MK V.....

[prs1999]

Anyone have info other than this?
http://www.hugeracksinc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52653

 

[ketiov]

I don't know, maybe in one of the three huge threads marked "Mark V"? I'd assume there's some info in there.

 

[danyeo1]

Someone on HCAF claims to have played one in Hollywood. Here's the review.


So I had the chance to play the Mark V today. I could not take any pics of it but it is indeed the amp on top of John Petrucci’s rack. If you have ADD and don’t want to read the whole thing, let me just say this is the best new Mesa amp I’ve played in many years.

I’m a huge Mesa fan and I have owned a bunch of them, Nomad, Recto, F50, Studio Pre, Studio Caliber, Mark IIB, Mark IVb etc… I currently still own a DC10 and a Mark III, which has been my main amp for a few years. So I think I’m qualified enough to make comparisons.

The amp layout is very much like a Nomad head, you have the gain, eq, channel volume and presence for each channel and there are also 3 reverb knobs in the back. Each channel also has a 90/45/10w option and voicing switches. Then you have the GEQ and 3 contour knobs. You can either assign the contour or the graphic EQ to each invidual channel.

In the back there are option to use either tube or solid state rectifiers, but that varies according to the power setting.. The 90w option only uses the SS rectifier, the 45w option can use either one, and the 10w option uses the tube rectifier only. I did not play with the rectifier options so I will not comment on how they sound.

All this stuff sounds very complicated, but in fact, this is one of the easiest Mesas to dial in, I was able to get great tones almost right away on all 3 channels. I’m sure you can spend hours fine tuning it, but if you want to use this amp in a plug and play fashion, you could, the controls, while still very interactive, are not so hard to dial in as other Mesa amps. The front panel layout helps a lot in that regard, I’m happy that they chose to use the Nomad-style layout, since that’s pretty much the only good thing about the Nomad series.

Now let’s go the interesting part, the tones:

Channel one is the clean channel and it has 2 modes, the first mode is a very clean and pristine tone, very much like my DC10. In this mode the tone remains clean pretty much on all but the most extreme gain/volume setting and the amp sounds tight and precise, great for jazz runs or funk rhythms. Mode 2 is more of a LoneStar type of clean. Right away you feel the low end getting saggier and an increase on the mids. This mode goes into a wonderful crunchy tone in the higher gain settings. Think Andy Timmons’ “Electric Gypsy”. This channel is very different from my Mark III clean tones, again more like a DC or a LoneStar.

Channel 2 is the crunch channel and that’s where you finally realize you’re playing a Mark series amp. The classic Mark voicing is there, but the tone is much thicker, this amp has a huge amount of low end, not flubbly low end like a Recto, again it’s a Mark series, the amp remains tight and focused even on high settings. There is a 3-voicing voicing switch for this channel I forgot what the modes are called but basically the amp gets bigger and more aggressive from modes 1-3. This channel has more than enough gain and low end for metal and the low gain settings give you a nice crunch, especially when using the first (softer) mode.

Chaneel 3 is the one with most gain and the 3-way voicing here are labeled “Mark IIC+/Mark IV/Extreme. The first 2 are kind of self explanatory but the Extreme mode is really where it’s at. The best way to describe it is the Mark IIC+ core tone but with more bass, highs, mids, gain, etc…. Like a “supercharged” Mark IIC+. The amount of gain on this mode is simply ridiculous; I did not have to go past 12 o’clock on the gain to get a extremely aggressive metal tone, even at moderate volumes you can feel the low-end thump on the speakers. The lead tone has all the fluidity and incredible sustain that the Mark series is famous for and it’s so easy to shred on this amp. This mode also has an incredible fast response to your pick attack, you feel the amp responding to your playing almost immediately. I was playing at a low volume so it’s hard to tell but the amp showed no indication of getting muddy or flubby.

That’s the coolest thing about this amp, yeah it has a bunch of features and innovations, but it still is very much a Mesa Mark. The Mark core tone is there in spades. If you love the Mark III like I do, but need something more versatile, this is it. Compared to the Mark IV, I’d say this amp is miles ahead in terms of tone AND versatility. I also think it took the Mark tone to the next level, especially when it comes to more aggressive and modern tones.

I will be definitely buying one soon, to me it will be a free amp because I will sell my Mark III and my DC-10 to cover it’s cost. I ‘m confident that this amp is good enough to replace both amps. Easily.

As far as when it’s going to be released, they told me probably right after NAMM, price is around 2k.Again I could not take pics or clips and in fact was asked not even to post anywhere about it. But I don’t see why not, since this is a highly positive review so hey…

 

[JAZZGEAR]

Search button is your friend

 

[prs1999]

well dont I feel silly...search button eh?

Thanks for the review Danyeo,I should have just asked you in the first place.

 

[droptrd]

Im excited!

 

[Whoopysnorp]

I played it today--not long enough to have any new information to add, but I liked it. I didn't think to check the back so I can't answer the simul question. The clean channel sounded great. I liked the fat voice the best. Channel two has a bright mode, a normal mode, and a Mark I mode (that has two distinct voices). It seemed to have more gain available than the Mark IV second channel. I'll agree that the extreme voicing was where it's at--it's capable of not only gobs of gain but a sturdy mid-gain tone as well. No pricing info yet though--this model was not for sale.

 

[kiff]

I played it today

Hollywood?

 

[Whoopysnorp]

I played it today

Hollywood?

Yeah, i'm in town visiting friends. Went down there just to check out the store and certainly didn't expect to find the Mark V there. The guy said it's been there for about a week and that he's been claiming it's not there when people call up to ask about it.

 

[EleventhHour2139]

don't you just love that kind of deceptive, lying customer service. same b.s. that dude pulled on me yesterday @ petaluma when i called asking about the mark 5.

like what the hell is the problem if people "find out early" as in before NAMM starts? they're finding out anyway, no?

the store will be flooded perhaps... it will be flooded anyways...

if somebody spreads the news that jenna jameson is signing books or stripping looks, more ppl will show up, no?

How many people do you want crowding the store and fighting to try to get a chance to play the venerable new Mark 5? It may be a nuthouse now, but at least they are trying to keep it from becoming a nightmare. Personally I have found Mesa's customer service to be quite good, as have many, but I don't want to get into that.

Also, I don't think it's a matter of people finding out early, but rather a matter of wanting as much awe and attention at NAMM as possible. Every person who sees/plays it is another person who has one less reason to attend NAMM. Remember, the Mark 5 is supposed to be "debuting" at NAMM, so why would it they confess that there is one at Hollywood now? Allowing SOME people to play it/gawk at it will cause enough of a stir to excite things considerably, but too much exposure pre-debut certainly wouldn't be a good thing.

 

[MetallicaFreak65]

That guy is wrong one of my good friends works for mesa and the lead has three different channels. Its the Mark IIC+ not mark III and a Mark IV lead and a modern more aggressive virsion of the mark IIC+ My friend said the Mark IIC+ is dead on to the original. He also told me the had would be 2000 and the combo would be 2200 or aroudn there and he said it would all be relased at Namm this week and the set realse date is in March hope i helped

I cant wait!

 

[mesadude]

I've already got a MKV on order. Placed it Friday.

MeZadude 8)

 

[phyrexia]

Keep in touch. I want to know who gets an earlier serial number - you, me, or my customer whose amp I ordered at the same time as mine.

 

[dodger916]

I've already got a MKV on order. Placed it Friday.

MeZadude 8)

What's the turnaround time for your order?

 

[mesadude]

I've already got a MKV on order. Placed it Friday.

MeZadude 8)

What's the turnaround time for your order?

Don't know yet. I should find out this week.

The last time I placed an order with Mesa when the original Road King was announced, it took a whole year to get the amp. So, I'm not holding my breath here...
I know there are already a few MKV's built (chassis anyway), but from what I was told, actual production has not started yet.

MeZa 8)

 

[phyrexia]

2007 NAMM = Express series announced
Feb 5 2007 = we got the first express amp at work. Serial E5035 (#35)

I hope that it is similar to that. My amp is going to be a custom job so I'm sure if I ask it'll be "8-12 weeks".

 

[richb]

I put money down on a Mark V last week.
I was told that anywhere between 60 to 90 days after Namm i'll have mine.
I heard a certain someone's MK V without it really being dialed in.
It sounded good.
I think I'm still stuck on Original IIC+'s
In any event it'll be sweet to run in stereo with my new Baby.
Richb

 

[brettlingle]

I put money down on a Mark V last week.
I was told that anywhere between 60 to 90 days after Namm i'll have mine.
I heard a certain someone's MK V without it really being dialed in.
It sounded good.
I think I'm still stuck on Original IIC+'s
In any event it'll be sweet to run in stereo with my new Baby.
Richb

I just put money down on one today Rich. I guess I got lucky because they said I was the first one to ask about a Mark V. They said they ordered theirs three weeks ago and should have it soon after NAMM on Thursday whatever that means.Who's did you hear Rich and was it a prototype? I know your buddies with JP. I heard someone saying that the one Petrucci has is a prototype as well as the one at the Mesa Hollywood store. I sure hope they didn't change anything too much from the prototype because I am stoked about it from what I heard.

 

[richb]

I put money down on a Mark V last week.
I was told that anywhere between 60 to 90 days after Namm i'll have mine.
I heard a certain someone's MK V without it really being dialed in.
It sounded good.
I think I'm still stuck on Original IIC+'s
In any event it'll be sweet to run in stereo with my new Baby.
Richb

I just put money down on one today Rich. I guess I got lucky because they said I was the first one to ask about a Mark V. They said they ordered theirs three weeks ago and should have it soon after NAMM on Thursday whatever that means.Who's did you hear Rich and was it a prototype? I know your buddies with JP. I heard someone saying that the one Petrucci has is a prototype as well as the one at the Mesa Hollywood store. I sure hope they didn't change anything too much from the prototype because I am stoked about it from what I heard.

I heard one of the prototypes(does it really matter who's it is?)
anyway,I still think my IIC+ sounds better but than again i didn't have a chance to touch the V...
I'll see soon enough.Can't wait.
Richb

 

[JOEY B.]

I heard one of the prototypes(does it really matter who's it is?)
anyway,I still think my IIC+ sounds better but than again i didn't have a chance to touch the V...
I'll see soon enough.Can't wait.
Richb

There will be a showdown between five C+ amps (simul, export, coliseum, 60/100) and the MkIII blue stripe Coliseum and the MkV very soon in North Alabama. It will include ALL channels and modes of each amp. :shock: