Mark V vs. Road King II

[cml694]

Right now, I have a Road King II head. I have been thinking of selling it to get a Mark V....I've been tinkering with the RK for a while now, and it does cover a lot of ground. I haven't been able to demo a Mark V yet....but I am sure some of you have. Can any of you fill me in with your thoughts about both amps in comparison? Versatility is not a problem with either of these amps, so the type of music I play doesn't really come into play.

Thanks!
(I made an account here and a posted a few times but I don't remember what the name was.)

 

[dmcguitar]

the type of music totally comes into play..

there are two different fundamental tones between the recto and the mark.

simply put the marks are tight, and the rectos are loose, there is more of a midrange sound to the marks, and the rectos have a more pronounce lower frequency.

both will give you versitility / variety; but not the other underlying amp sound.

whats your main tone goals?

 

[cml694]

Well, like I said I play a wide range of music. Anything from Jazz/Jazz fusion, to classic rock, to blues, to progressive metal. I don't play super heavy metal or anything, but I know both amps can do that too.

 

[primal]

Essentially the question is Mark series vs Recto series, since both amps have more options then a Lexus.

Me personally, I prefer Mark series tone.

Much tighter, midrangey. But you won't get the thick wall of distortion sound that comes from the recto's big bottom end.

 

[goneloco]

plus the mark heads are more compact. which i like

 

[theroan]

I'd say Mark. They one thing it has that the RK doesn't, tones aside, quality tone at lower volumes. That for me is huge.

 

[jam3v]

If you play such a wide range of music, I think you'd be happier with a Mark V. The Mark V's 2nd channel is brilliant, and reminds me a lot of Halen's "brown sound," whereas the 2nd channel on the Recto never did anything for me (I had the 3 channel version).

 

[wezzley]

Essentially the question is Mark series vs Recto series, since both amps have more options then a Lexus.

Me personally, I prefer Mark series tone.

Much tighter, midrangey. But you won't get the thick wall of distortion sound that comes from the recto's big bottom end.

I agree with that. i've had the mark V for about a week now; it's simply an awesome amp, but so is the road king II. i don't think it's easy to compare the amps to eachother; they have their own specific strengths. "mark tone" and "rectifier tone" are two different things, but both the RKII and the Mark V are so versatile you can really do a lot with either amp.

 

[pathos45]

also it depends what kind of power selection you want i love the mark v's with 6l6s and els but id realllly love to have it so i could mix em like the mark iv without voiding my warrenty. Wheres the rk you can use both or w.e u want. But as many said the mark v has the lower power ability. Also i find the mark haveing more of a boutique type distortion wheres the rk has that generic dual rec type tone.

 

[guitardom]

I sometimes regret selling my rk for the mark other times I am happier than hell I did. They are such different amps. The rk tube selection was my fav part. I am looking to get my old dual rec head back from a guy or one local. Some stuff I realy miss the rec or rk sound. The mark v does kick butt though and about half the weight!

 

[MesaGod666]

I had a Roadster and I've only regretted selling it once. The clean channel of that amp is unmatchable. Other than that, the Mark V CH3 Tones is where it's at for me.

 

[smd24fan]

I'd say Mark. They one thing it has that the RK doesn't, tones aside, quality tone at lower volumes. That for me is huge.

This is SO true. I had a Recto and it was all but useless to me unless it was cranked up. The Mark V sounds AWESOME at lower volumes, even in 90W mode.

 

[mrodr008]

I also have a RKII and have been considering a MKV. I think I've grown tired of the Recto sound and find that the Mark sound is a little more pleasing to my ears. Plus it's lighter and smaller, which are definite pluses for me. Gigging with the RKII is starting to be a PITA now. Ideally, I would like to pick up a MKV and evaluate both, but financially, I don't think that's possible right now . I think eventually, I will make the switch though. I'm just waiting for Mesa Hollywood to have them in stock again so I can demo .

 

[cml694]

I also have a RKII and have been considering a MKV. I think I've grown tired of the Recto sound and find that the Mark sound is a little more pleasing to my ears. Plus it's lighter and smaller, which are definite pluses for me. Gigging with the RKII is starting to be a PITA now. Ideally, I would like to pick up a MKV and evaluate both, but financially, I don't think that's possible right now . I think eventually, I will make the switch though. I'm just waiting for Mesa Hollywood to have them in stock again so I can demo .

Go across the street and guitar center has a used one there to play.


I am keeping the Road King for now, but maybe I'll change if I play one next to a Road King, who knows.

 

[joe187]

I have a Roadster and a Mark V. Buy the Mark V. Despite the Roadster having and extra channel and a bunch of switching features, there is something missing there. The MV has it all - I have never been happier with an amp. It takes all my guitars and brings out the features of each one beautifully. I can get virtually any tone on this thing very quickly, wwhereas two years later I am still scratching my head with the Roadster. There are some fantastic things about he Roadster - don't get me wrong, but the MV has them al and way more. It is the ultimate Boogie...

 

[SteveO]

I have a Roadster and a Mark V. Buy the Mark V. Despite the Roadster having and extra channel and a bunch of switching features, there is something missing there. The MV has it all - I have never been happier with an amp. It takes all my guitars and brings out the features of each one beautifully. I can get virtually any tone on this thing very quickly, wwhereas two years later I am still scratching my head with the Roadster. There are some fantastic things about he Roadster - don't get me wrong, but the MV has them al and way more. It is the ultimate Boogie...

I HAD a Roadster and a Mark V. Now I just have the Mark V. The Roadster was a great amp, but the V just fills my personal needs much better.

 

[daveycrocketofmetal]

I run a Triple rec and a Mark V. Either are great, but I feel like both of them complement each other very well. The triple has awesome growl and bottom end, but can lack definition, the Mark has great up-front tightness but isnt as chunky in the low's. Overall I'd say the majority of my tone is the Mark v, but throw a rectifier in with it and your on steroids.

 

[microwerx]

You could just have both! I own a Road King II and an Express 5:50. I also have a Mark 5 on order. I love my Road King II for the Dual Rectifier Tone. The awesome thing about the Road King is just the amount of variety you have with the tube selection and rectification. That being said, when I tried a Mark 5 in the store, I really felt that given the choice between the Mark 5 and the Road King, it would be a toss-up. I don't think there is a right choice, but the Mark 5 has some really nifty features that make it a very well-rounded choice. I personally don't know of an amplifier with the tonal control that the MARK 5 has. First, you have an awesome clean channel. Then you have a great high gain middle channel that can handle all your rock needs. Finally, you have the third channel which will improve your technique and melt your ears at the same time!

Would I get rid of my Road King II on account of another amplifier coming out? Probably not. I guess I feel like I could nail most any sound in my head. For me I can get the classic Marshall tones I hear on records to the nice 90's grunge/pop rock sounds. To boot, I can also get the classic 50's amp sounds as well. That being said, it can't nail the tone of the Mark series. My Express 5:50 gets awesome heavy tones that I can't duplicate with the RKII. It is very rich and has great note definition. When I switch on the contour control (the classic V curve), it always blows me away. I suspect when I get to crank my MK V, it'll do the same.

I think if you were to own one amp, maybe you already have in your mind what the amp of your dreams is. So if you're a Dual Rectifier man, then by all means keep the DR. If you're a Mark man, then be all means get the MK5. However, I think that having both is the best choice You can get the fast response of the Mark Series amplifier, or you can get the nice spongy response from the Dual Rectifier depending on what you're feeling like at the time.

My advice: own both! because there is no amp to rule them all!

 

[eudaimonia02912]

I am not very experienced with Mesas (I just got my first one today), but in my playing experience (using other people's gear) and from talking with others who own them, it seems like it's easy to get a high gain soloing tone from a Mark and hard to get one from Recto.