Mark V:35 Review and thoughts

[Jfriley]

So far so good gentlemen. The dreaded Boss GT8 is no more, replaced with a TC Electronics Flashback x4 that I haven't quite learned how to use yet. I experienced an epiphany last week while tweaking my
Tone. I copied the sounds/settings from several YouTube videos, and I really thought I was close the tone I wanted to hear in my head. It sounded fuller, with more bottom end. The I realized I had it on the Xtreme channel. I immediacy switched back to the mark IV, but I thought it sounded thin. Then I remembered something I read on one of these boards: trust your ears, not your eyes. With that I put it back in Xteme mode. Here are the settings I'm currently using:

 

[Newysurfer]

So far so good gentlemen. The dreaded Boss GT8 is no more, replaced with a TC Electronics Flashback x4 that I haven't quite learned how to use yet. I experienced an epiphany last week while tweaking my
Tone. I copied the sounds/settings from several YouTube videos, and I really thought I was close the tone I wanted to hear in my head. It sounded fuller, with more bottom end. The I realized I had it on the Xtreme channel. I immediacy switched back to the mark IV, but I thought it sounded thin. Then I remembered something I read on one of these boards: trust your ears, not your eyes. With that I put it back in Xteme mode. Here are the settings I'm currently using:

ok I hope you're getting improved tones now you've got the old GT8 out of your signal path.
Flashback x4 delivers much better delay tones & options also imo :mrgreen:

 

[Jfriley]

Gents, I have some new settings and gear to display. Again I'm attempting to dial in a metal tone. For the settings I'm going even further into the "trust your ears not your eyes" realm. I played a bunch of songs while I let the drummer fine tune the knobs and sliders. I know I have the bass higher than the book suggests, but with EQ on I really don't notice much of an effect anyway.



I also have a new Ibanez TS9 and Tc electronics sentry in the chain. The TS is much better than the Boss SD1 I was making due with. The sentry is brutal, clamping down hard on any of the hiss the Ibanez tries to push through.

I'll try and link some tones I recorded on my iPhone (not the best method I know but it's all I had). This is MUCH closer to the tone I knew this amp could produce.

 

[Dodgion556]

This is a bump. I'll post back tomorrow with some very Intersting tube images from my V35, I thought my images would work, but they didn't. Let me figure that out and I'll post back with the tube image.

Shannon

 

[Dodgion556]

Ok guys I'm back with further information on my V35. A few posts ago I mentioned a softening of the sound, a natural mellowing that I thought was either the speaker burning in or the power tubes mellowing out. According to my serial # it is within the first 100 made (not that it makes a difference but I reference that because of age purposes). I began to notice more hum than usual, so I decided to turn the lights off and see what the power tubes looked like:

mg] [/img]








As you can clearly see, the power tube in position V8 is starting to have some internal issues and is getting hot. This amp was bought when they first came out and has been played and played, I was really abusive when playing out and the amp runs at least 10hrs a week for practice as well as a ton of shows. Also V8 is always under power in all 3 power modes. I bought it in Jan. 2016 so this power tube has started to show signs of failure at a year and 2 months of hard playing. These pics were taken while in 35 watt mode.

As this thread has been a constant review of the V35 I think it is pertinent to those of us that bought the amp when it first came out and could be a gauge for serious users on the life of an EL-84 bottle.

Cheers!
Shannon

 

[Dodgion556]

Tis getting hotter









I predict meltdown before long

 

[jeffr128]

New on the board and apologies in advance if these questions have been covered.

Recently got my first Mesa, a Mark V 35 head (really happy), and was hoping for insights on two questions:

1. I'm on a budget and went and got the Hughes & Kettner 1x12 Vintage 30 closed back cabinet to go with it. I like it so far (still breaking it in), but would appreciate others' thoughts. For example, would a 2x12 Mesa cab (used, on a budget) be a lot better in everyones' collective experience ?

(If it matters, the most metal sound I go for is Perfect Insanity by Disturbed; I generally play Rush, Kansas, Zep, Deep Purple, Cream, Santana, Neil Young, U2 and the easy parts of a few Porcupine Tree songs with my aspiring 4/4, 9/8, 5/4 drummer son...ha!)

2. Are there any suggestions on how to get the Neil Young Hurricane Tweed sound out of a V 35? I've been experimenting but I don't think I can get it out of the clean/fat/crunch modes of channel 1. (I know the full Mark V has a Tweed, but I'm a happy owner of a V 35 now and was just wondering.)

Thanks for patience with a newbie on the board!

 

[Kmcgrady]

So its Friday, and I'm winding down time to leave work, and thought I'd take a moment and give my two cents, becuz that's what you do these days, right? This day and age everyone thinks they should be heard? Cool, glad we have an understanding.... here goes.

The Mark v35, is it a baby mark? Sure. It has some great voicing's. First and foremost, so it's known I'm a metal guy. I waited almost 3 mths for this amp to be built and delivered to my LMS. When I did receive it, Just to hold it and look at it, was beyond exciting. To plug in was also exciting, I got great sounds immediately. The clean is just incomparable to anything else. It is one of the best cleans I've heard. But that "crunch" setting though!!! WOW! Even as a metal guy I knew that with a boost pedal it would be something to behold..

But then disaster struck... Channel two... At any higher volumes it just squealed.. Even with a MXR smart gate it was hard to tame. It's very possible that I wasn't dialing it in correctly, I will never dismiss that possibility. But even at higher volumes regardless of feedback, there was not enough punch. The voicing's are awesome, no question. But no balls.. It was loud but didn't resonate at the level I expected. I knew immediately that it wasn't "my amp". Could it be a great studio amp with tons of versatility, absolutely! But live application in a metal band, no way - (disclaimer, for me anyway). So as much as I was glad to join the Mesa family.. I returned the Mark v35.

But--fear not! I got the Triple Crown and it literally checks all boxes that I was looking for! With the 6L6's which will be my selection of choice, it is a BEAST! I could not be happier. It's stunning to look at, it punches me in the face and shows me the anger I expect out of EL34/6L6 amps!

I'm sure many will disagree with my review of the 35.. But if you're questioning if it'll be a solution or loud enough to play in a metal band? I would say, no. Absolutely not. I would not go less than 50w with EL34 or 6L6 tubes. Before some say, "Why didn't you just go, rectifier or 5150?" That's simple, everyone is already doing that, and what separates bands, having a different sound, not to mention I don't use the amount of gain that alot of bands do... i.e. djent style bands.

Anyway I hope this helps someone with their pursuit to find the one amp, and I would encourage anyone to try the Triple Crown 50.

 

[gjohung]

It's been a while since I posted. As I am getting used to this amp, I like to share the experience. I left the amp on from last week on stage - about 4 days with the cover on. When I got to the amp I smelled burn. I go oh sugar honey ice tea.

I immediately turned the amp off.. it was to hot to touch, You could fry an egg.. Waited 10 minutes and plugged in an turned it on.. It was working....no fuse, tube burned. Then I played and wow... Not sure if it is me imagining... the amp sounded so creamy.. I get the feeling the tubes are "burned" in now.. Cleans were warm. over drive screaming...

wow...

 

[gjohung]

I been on my EJ Strat for last 2 month - played nothing but Strat on my MV:35. I wanted to see how single coil reacts. Now EJ model does have higher bridge output but the tone control works on bridge pickup. I am still wanting that 3rd channel for crunch that this amp does not have. OCD was my go between... but OCD on clean channel when driven hard sounds good. Real good. The OD channel Mk Iic + and MkV mode seemed to have a sizzle... I am not sure what these modern pedal has done but it really makes the guitar tone sweet. Is our ear became accustomed to pedal over drives?? Make no mistake, when I am on MK2 mode it the single coil drive really cuts through in your face. What it does not have is what they call "spongy" sound. I was hoping that with EL34 (or was it EL 84?) That it should get bit of the British tone. May be Mk series was not intended for that. I am not complaining. it's just that modern pedals are really good.

Then this week I brought out by PRS. Wow...It seemed like my Boogie knows what i.e. being plugged in and how to react.

 

[GlowingTubes]

Hello Gentlemen -
I have been reading a few topics in this forum for a while as a guest, and after reading this thread last night, I decided to register. I find a lot of helpful ideas in this forum and you seem like an intelligent group of individuals. :lol:
After a few years of gigging/recording with the Mark V 90W head, I find myself in a similar situation to Dodgion556. I am wishing to scale down my rig and have the portability of the Mark 5:35 combo. I play a variety of styles, but I am currently in a heavier edge cover band. I have tried the Mark 5:35 combo in a store at low level, and keeping in mind that the C90 will break in and settle in a week or two, my concern is whether this combo can handle a drop-D tight bottom end. I have never owned an amp with EL84s before, for the past 20 years I have had a Single and Dual Rectifier, a Rectifier Preamp with a 50:50, a Roadster combo, and finally the MK V, always running V30s.
I realize this amp will not compare to what I've had in the past, in terms of bottom-end, but I am simply looking for articulation, warmth, tone flexibility and ultimately portability.
I have heard wonderful sound clips featuring this amp, but most of them were studio recordings that can be polished. I would likely use the 3rd mode in ch1 for rhythm, back my guitar volume for clean-ish passages and the mk IV mode for lead work most of the time.

What is your experience with it?
Is it too mid-focused at gig volume?
Does the included Cab clone compare to a standalone Cab Clone?
Can it get tight when pushed?
For any of you who own both the Mark V and the Mark V:35 - would you give up the former if you were willing to scale down your rig?

It is evident that I am a bit nervous about this move and I cannot keep both, but lugging the head & cab back & forth has gotten a bit old.
I am aiming for simplicity and minimalism, but will I sacrifice too much flexibility and overall tone?
I kindly appreciate your thoughts, opinions and any tips you can possibly share.

 

[Newysurfer]

Hello Gentlemen -
I have been reading a few topics in this forum for a while as a guest, and after reading this thread last night, I decided to register. I find a lot of helpful ideas in this forum and you seem like an intelligent group of individuals. :lol:
After a few years of gigging/recording with the Mark V 90W head, I find myself in a similar situation to Dodgion556. I am wishing to scale down my rig and have the portability of the Mark 5:35 combo. I play a variety of styles, but I am currently in a heavier edge cover band. I have tried the Mark 5:35 combo in a store at low level, and keeping in mind that the C90 will break in and settle in a week or two, my concern is whether this combo can handle a drop-D tight bottom end. I have never owned an amp with EL84s before, for the past 20 years I have had a Single and Dual Rectifier, a Rectifier Preamp with a 50:50, a Roadster combo, and finally the MK V, always running V30s.
I realize this amp will not compare to what I've had in the past, in terms of bottom-end, but I am simply looking for articulation, warmth, tone flexibility and ultimately portability.
I have heard wonderful sound clips featuring this amp, but most of them were studio recordings that can be polished. I would likely use the 3rd mode in ch1 for rhythm, back my guitar volume for clean-ish passages and the mk IV mode for lead work most of the time.

What is your experience with it?
Is it too mid-focused at gig volume?
Does the included Cab clone compare to a standalone Cab Clone?
Can it get tight when pushed?
For any of you who own both the Mark V and the Mark V:35 - would you give up the former if you were willing to scale down your rig?

It is evident that I am a bit nervous about this move and I cannot keep both, but lugging the head & cab back & forth has gotten a bit old.
I am aiming for simplicity and minimalism, but will I sacrifice too much flexibility and overall tone?
I kindly appreciate your thoughts, opinions and any tips you can possibly share.

any reason why you can't test a V 35 yourself in Florida ?
I doubt anyone else can satisfy you regarding whether its bottom end & drop D tones are adequate for your needs :mrgreen:

 

[GlowingTubes]

Thank you for your reply!
The only dealer within decent range of my location only opens during the same hours I work, so in order to go there I need to take a day off… which I have. I did not try the amp cranked to it's gigging volume because I was respecting their place of work and did not want to be "that guy". My question was intended for those of you who actually gig with this amp in small to medium sized venues, but you do bring up a valid point… my perception of "tight" or "articulate" may not be general enough to answer.

Thank you kindly for your feedback (no pun), it is appreciated.

 

[little-b]

just stumbled onto your post. the 25 and 35 will have a somewhat "smaller" feel and headroom than the v..This isn't a bad thing for some,you may like that.The 35 isn't nearly as "lunch box" size as the 25 but still small and weighs more than a 25,less than a v.The sweet spot on a 35 ( master approx 930-11) is a lot louder than the 25s sweet spot-9 oclock.Both sound killer for what they are.More cab clone options on the 35 plus solo boosts,which are also cuts too! Im spoiled,as my mk iv and mk iii deliver the goods like no other,so I just accept the 25/35 for what they are.They both are articulate,etc etc...don't know about the mids in a band setting yet. Theres no way id ever give up my big boogies to downsize for the lightweights,but the el 84s bring something a little different and neat to the party. Fat and crunch on ch 1 are both so nice in the 25/35..Ive found that using a timmy,bogner blue and friedman overdrive on fat is killer.There is a mid shift between the 2 chls that's hard to level out but mesa designed it that way says the manual.
What ive learned w/ the 25/35?...theyre simply "lightweights" compared to the "heavyweight" mks and its best to keep that in mind. For a new boogie fan whose never played a mk iic+ or mk iv in all their glory,and demos the 25 or 35? they'll totally dig it..and I dig them too though.lol I would like to see if they start showing up on actual hit songs and tours sometime.That may tell us more too.

 

[Gl4th]

When changing power tubes, do you use Mesa EL84 or do you try some different brand? If so, do you need any change in the bias?

 

[gjohung]

Mark V;35 user

I got me a SSH Fender American Professional Strat. Been playing for few month. Still trying to fiddle good setting. I always thought OD channel added a little fizz when gain are turned up.. I was setting my vol/gain at about 9-10 o'clock all this time. Not sure if that was a single coil thing. With my new Strat I am pushing around 12-1 oclock now. There still is some fizz... but I have learned to pull the tone back on the treble/bridge pick up. I am on IEM so may be he fizz is more prominent than what you would hear through naked ear. I am not running it through CabClone. I am using my Senhizer 609 off axis smack front of the speaker hanging. SM57 seam to have a bit of ice pick frequency.

I got me an Archer pedal which is like a Klon Clone. On my clean channel. I could kick this in to get a little boost. Only draw back is I have to do double step to turn Archer off and change channel when I want to switch to OD channel

Now with this Strat with Treble bleed. I can clean up while I am at OD channel by pulling volume back.. It still has some crunch but it works on most situations when I need clean chord tone...even soft lead.

Although i am still tugging with 3 tone set up. Clean, Crunch, Lead. The new Triple Crown really looks good for that... or may be Full Mark V

 

[Gl4th]

Keep the Mark V:35. If you need less gain and less high try the tube swap in V2 (12AT7 in place of the 12AX7). I did it but in the end I wanted that gain back, but if you are not in high gain tone so swap the tube.

For a third channel I suggest you to add just a pedal like a Tubescreamer or a Bluesbreaker and you won't miss a third channel on the amp.

 

[doublescale1]

Keep the Mark V:35. If you need less gain and less high try the tube swap in V2 (12AT7 in place of the 12AX7). I did it but in the end I wanted that gain back, but if you are not in high gain tone so swap the tube.
For a third channel I suggest you to add just a pedal like a Tubescreamer or a Bluesbreaker and you won't miss a third channel on the amp.

Agree 100% with this way to get a third channel from a MV:35 - I usually have a light OD pedal on my board for giving ch1 clean an edge of breakup tone (VFE Blues King, Rockett Blue Note, Kealey Boss BD2), then depending on our set lists' I'll add a second pedal for more specific OD flavor - sometimes it's the Catalinbread SFT for Stones Ampeg type OD, or an Analogman AstroTone fuzz, and so on. Between those extra pedals and ch2 - there is an awful lot of tone ground to be covered by the MV:35.

 

[gjohung]

I got a J Rocket Archer - which is like a Klon clon.... at first it seemed like there was too much mid... how ever it seemed to be a better match for a Marshall type amp. I have a Marshall Haze 40. Some might argue it is not a true Marshall but it is closest thing I got.

For this week I needed a crunch country like tone. I was on clean fat channel but boosted the mid to get slight gain - pst 12 oclock almost up to 3 oclock.

I kicked in the Archer - and wow. It sounded like a cranked up Z or an AC 30 plenty of over drive. I can pull back the volume to get a crunch... I had a EP and OCD..When I had my Archer into OCD... the tone screamed.. wow...

Do I still need the dirty channel??

 

[gjohung]

Keep the Mark V:35. If you need less gain and less high try the tube swap in V2 (12AT7 in place of the 12AX7). I did it but in the end I wanted that gain back, but if you are not in high gain tone so swap the tube.
For a third channel I suggest you to add just a pedal like a Tubescreamer or a Bluesbreaker and you won't miss a third channel on the amp.

Agree 100% with this way to get a third channel from a MV:35 - I usually have a light OD pedal on my board for giving ch1 clean an edge of breakup tone (VFE Blues King, Rockett Blue Note, Kealey Boss BD2), then depending on our set lists' I'll add a second pedal for more specific OD flavor - sometimes it's the Catalinbread SFT for Stones Ampeg type OD, or an Analogman AstroTone fuzz, and so on. Between those extra pedals and ch2 - there is an awful lot of tone ground to be covered by the MV:35.

I am curious -if 5:35 shares 12AX7 for both clean and dirty. If they share I will lose gain on both channels? I become fond on Fat mode with mid control pretty high.

I believe you are "stacking" 2 drive pedals on clean channel, which I am doing it with Archer and OCD. I wanted to experiment the order of stacking if Archer --> OCD is better than OCD ---> Archer. Or may be all i need is to push Archer with EP Booster. I guess my delima is that I want that full creamy overdrive on my solo. But I still have to turn off Archer and change channel. I tried channel 2 with archer and it was too muddy..