New Mark IV Tomorrow!!!

[Mountain Fever]

After seemingly endless grinding on which amp I wanted to get to compliment the LSS, the choice has been made in favor of the Mark IV.

I love what the Ace can do, and if I did not already have a VibroKing I would have strongly considered the LSC; but the Mark is so versatile and if I live long enough to understand the combinations of settings I'm sure I'll get some great sounds out of it. Big plus too for the silent recording mode which I hope works as well as billed.

Any thoughts about whether NOS EL-34s are that much better than the regular EL-34s. I hope to try and scare tubes out of the dealer as a thank you gift.

I'm jazzed about actually getting to grapple with it over the weekend...no more three month wait like the LSS was.

 

[NuSkoolTone]

Hey Congrats! The Mark IV is a fantastic amp.

Don't get to excited about the "Silent recording" bit though, it works but wasn't anything to write home about. I have yet to hear "Recording outs" on any amp be all that impressive though...of course, YMMV! I have yet to try the slave out (Or recording out) with a speaker simulator which could work?

I will say you can get some pretty decent sounds at VERY low volumes with it using class A, Tweed Power. I Prefer Pentode, but Triode brings it down even further in volume.

Enjoy!

 

[Machine Gun]

That's one of the cool things about the Mark IV, doesn't look like a Marshall or any other amp for that matter. It's got it's own look and sound which is hard to beat in my opinion.

 

[123thefirst]

Any thoughts about whether NOS EL-34s are that much better than the regular EL-34s.

If you're REALLY into vintage sounds that might be a good way to go but... What happens after you've plunked down
$400.00 to some shader seller and lucked out to get a half-way decent pair of tubes. After a year or two or three of hard
playing you'll need another set. Now they'll cost $800.00 and their condition will be worse. And factory tubes won't quite
give you the same sound. Why set yourself up for such a dissappointment and hassle? Plus you'll need to modify your
amp so that you can adjust the bias.

My impression of the Mark IV is that people who use them are not after vintage (recorded) sounds. Except for the tough
but clear heavy gain sounds, they do have a particular sound that harkens back a bit in my opinion, but not one that
I recognize as being often on recordings from the 70's or 80's. Metallica excepted of course, of which I never listened to
to tell the truth.

I have yet to try the slave out (Or recording out) with a speaker simulator which could work?

For very clean sounds it should work if the slave out circuit is well-behaved. But for gain sounds it might not be at all
satisifactory. The Recto Pre works very beautifully into a console when followed by a speaker simulator. But it has the
built-in circuit that models the amp-to-cabinet interaction.

 

[srf399]

A grandpa amp!!!! Why I outta kick your a_ _ ya little!!!!!

 

[srf399]

I think it looks traditional and classy. I also like the way it blows the doors off of other amps. I get so many different sounds and styles out of mine it's ridiculous.

 

[srf399]

I've always thought Marshalls looked like a dumb baby Hugie amp. You know...big and dumb & clumsy.

 

[Machine Gun]

lol :lol:

 

[123thefirst]

The new Mark IV FMJ? (Full Metal Jacket)

You can step on it, kick it, throw it around and it will still sound tougher than ever.

 

[Hardtailed]

A grandpa amp!!!! Why I outta kick your a_ _ ya little!!!!!

Imagine a newly designed Mark IV that's got a melted shinny metal face plate and chromed knobs :twisted: that probably sell like hot cakes and more appealing for Nu-metalheads wannabe like Me

That's it, you just put your finger on the problem (why Rectos outsell Marks so much). The look!

I must admit I, myself, never did walked past the Mark IV without even noticing for years, before I finally sat down with one.
Now it's the only amp I would ever want!

I thought about putting a metal plate on the front actually...

 

[holdsworth]

Amps should be judge by there cover too, not just tone. but seriously, Mark IV is an awesome amp. I just don't pay attention to it, cuz' it reminds me of my Grandpa's Fender.

You'll grow up one day and learn that individuality is the key to success, both from a personal and commercial aspect. Mark IVs are retro and stylish. Rectos are tired and old-hat. 8)

Seriously though, nu-metal has totally spoilt the Recto sound for me. It's so ironic to hear that heavy churning recto sound pumping under a load of overdubs of overtly-gay, happy vocals. Terrible, just terrible, and about as "heavy" as an anorexic Shih Tsu! :roll:

 

[siggy14]

Its a shame, your whole point is ruined by your lack of information and a stupid opinion.

OK first, the recto's over the last ten years have been used in almost every style of music, I would know because i listen to anything and everything you can imagine and goto many concerts.

First recto's started out being nu metal only, then everyone else got a hold of them. I have seen them on stage in pop groups, many punk groups, rock groups, Jazz and even James brown's guitarist used one on stage.

Now what angered me most about your statement was not your lack of knowlege on the amp, but also your lack of knowlege about nu metal.

Nu-metal hardley had any gay happy lyrics, if you knew anything about that scene, it is the emo of metal, all sad and depressing lyrics about 90% of the time. Yes occasionally you would get a song about getting laid or having a good time, usually from the limp bizkit camp, but most of the lyrics where very depressing.

Now to Nu-metal sounding thin, please, that was some of the heaviest music, that down tuned wall of sound was just thick. Yes I liked nu-metal at the time and was heavy into the scene and still occasionly enjoy listening to an old song, but I have always been into many different styles of music and Love everything, these days I am more into rock/Indie.

I would never say a recto is a tired old hat, yeah it has been used alot, but there are so many tones in that amp you cant even begin to imagine.

Amps should be judge by there cover too, not just tone. but seriously, Mark IV is an awesome amp. I just don't pay attention to it, cuz' it reminds me of my Grandpa's Fender.

You'll grow up one day and learn that individuality is the key to success, both from a personal and commercial aspect. Mark IVs are retro and stylish. Rectos are tired and old-hat. 8)

Seriously though, nu-metal has totally spoilt the Recto sound for me. It's so ironic to hear that heavy churning recto sound pumping under a load of overdubs of overtly-gay, happy vocals. Terrible, just terrible, and about as "heavy" as an anorexic Shih Tsu! :roll:

 

[domct203]

Recto old hat?????? :shock:

Have you noticed how long a Marshall head has looked like a Marshall head?? Marshall even stooped to make solid states that are supposed to sound like there bigger bro's, and they still have the same look.

My wife likes Country music also and guess what, I'm seeing Recto's in some of those Country Music videos. Old Hat my a$$.

Dom

 

[srf399]

Actually why make the MKIV look like and old.. old..old 50's Fender design? The lone star is designed to visually look like the old 50's amp designs... but then most of you guys are so young you think that design is new.... LOL Wipe the water out from behind your ears...

 

[Matterra]

I honestly think the Dual Rectifier looks like a toy with the Diamond Plate.
Why? Because I relate Diamond plate to tool boxes, and most Diamond Plate tool boxes are really made of crappy, thin, metals, and are covered in the plating to look "tough". I know a typical DR is very well built, and an awesome amp, but I do not dig the diamond plating one bit.

I really really dig the Mark IV's minimalistic style though. It's dark, and elegant. A nice cover for such a fierce little machine.

 

[abecon5]

Mesa offers tons of custom options....if you dont like the look than have it custom made :wink:
thats what i did with my RKII
just choose the amp on its tone!

 

[domct203]

Mesa offers tons of custom options....if you dont like the look than have it custom made :wink:
thats what i did with my RKII
just choose the amp on its tone!

I could not have said that better myself.

Dom

 

[Hardtailed]

I honestly think the Dual Rectifier looks like a toy with the Diamond Plate.
Why? Because I relate Diamond plate to tool boxes, and most Diamond Plate tool boxes are really made of crappy, thin, metals, and are covered in the plating to look "tough". I know a typical DR is very well built, and an awesome amp, but I do not dig the diamond plating one bit.

I really really dig the Mark IV's minimalistic style though. It's dark, and elegant. A nice cover for such a fierce little machine.

ACtually, I think the whole diamond plate thing looks killer on stage. It kinda announces your colors to the audience.

I'm not very fond of my Mark IV's look.
But I do find some appeal in the sleeper attitude.
It looks like nothing until I strike a power chord and provoke movement in the tectonic plates

Funny thing is, until I bought a Mesa cab to go with it, people kept asking what brand my amp was (and were always suprised when I told them it was a Mesa), cause it only says "Boogie" on it, and there is no diamond plate... :roll:

 

[srf399]

Yes... I have always liked the sleeper factor. The Mark series has always been a sleeper/killer amp the intimidates big time. Friend of mine was back stage at Van Halen in the late seventies and the only amp miked was a boogie MK1.... the marshalls weren't even hooked up. He swore Eddy was using the boogie during the show and not the Marshalls. Of course it is only his word against what Eddy says,,, But at the time Eddy was trying big time to protect his sound from being copied. Same friend saw him turn his back to the audience every time he did his two handed stuff to keep guys from seeing how he did it!

 

[srf399]

That was before the first album came out during the LA club circuit days