MARK IV DISCONTINUED (FOR REAL)

[trem]

Assuming they have a replacement ready to go, they better not delay too long in announcing it or a lot people might go elsewhere. I came very close to buying a VHT instead and if tomorrow was the day to order my Mark IV and saw this I would have simply gone with the VHT without waiting and hoping for a rumored Mark V or whatever..

I would just buy the VHT and enjoy it for a while. If the past has taught us one thing, it would be that early Mesa runs usually had bugs. Let them for a year or two to be sorted out, and you're good to go! VHTs retain their value quite well in the second hand market no?

 

[Elpelotero]

Assuming they have a replacement ready to go, they better not delay too long in announcing it or a lot people might go elsewhere. I came very close to buying a VHT instead and if tomorrow was the day to order my Mark IV and saw this I would have simply gone with the VHT without waiting and hoping for a rumored Mark V or whatever..

I would just buy the VHT and enjoy it for a while. If the past has taught us one thing, it would be that early Mesa runs usually had bugs. Let them for a year or two to be sorted out, and you're good to go! VHTs retain their value quite well in the second hand market no?

But sometimes, as in the case of the rectifiers, those early "bugs" are worth something! The Mark4A "bug" is just as valuable as a Mark4B...But recently though Mesa has proven true to the whole thing about bugs and sorting things out. They've had a long time to work out the bugs on the Mark5 though!!!

 

[Nick_cor]

How long do you think until the Mark IV prices start skyrocketing ? Do you think it'll be like the IIC+ ?

 

[Platypus]

How long do you think until the Mark IV prices start skyrocketing ? Do you think it'll be like the IIC+ ?

No way... they made the Mark IV for 17 years and the C+ for a year.

 

[trem]

But sometimes, as in the case of the rectifiers, those early "bugs" are worth something! The Mark4A "bug" is just as valuable as a Mark4B...But recently though Mesa has proven true to the whole thing about bugs and sorting things out. They've had a long time to work out the bugs on the Mark5 though!!!

True true. One thing keeps "bugging" me though. What was wrong with Mark IVA? Certainly nothing to do with reliability issue. The "improvement" (if any) in the sound department is quite minimal, unlike the Mark IIs, IIIs, RKI and RKII (and v1 and v2 lol).

 

[CoG]

How long do you think until the Mark IV prices start skyrocketing ? Do you think it'll be like the IIC+ ?

No way... they made the Mark IV for 17 years and the C+ for a year.

The number of Mark IVs out there pretty much precludes this. They'll probably hold their value better than, say, the DSL and TSL series Marshalls have, but unless 4 out of 5 of them have secret 20-year self-destructs built in, no one in the US or who's willing to pay shipping is going to have to look too hard or come up with more than 1200-1300 2008 bones for a MkIV over the next 20 years.

If there was actually a big demand for new MkIVs Mesa wouldn't be discontinuing them... I don't know what part of this people don't understand :lol:

 

[phyrexia]

All I can say is that before I started working at my job, they had NEVER stocked any Mark IVs, EVER, and in the two years since I've worked here we've sold...three? Two or three. As far as I can tell IV sales have been up, but Birmingham is a strange market to begin with. It does seem that they have regained popularity in the last couple years.

I'm sure compared to Roadster sales or Lonestar sales the IV is way in the back however.

 

[phyrexia]

I thought the IVA->IVB was to make the amp more easily useable in a multi-amp setup (stereo loop, satellite EQ) and to make R2 a little more desireable, but I've never...A/Bed an A and B together so I dunno if R2 is a lot different or if you could just chalk it up to tubes.

 

[MrMarkIII]

If there was actually a big demand for new MkIVs Mesa wouldn't be discontinuing them... I don't know what part of this people don't understand :lol:

Too true, for the "new" market.
For the "used" market, however, anything discontinued is automatically "scarce", whether it's true or not - it's the psychology of the marketplace.
Perceived scarcity drives up demand.

 

[newfinator]

If there was actually a big demand for new MkIVs Mesa wouldn't be discontinuing them... I don't know what part of this people don't understand :lol:

Too true, for the "new" market.
For the "used" market, however, anything discontinued is automatically "scarce", whether it's true or not - it's the psychology of the marketplace.
Perceived scarcity drives up demand.

Lets hope. Want to buy a brand new, in the box, Mark IV for 20% over list? :wink:

 

[Dead Moon Rising]

How long do you think until the Mark IV prices start skyrocketing ? Do you think it'll be like the IIC+ ?

If there was actually a big demand for new MkIVs Mesa wouldn't be discontinuing them... I don't know what part of this people don't understand :lol:

Too true, for the "new" market.
For the "used" market, however, anything discontinued is automatically "scarce", whether it's true or not - it's the psychology of the marketplace.
Perceived scarcity drives up demand.

My 2 fears. i want one but i'm off work from an injury and can't afford one. I just hope there's enough of them out there that i can get one a a year or 2 for a reasonable price.

Has Mesa advertised them recently? even with LOG getting so big and raving about their Mark IV's? I've seen Rectifiers and stilletos advertised, but not too much else.

 

[JimAnsell]

I Got my mark IV long head new in Feburary.

whew!
8)

 

[phyrexia]

There are like 13000 Mark IVs in existence. I wouldn't worry about them getting too scarce.

 

[MarkofXlnts]

Just an observation, actually, a question and observation: Why is the Mark I not listed in the discontinued products section with the Mark IV? Is Mesa actually still taking orders for the last of the Mark I amps, or are they just dragging their feet as far as updating the website??

 

[camsna]

The Mk I Reissue is on the site. As far as I know - you can still order it.

 

[scottywompas]

It's sad to see it go. It was my dream amp for a long time. in 1990 I had just purchased a Studio Preamp. A year or two when I heard the MKIV I was floored. Since I already had the Studio Pre and the MKIV was so costly I just put it out of my mind. I knew it was the amp for me but I couldn't justify the cost at the time.

I ran my Studio Pre rig for 15 years. I decided at that point I had to get my MKIV. (I'm glad I did) I sold the rack and found a smokin deal on a 2003nor so MKIV widebody combo. I have gigged regularly for three years with it and there is no comparison.

I hate to see it go but it had a great run.

Scott

 

[LEVEL4]

How long do you think until the Mark IV prices start skyrocketing ? Do you think it'll be like the IIC+ ?

From what I've witnessed at the Mesa Hollywood store, people are already scrambling to find the last Mark IVs, of which there are almost none. If the Mark V misses its "mark," I'm betting Ebay prices on used Mark IVs will increase between $200-$500. If the Mark V really turns out to be the Second Coming, then used Mark IV prices, I would guess, would drop by only as much as $200, since they're still pretty awesome amps, and since the new Mark will likely have as steep a MAP as the Mark IV, at least a MAP of its predecessor's $2,000 price point.

I hate to see it go but it had a great run.

Well, change is good. I recently bought, literally, the last new Mark IV rackmount in California, and boy do I feel lucky (at least, until the new Mark V debuts, and makes my jaw drop and dribble saliva all over myself). At least this makes us "vintage" amp owners now . . . all 14,000 of us!

 

[trem]

Hmmmm, I just saw a IVA head with wicker grill (not even a hardwood) went for $1800 on ebay. Is this a sign of what's to come?

 

[LEVEL4]

Hmmmm, I just saw a IVA head with wicker grill (not even a hardwood) went for $1800 on ebay. Is this a sign of what's to come?

Whoa! I think the panic has begun, during this period between Marks. Word is finally leaking out—THERE ARE NO MORE (NEW) MARKS. That would've normally sold for about $1,200-$1,400!

 

[scottywompas]

It's strange to think of the used prices going crazy. The new ones were few and far between recently but I don't think the demand was really there either.

Recto's have ruled the metal world for so long lot's of guys think of the Mark series amps as the old sound of metal.

Scott