My Mark Five 90 is trashed/ Resolved 2/14/22

[KRichter]

Good news, after about 4 weeks from the day they received it, My MarkV90 is done.
Just a few bad/sticky relays, diodes, small issue with the reverb/replaced jacks and a few other small things. Says did a go-over and doesn't see any future potential issues...
Here's the honest part........ repair and parts = $140.00, plus 40 to ship it back to Cleveland.
So glad I pulled it from their local tech (who had it for 3 months and quoted a few hundred.), and sent it right to Mesa.
For the past few months as a spare, I've been using a MKV:25 on Crunch, or a Randall. Both were just ok for playing live. Happy Camper here!

 

[El Rey]

Good news, after about 4 weeks from the day they received it, My MarkV90 is done.
Just a few bad/sticky relays, diodes, small issue with the reverb/replaced jacks and a few other small things. Says did a go-over and doesn't see any future potential issues...
Here's the honest part........ repair and parts = $140.00, plus 40 to ship it back to Cleveland.
So glad I pulled it from their local tech (who had it for 3 months and quoted a few hundred.), and sent it right to Mesa.
For the past few months as a spare, I've been using a MKV:25 on Crunch, or a Randall. Both were just ok for playing live. Happy Camper here!

They are a pain in the ass to work on for someone who doesn't work them everyday like Mesa in Petaluma. I'm sure when Mike Bendinelli retires (which is supposed to be soon) he will have all the Mesa Service work he can handle if he wants it. Hopefully he will continue on his own.

The MKV 90W Combo is a very nice amp. I find it actually easier to tweak up and less temperamental than my faithful MKIV-A.

But I still prefer the MKIV-A. If I find another in as good a condition (or even close) as mine I will buy it and sell this MKV. I find the MKV 90 to my ears a little too polished/refined sounding compared to the MKIV-A here. Kinda like how my Friedman Small Box 50 is compared to an actual Marshall JMP 50 MKII. Or how any of my Wizards are compared to an old JTM45. The JTM45 will sag and Wizards sag very little if any unless they are dimed.

Mesa must have tweaked it that way because of all the bitching about the MKIV. I find the MKIV just a bit more present, immediate, and "in-your-face" in all three channels. I notice the extra drive controls on the MKIV, absent on the MKV. Must have been too much bitching from those having a hard time with it.

The Stiletto Ace is another out of production Mesa I wouldn't mind having.

 

[tbonesullivan]

They are a pain in the ass to work on for someone who doesn't work them everyday like Mesa in Petaluma. I'm sure when Mike Bendinelli retires (which is supposed to be soon) he will have all the Mesa Service work he can handle if he wants it. Hopefully he will continue on his own.

The MKV 90W Combo is a very nice amp. I find it actually easier to tweak up and less temperamental than my faithful MKIV-A.

But I still prefer the MKIV-A. If I find another in as good a condition (or even close) as mine I will buy it and sell this MKV. I find the MKV 90 to my ears a little too polished/refined sounding compared to the MKIV-A here. Kinda like how my Friedman Small Box 50 is compared to an actual Marshall JMP 50 MKII. Or how any of my Wizards are compared to an old JTM45. The JTM45 will sag and Wizards sag very little if any unless they are dimed.

Mesa must have tweaked it that way because of all the bitching about the MKIV. I find the MKIV just a bit more present, immediate, and "in-your-face" in all three channels. I notice the extra drive controls on the MKIV, absent on the MKV. Must have been too much bitching from those having a hard time with it.

The Stiletto Ace is another out of production Mesa I wouldn't mind having.

From what I have gathered, Mike B mostly works on the older Mark series amps sent back for repairs and possible modifications. He definitely can't be the only tech working there, and I'm sure that there are others working there who do a fine job repairing their current amps and such. As they build the amps and repair them, they are most familiar with the issues that they usually have, and unfortunately sometimes certain batches of LDRS and other parts end up being substandard, which isn't found out until 5 years down the line.

The Mark IV is a great design, but unfortunately not the most intuitive. Most seem to also not be a fan of the "Rhythm" channel. The multitude of rocker switches and push pull knobs can definitely be intimidating, kind of like an 80s-90s Rivera amp, where almost every knob pulls out and does something. The Mark V is of course intimidating in other ways, with the ability to really customize the power section and how it responds.

I have a Stiletto ACE Combo, and it definitely is a great amp. I am however not sure that the choice of a Vintage 30 was really the best one for a Bright amp like the Stiletto. I installed a Scumback J75-LD 65Watter and I find it to be much more versatile and better sounding, especially on the crunch mode. Some may like it, but to get a decent sound on Crunch I had to turn the treble and presence almost off, and only run it in Spongy / Rectified mode.

 

[El Rey]

They are a pain in the ass to work on for someone who doesn't work them everyday like Mesa in Petaluma. I'm sure when Mike Bendinelli retires (which is supposed to be soon) he will have all the Mesa Service work he can handle if he wants it. Hopefully he will continue on his own.

The MKV 90W Combo is a very nice amp. I find it actually easier to tweak up and less temperamental than my faithful MKIV-A.

But I still prefer the MKIV-A. If I find another in as good a condition (or even close) as mine I will buy it and sell this MKV. I find the MKV 90 to my ears a little too polished/refined sounding compared to the MKIV-A here. Kinda like how my Friedman Small Box 50 is compared to an actual Marshall JMP 50 MKII. Or how any of my Wizards are compared to an old JTM45. The JTM45 will sag and Wizards sag very little if any unless they are dimed.

Mesa must have tweaked it that way because of all the bitching about the MKIV. I find the MKIV just a bit more present, immediate, and "in-your-face" in all three channels. I notice the extra drive controls on the MKIV, absent on the MKV. Must have been too much bitching from those having a hard time with it.

The Stiletto Ace is another out of production Mesa I wouldn't mind having.

From what I have gathered, Mike B mostly works on the older Mark series amps sent back for repairs and possible modifications. He definitely can't be the only tech working there, and I'm sure that there are others working there who do a fine job repairing their current amps and such. As they build the amps and repair them, they are most familiar with the issues that they usually have, and unfortunately sometimes certain batches of LDRS and other parts end up being substandard, which isn't found out until 5 years down the line.

The Mark IV is a great design, but unfortunately not the most intuitive. Most seem to also not be a fan of the "Rhythm" channel. The multitude of rocker switches and push pull knobs can definitely be intimidating, kind of like an 80s-90s Rivera amp, where almost every knob pulls out and does something. The Mark V is of course intimidating in other ways, with the ability to really customize the power section and how it responds.

I have a Stiletto ACE Combo, and it definitely is a great amp. I am however not sure that the choice of a Vintage 30 was really the best one for a Bright amp like the Stiletto. I installed a Scumback J75-LD 65Watter and I find it to be much more versatile and better sounding, especially on the crunch mode. Some may like it, but to get a decent sound on Crunch I had to turn the treble and presence almost off, and only run it in Spongy / Rectified mode.

I got to have a customer tour of the Mesa Factory in 2019. Got a chance talk to Mike Bendinelli the Chief Technician there. If you really know the history of Mesa, it's main people and it's product you wouldn't be guessing about any of this.

Go for a tour of the Petaluma CA factory, ask them all the questions you can think of.

Report back to us about what you "gather" after that.

 

[KRichter]

OK, My MKV90 will be here tomm!!! One thing I forgot to do is take a picture of the leads from the reverb tank. There's the shielded and un-shielded. Can someone please look at their amp and see which one is facing the back. Thanks again guys!

 

[KRichter]

Got it back today! Operates Flawlessly!

 

[rarebitusa]

They are a pain in the ass to work on for someone who doesn't work them everyday like Mesa in Petaluma. I'm sure when Mike Bendinelli retires (which is supposed to be soon) he will have all the Mesa Service work he can handle if he wants it. Hopefully he will continue on his own.

The MKV 90W Combo is a very nice amp. I find it actually easier to tweak up and less temperamental than my faithful MKIV-A.

But I still prefer the MKIV-A. If I find another in as good a condition (or even close) as mine I will buy it and sell this MKV. I find the MKV 90 to my ears a little too polished/refined sounding compared to the MKIV-A here. Kinda like how my Friedman Small Box 50 is compared to an actual Marshall JMP 50 MKII. Or how any of my Wizards are compared to an old JTM45. The JTM45 will sag and Wizards sag very little if any unless they are dimed.

Mesa must have tweaked it that way because of all the bitching about the MKIV. I find the MKIV just a bit more present, immediate, and "in-your-face" in all three channels. I notice the extra drive controls on the MKIV, absent on the MKV. Must have been too much bitching from those having a hard time with it.

The Stiletto Ace is another out of production Mesa I wouldn't mind having.

From what I have gathered, Mike B mostly works on the older Mark series amps sent back for repairs and possible modifications. He definitely can't be the only tech working there, and I'm sure that there are others working there who do a fine job repairing their current amps and such. As they build the amps and repair them, they are most familiar with the issues that they usually have, and unfortunately sometimes certain batches of LDRS and other parts end up being substandard, which isn't found out until 5 years down the line.

The Mark IV is a great design, but unfortunately not the most intuitive. Most seem to also not be a fan of the "Rhythm" channel. The multitude of rocker switches and push pull knobs can definitely be intimidating, kind of like an 80s-90s Rivera amp, where almost every knob pulls out and does something. The Mark V is of course intimidating in other ways, with the ability to really customize the power section and how it responds.

I have a Stiletto ACE Combo, and it definitely is a great amp. I am however not sure that the choice of a Vintage 30 was really the best one for a Bright amp like the Stiletto. I installed a Scumback J75-LD 65Watter and I find it to be much more versatile and better sounding, especially on the crunch mode. Some may like it, but to get a decent sound on Crunch I had to turn the treble and presence almost off, and only run it in Spongy / Rectified mode.

Yea the Stiletto Ace is really a sweet amp. A very different voicing then my LSS, MkV:90 or IIC+ and that's the major reason I dig it so. I agree the v30 is bright but I found pairing it with an EVM12L gives it better balance for my ears. I'd certainly be up for trying a different speaker with it at some point.

The V:90's power section is just amazing, well the whole amp is IMHO, and a treat if you're into swapping around preamps to power amps. I also found the MkIV was a bit confusing initially to understand... my buddy who has one refused to let me tweak the knobs when I was checking it out cause he was worried he'd never get it dialed in again LOL

 

[Nick Athanasatos]

I think these Mark Amps have just gotten too complicated.Too many knobs.
Who needs 3 Channels in my view.
I had an early Mark lll the Rythmn 2 was terrible.
I have a Mark IV and it's always the clean and the gain set at the one best sound and I never mess will all those controls..when the amp tubes really warm up it starts having some spirit.
In the old days it was Marshall Plexi 4x12 lower the volume with 57 Les Paul Junior clean almost acoustic, up the volume to various levels and everything is there. I'm happy with the Mark IV but more controls than that..? Oh no.