MarkIV or Roadking???

[dodger916]

Yes, but they have separate gain, treb and presence, which have the greatest effect on each channel's voice. Each gain pot is a pull switch (R1 "bright", R2 "fat"), and R2 presence is also a pull pot.

R2 picks up where R1 leaves off, so I don't think you can consider them one channel, notwithstanding the shared mid and bass pots.

 

[MetalMatt]

From my perspective. Mark IV one amp with many sounds. RK four amps with many sounds.

The Mark IV is a great amp. It has the best lead tone, great cleans, it's tight, dynamic, smooth and fluid. It also has a vintage vibe to it.

The RKII also a great amp. Sounds that can bull doze a house. It's dynamic, edgy, has that modern bite to it, and earthquake lows. The cleans are wonderful. The RK's are smoother than DR and TR. What other have said about rectos lead/flubby department, I will disagree. I can get a very nice lead tone. For the insane amount of bass Rectos have, I can tighten her up. Not Mark tight, but a great rhythm tone none the less.

By the way... you can't have just ONE Mesa

 

[hazbin]

MARK IV Old School
Roadking Nuschool

 

[brianf]

I have both. A Roadking Head on a 2 x 12 Recto Cab and another 2 x 12 Recto cab with C90's and an open back. (Mesa made this for me).

My Mark 4 is a widebody combo made of Bubinga.

I think the RK will cover more ground but it is ground I don't use. (Ultra high gain).

So I guess I go with the Mark 4. The clean channel alone is worth the price of admission.

brianf

 

[richb]

I have both. A Roadking Head on a 2 x 12 Recto Cab and another 2 x 12 Recto cab with C90's and an open back. (Mesa made this for me).

My Mark 4 is a widebody combo made of Bubinga.

I think the RK will cover more ground but it is ground I don't use. (Ultra high gain).

So I guess I go with the Mark 4. The clean channel alone is worth the price of admission.

brianf

Hi,
if it's ground you don't cover,why do you have the RK?
richb

 

[petejt]

Ok this is a on going thread on the J.P forum and I just wanted a difference of opinion from maybe some guitarist other than just fans of J.P.

Which do you prefer and why.
OR what have you heard of these 2 amps..

Which is all around top of the line in MESA too you?

Thx,
richb
www.myspace.com/richbrymer

I own the MarkIV. I have tried out the Road King.


I have the MarkIV, as it is very versatile, capable of searingly loud gain chunky crunch tones, fuzzy bluesy tones, crystal clear clean tones, mid-scoop tones as well as squawky mid-spiked tones, is usable at low volumes, has direct recording outputs, can take EL34s in the outer valve sckets, has SimulClass as well as Class A, full and tweed power options, midrange gain boost and harmonics, stereo effects loop (mono send, stereo receive), can run external poweramps as well as slave out, and looks nice.


The Road King is basically a bloated, over-the-top Dual Rectifier, trying to be the "Recto"- equivalent of the MarkIV, but fails miserably. Way too many knobs, too complex, too fat, too many valves to worry about, and the output knob is disgusting! Totally wrecks the tone! And still sounds murky and muddy and buzzy.


Face it, the Roadster was built to replace the Road King, a slightly more practical version.

 

[dodger916]

Ok this is a on going thread on the J.P forum and I just wanted a difference of opinion from maybe some guitarist other than just fans of J.P.

Which do you prefer and why.
OR what have you heard of these 2 amps..

Which is all around top of the line in MESA too you?

Thx,
richb
www.myspace.com/richbrymer

I own the MarkIV. I have tried out the Road King.

The Road King is basically a bloated, over-the-top Dual Rectifier, trying to be the "Recto"- equivalent of the MarkIV, but fails miserably. Way too many knobs, too complex, too fat, too many valves to worry about, and the output knob is disgusting! Totally wrecks the tone! And still sounds murky and muddy and buzzy.


Face it, the Roadster was built to replace the Road King, a slightly more practical version.

C'mon, Pete...don't hold back. Tell us what you REALLY think! :wink:

In all honesty, I think you have a point. I found the Road King unwieldy, and opted for the "simpler" Mark IV.

 

[kingster911]

The Mark IV in its technicalities is like a user-friendly RKII. But then again, I have a RKII and it is pretty **** easy to adjust. The output knob is a little touchy but I don't think it's an "over-the-top recto". not with things like the brit channel and lonestar cleans..

 

[Russ]

"simpler" Mark IV....?

I found the Mark IV complicated enough. I am glad I settled for a 2 ch Dual Rec for my Rec tone.

I haven't taken the time to mess with the RK enough to formulate enough of an opinion about it but I can say that the time I have spent with them is clearly not enough to fully appreciate one. My experience with the Roadster is about the same. I can say the same though about anyone that only knows a Mark IV from their time with one at a store. However, the Dual Rec is simple enough of an animal to get what you want from it just walking up to it and spending 15 minutes with it. The learning curve for the Mark IV was pretty steep for me. Honestly, I am still finding interesting things out about it. I have owned mine now for well over a year.

 

[brianf]

brianf

Hi,
if it's ground you don't cover,why do you have the RK?
richb

Seriously I just wanted one. I have about a dozen amps and this just seemed like a must have. My son also uses it and he loves channel 4.

brianf

 

[mrd]

Seems like this thread gets made every other week :lol:

I own both amps.. I think they are both great, they just cater to different sounds. I'll use the analogy I used before... if these amps were fighters, the MKIV would be a well-trained assassin that used carefully planned out hits, whereas the RoadKing would just step on top of the house.

These amps are both top of the line, they just do different things. Obviously they both do some things that the other can't, that's precisely why they are different. But to say that one is better than the other doesn't hold water. I truly believe that in terms of quality and what the amps are meant to do, they are both equal. Running both of these bad boys together is true tonal bliss :twisted:

 

[dodger916]

These amps are both top of the line, they just do different things. Obviously they both do some things that the other can't, that's precisely why they are different. But to say that one is better than the other doesn't hold water. :twisted:

Agreed. Now throw in an LSC and all ground is covered. 8)

 

[4nkam]

These amps are both top of the line, they just do different things. Obviously they both do some things that the other can't, that's precisely why they are different. But to say that one is better than the other doesn't hold water. :twisted:

Agreed. Now throw in an LSC and all ground is covered. 8)[/quote

I gotta agree with all the statements here They both are two truly great amps and simply have different approaches at what they do. The IV does offer a couple great tones and some good power/tonal options. The Roadking does as well and I honestly can't comprehend how anyone could dismiss a 4 channel head with all the cool features that the Roadking has. 4 modes per channel, Lonestar cleans, VERY nice/refined traditional Recto tones on ch3/4. It's still one amp that I plan on getting very soon.

 

[123thefirst]

MARK IV Old School
Roadking Nuschool

I'll just add:

Road King Nursery School (40's, 50's, 60's and 70's)

 

[CudBucket]

These threads should just be titled: "Should I buy the amp John Petrucci is using now or the one he used before?".

 

[HappyStrat]

Running both of these bad boys together is true tonal bliss :twisted:

Ditto, those that have never tried this will never ever know. :wink:

 

[metalblitz84]

BOTH!!!

I bought the MK IV and love it for all my rhythm stuff. Then I bought a Road King-love it too, but for that tight high gain crunch I have to go with the Mark IV. I use the Road King for all my lead and clean ****. It's the cleanest amp I've ever heard...up there with the JC-120.

 

[richb]

The Road King is basically a bloated, over-the-top Dual Rectifier, trying to be the "Recto"- equivalent of the MarkIV, but fails miserably. Way too many knobs, too complex, too fat, too many valves to worry about, and the output knob is disgusting! Totally wrecks the tone! And still sounds murky and muddy and buzzy.

WOW,That's someone who really doesn't know the capabilities of what a RK can really do.
Your WAY OFF my friend..

I can see when someone who doesn't have a RK and has seen it for the first time in a store might look at all those knobs and say ****,thats alot to work with.I know I did when I first saw it.within time after I brought it I spent time with it and Dialed in each channel to my spec's.
The best part is every channel has there own settings.NO sharing like the Mark IV(bass,mids treble.etc..)
Petrucci told me he spent days dialing in his channels and with some advice I made it happen just like anyone can do..
Don't be fooled by thinking this is JUST a over the top Recto.It's far past that!
check out my solo's on my myspace page"Enemy of Thought"(one take channel 3!!!)
richb
www.myspace.com/richbrymer

 

[gearHead]

I have owned both and sold my RK because I spent way too much time fiddling with the knobs, tube selections, channel voicings, and not enough time playing. Obviously the Mark IV has a lot of knobs and somewhat complex, but I think it is a much easier amp to live with and to work with.

The RK absolutely sucks for lead guitar work.. Just no presence, no cut-through etc. The Mark IV has been around for 15+ years and for good reason. The RK series is just a flashy, trendy model for those looking to spend $$$ thinking the more you spend the better you get. Not so.

 

[123thefirst]

The RK absolutely sucks for lead guitar work.. Just no presence, no cut-through etc. The Mark IV has been around for 15+ years and for good reason. The RK series is just a flashy, trendy model for those looking to spend $$$ thinking the more you spend the better you get. Not so.

Not so at all. But, as I and other people have said many times, the RK is very sensitive to your equipment and technique. If that's not together you may end up getting what you describe. At any rate, you have to be the determiner of what is right for you. Good luck with whatever you find yourself with.