I could improve your effect loop and reverb performance."

Me: "Sure, I want this modification."
Mike: "I'll just charge you only for this modification, I won't charge you for repair [bench fee] or component fee [originally what the amp came in the shop for]."

Now this is service!

I remember I took this amp to another amp technician. He fixed what was wrong. Unlike other technician who allows you to play the amp before taking it home, the amp was already packed up ready to picked up.

I brought it home, and another problem arises.

Brought it to the shop and the technician said its a different problem, there's a loose solder joint. He tried to charge me another $50 for bench fee. This bench fee doesn't bother me 'cause this is standard practice if a technician works on an amp for 5 minutes up to an hour. But the technician should have left the amp unpacked ready to be played at his shop instead of being packed up assume the amps is o-kay for the customer to pickup.

Manager of the shop decided not to charge me knowing how unpleased I was. < end of rant >

Oh, by the way DaveP, you got a nice amp. A lot of guitarist don't know how to juggle those preamp volumes to get a great sound. They have to understand how these volume adjust your cascading preamps [I think] fine tuning your preamp gains.

 

[phyrexia]

Thanks for the great synopsis Dave! I have often pondered a Mark I just to have around the studio or for rocking the f* out. I did notice that all the reissures were non-EQ...kinda a bummer, but I've also noticed lately I can get (on record through experimentation) the same tone without EQ in the loop engaged as with it, by changing alot of very fine points...although it's takes a bunch of ear tweaking. Is the Mark I tone stack very sensitive?

in a mark i, it's gain stage -> gain stage -> eq
in a mark ii and later, it's gain stage -> eq -> gain stage

mark is are awesome but i wonder if they'd be tight enough for you, at least for overdriven sounds.

 

[Blue Gilbo]

Nice score DaveP. I bought a Mark 1 Reissue in 2002. One of the wisest amp purchases I've ever made.

 

[DaveP]

Thanks, fantastic cleans ala Fender Twin Reverb I have heard outside of an actual Twin.
I am running a quad of STR415's 6L6's, Mullard 12AT7 NOS for reverb and Tungsrams for the other 12AX7 positions.

 

[RR]

Cool DaveP!

You have both a Mark I and a Mark III. Don't you find these completely different amps even though both are Mark Series?

I know the original Mark I are finicky and prefer Sylvania 6L6s. I'm not certain but the Mark I Reissues are not as finicky. Regardless, you are using Sylvanias (STR-415s).

 

[DaveP]

Cool DaveP!

You have both a Mark I and a Mark III. Don't you find these completely different amps even though both are Mark Series?

I know the original Mark I are finicky and prefer Sylvania 6L6s. I'm not certain but the Mark I Reissues are not as finicky. Regardless, you are using Sylvanias (STR-415s).

I find them very different in good ways. I love the 415's in Mark I, II, and III. The Mark III has STR 387 6L6's and 416's EL34's with a set of Tungsrams 12AX7's. Just sounds better with
good tubes.

 

[McBarry]

Hey Dave,
I'm lovin' the 70's carpet...

The Tungsrams - are they new or old tubes?

 

[DaveP]

Hey Dave, old Tungsrams, the good ones.
yes the 70's look. :lol:

 

[treedroppings]

Great thread! I traded a perfect triple xxx combo for a burnt out 91 reissue mk1

i put 350 into it at the repair shop, replacing the electrolytic caps and modding the preamp (3 small parts)
to sound more like a marshall

also got a vox da5 in front of it, put on the crunch1 (plexi-model) for lower volumes, and plugged in a 2x12 i made with sapele (sides) and maple ply (baffle and back sides) loaded w/ celestion gh80 and fane medusa30

still has Great cleans!
much better and I dont need the vox if going above 85-90 dB

i cant wait to get $ for different tubes, but it sounds great with new tubes

next step is maybe a fat sandwich distortion in the front and toss the vox (except for portable playing)

 

[treedroppings]

it would do fine w/ a fuzz face :wink: