Switch to RKII?!?

[ricorocks]

Glad to hear you got the Roadster also. I thought you were a Mark lover exclusively …. Anyhow I will surely let you know what I think of the King. I was thinking if I like the King I am gonna get a Roadster also because I don’t care for the extra bells and whistles (Prog . linkage. Cab switching. 120 watts 2 loops etc) from what I understand they are identical so why throw extra money for features I will NOT use right? Tomorrow will be judgment day on the King LOL . (I don’t think I’m sleeping tonight LOL) hope I love it’s lead tone, but I feel it’s NOT gonna be as smooth as the “V”! I envy you (in a good way) being able to have all those wonderful dream amps. I can only afford one or the other so if I get a Roadster I’ll have to let go of the “V”. I would LOVE to keep my “V” and grab a Roadster also. (DREAM ON) LOL… “that’ll be the day that I die” … I appreciate all the help and suggestions you gave me I couldn’t of found a better person. You are truly a great person . I highly respect you. I don’t think being stuck in the 90’s is a bad thing . I believe the BEST music was made in the late 60’s- 70’s and some 80-90 years. Today it’s just all Technical pyrotechnical Sh?t! catch my drift? everyone trying to be faster than the next guy . where’s the MUSIC??? And more-so where’s the song? as you said Pink Floyd is a Legend along with Zeppelin which are my RELIGION and deep Purple Hendrix . I sometimes feel I’m going backwards myself but I find that was the best period in rock Music. PERIOD. Nowadays as I said its just SHREDDDDD. It’s as if you don’t play fast “You’re NOT considered a good guitarist”!!!) NOT true I find the best songs ever written were written by L.Zeppelin D.Purple. P. Floyd . Hendrix, Ozzy with Randy Rhoads , Black Sabbath . Van Halen and the list can just ramble on and on. So I see nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact it’s nice to be able to shred but there’s nothing like playing “Shine on your crazy diamond” or “Stairway” or “C razy train” the crowd just goes CRAZYYY. Cheers my friend. I’ll let you know my feeling on the “KING” Later…rock till you drop is my motto…

 

[bandit2013]

I grew up with the Scorpions as my inspiration, and there was Rush too. Styxx, Boston, Zeppelin, Yes, and everything in between I developed interests in long after they had their chance in the limelight. Drummer was a Zeppelin guru, the Bass player was into Yes, me? well Scorpions and Pink Floyd were my favorites. Mix it all up, all of it improvised and bingo we sounded like Guns -n -Roses. Go figure.
I do not have the Roadster yet. It will be coming soon. Promised date was June 6th. I decided on the jute grille that has the vented logo on the front. More vents are better than none.

I have two other amps that are not Marks, RA100, and dare I say it, Carvin V3MC ( nice little amp once it is set up correctly). I really only need the one amp, the Mark V can do most of what I play. V3MC on the other hand, easy to carry. Considering the cost, a bit less than half the cost of a TA-30. It actually sounds great though a cabinet. I would prefer to stick with Mesa, build quality is bar none. I am sure there are a few others out there but way too expensive.

Good luck with the King 8)

 

[ricorocks]

Ok guys , finally got to ride the “KINGII” yesterday , here’s my take on this amp: (it was worth the three hour drive) you really gotta play these amps to know what you want, you CANNOT buy blindfolded taking peoples words for GOOD on their sole and only subjective perspectives, tone wise. Let’s start by saying I am a Lead/Soloist guitarist at heart (most of the time at least) so I need an amp that gives me an “Awesome smooth creamy lead tone”. With that said I will give you my impressions on the “KING II” I did an A/B comparison between the KingII and the Mark V and I felt that The Mark V was definitely tighter and more articulate, whereas the Road King had more sub low punch and rawness. Now The RK was very high gain, with lots of low end, but NOT as tight as the “V”… (tried them both with a Recto 4x12 Slant OS , the only 4x12 mesa cab they had in store… I would of liked to try the Straight cab!!! the MV was much smoother and creamier for leads. The V has fat, warm , round ,liquid, defined, articulate compressed lead tone which i friggin’ love, period. I feel the V fits my needs much better plus its smaller and lighter, the KING weighs a TON without the case!!! I am NOT a body builder and have no intention on becoming one.. LOL. I can only imagine going to a gig and before playing being already tired and sweaty (Run for the shower…Again). And then having to bring that beast and FX cab etc back to the car. NO way , that’s a Workout that I do NOT need LOL… I’ll pass on that. The feeling I had on the King were that the cleans had MUCH more headroom and were cleaner and fatter, warmer, rounder than the V by a slight tad, maybe because they come from the Lonestar. I preffered the cleans on the King. As far as the lead channels 3 and 4 . set to vintage on ch3, I got a great lead tone with these settings: (6L6) and tube rectification. Pres. Off- bass 11 –mid 11 –treble 11 –gain 3:30. – master depending on how loud I could crank it in the store , anyhow around 10. (50 watts) naturally LOL. I felt this gave me a great lead tone BUT I must be honest with myself and say that I prefer the definition and tightness of The “V” in mark IV mode… take all this with a huge grain of salt cause’ these were my impressions . they are NOT Christ’s words… as far as ch 4 modern mode I felt it was very LOUD and great for Rhythm and leads but I prefer Extreme mode in the “V” Again… my settings on ch 4 modern were: Master to taste- Pres. off again – bass 11- mid 11 . treb -12 – gain 2. again 6L6 and tube rect. On 50 watts. I must say that while an outstanding amp I feel it lacks somewhat that tightness that the “V” has along with the clarity of note separation which I need and love , along with definition and articulation. It is an Awesome amp if you are a high gain junkie that loves HM low end Chugging on strings. So my final verdict is this. If you are basically a Lead player go with the “V” , if you are a chugger go with the King or Roadster as they are the same amp without all the bells and whistles as they say… those features are great in the studio, but do you really use them LIVE?!? I’ll make a funny analogy. The “KingII” feels like a 16 wheeler coming towards you , while the “V” feels like a Lamborghini if you catch my drift. So in the end I am keeping my “V” BUT I am def. getting a Rectifier of some sort second hand when I find a good deal. I feel rectifiers are all the same more or less with the king roadster having the extra channels and reverb. But I can live without that. I only need 2 channels on a rectifier and no need for rev. if I’m a chuggin’ LOL… so to summarize: if you are a lead player at heart, go with the “V” and grab a 2nd hand recto for sh?ts and giggles… if you are a rhythm player grab a King or Roadster and a 2nd hand “V” for sh?ts and giggles…that’s my take hope you guys appreciate it. Rock on and keep the good info Rolling ….Almost forgot the “V” is a drier amp than the “King”. The king was a wetter feeling amp which is great…Rock till you drop…

:wink: :wink:

 

[bandit2013]

That is a great write up for a first time impression. I felt the same about the Roadster when I first tried one out, I did not experiment with it long enough to find the sweet spots, where as the V was prefect for what I would use it for and bought that instead. Still had that desire to have a DR so why not just order one and get it over with. I did search the marketplace (EBAY) for some good deals. I know what I wanted, but not sure I wanted another used amp. The RA100 that I got on EBAY, appeared to have been altered to fit other tubes that had a wider stem. All of the ceramic sockets were chipped out and the key-way is hard to see. I can index the tubes in each socket with ease which is not good. Had to mark the sockets where the key should be. Other than that, the amp was well taken care of.

Yep, the V is a great amp and is hard to beat. Probably why it is considered one of Mesa's Flagship amps. I play just about everything, from lead to rhythm. The V excels in all categories. Dry cleans is great for that acoustic tone, not too hard to get it wet either. However, the RA100 is all about the clean channel, not dry though, has lots of dirt to it but is perfect for blues or Jazz. An amp for Stratocasters or Telecasters. Hi/lo gain channel is raw, I can get close to the Mark V tone but that is where it ends. The Mark V is much better and very versatile. Sounds incredible with a strat too. I basically use my Mark IV as what you described is best suited for the King. I will see what it is all about when I get the Roadster, I need the reverb as it is the only effect I rely on. You are aware of what the King was missing right? post gain EQ. I have one for the RA100 and it makes a huge difference even though the effect is not dramatic like it is with the onboard eq of the V and IV. I believe the EQ on the V is more responsive than it is on the IV. I would find it hard to part with the Mark V myself. I may be a metal head of sorts, love the classic rock and some modern styles, but blues and jazz has become an interest to me. I would not mind picking up riffs from some good country songs (I do not listen to country, ever... just not my style, although the wife usually controlled the radio while I was driving, she preferred country music but once in a while she would find a classic rock station to listen too.

 

[ricorocks]

Thanks for appreciating my write up. Yes I am aware that it does NOT have post gain EQ. But to be honest I did NOT feel as if It needed one… strange. On the other hand if I do not have the GEQ engaged on the “V” in ch3 mainly, the sound just isn’t “RIGHT” . I just can’t play it without EQ (Sliders)…. I guess marks are built for use with an EQ?!? I do NOT EQ Ch1 that’s for sure…(EQ OFF!!!) Good luck with your Roadster and let me know how you find it after fiddling with it . Oh forgot to mention I also love Kenny Rogers and Willie Nelson LOL… I heard there’a reissue of the famous Rectoverb 25 with rev. that might be something worth looking into. 25 watts is way plenty for a pub or bar gig. Outdoor gig MARK V all the wayyyyyyyyy…… thanks for reading and Rock on.. Ciao man.

 

[bandit2013]

I use the EQ on all channels. I typically share the 5 band with CH1 and CH3 and use preset for CH2. I feel the same about the RA100, does not really require the post EQ, but after using it in the loop and then take it away, I feel it sounded better with the EQ.

Ever operate the V in 10W mode and forget you set it there, come back to it the next day and wonder why your amp sounds different? Did that many times, once I thought I had a tube issue.

 

[ricorocks]

Yeah happened to me to play at home 10W then take it out. Hit the first chord at a jam and be like...What the fu?k happened to the volume and Power?!? LOL . Soon to realize it’s on 10WATTS!!! Hey I’m a guitarist LOL .. . Later…thoughts on the the new Rectoverb 25?? :shock:

 

[bandit2013]

Since you mentioned it, I listened to the video clips, sounds good. I would probably consider the head version over the combo (you get a larger speaker envelope and open or sealed cavity) Definitely something you should try out if you have not done so already. Also compare it to a TA-30 (that one I would consider due to the overall size of the speaker cavity). The Recoverb combo is slightly larger than my Carvin V3MC which may help reducing the cancelling effects of an open back cavity. I would expect Mesa to develop the envelope to enhance the speaker characteristics. Hard to tell how the combo would sound, all the clips were made from the Head version with two 1x12 cabinets. I am waiting 8) for the mini Mark V to come out :shock: :lol: like that would ever happen.

 

[ricorocks]

Yeah I’ll def. get the head if I pull the trigger. Why would you want another mark V??? for less weight on small gigs???

 

[bandit2013]

I was kidding, 8) But a mini Mark V with a quad of EL84's with DynaWatt power section would be nice. In reality, the Mark series amps are already compact. For some time I did consider getting another Mark V but in combo form. Since I have the Mark IV combo, it was not a pressing issue. If I did gigs, the Mark V combo would make sense and you can still drive a 412 or full stack if needed. (What I used to do with the Mark III back in the band days, cabinet stayed where everything was set up, the amp on the other hand came home with me, and of course my guitars). When I got the Mark IV combo, had the same idea so I bought the Recto 412. I tried the jam session with the Mark IV, when you have to carry the amp a long distance with the rest of your gear, it becomes a burden. Reason behind the Carvin V3MC. I can carry that, guitar and rest of gear in one shot. Plus it can drive a 412 since it is 50W. However, If I was in a band, it would be the OS 412 with EV and the Mark V, possibly the traditional sized V30 with RA100 or Mark IV to run in stereo ( still waiting on the Roadster, had to order the jute face with vented logo like the RK or DR/TR, could have it already if I got the other faceplate ).

 

[ricorocks]

I didn’t know you preferred combo’s over head in mark series amps!! I always thought the head was better than the combo although the combo is more practical if you don’t mind the weight! Issue with the head is that it looks funky if hooked up yo a 412 a head looks way better for a halfstack. Also with the head you don’t hear the rattle of the tubes that you most often hear in combo’s… I knew you were kidding on the mini V but from speakin to you I almost believed you . you change amps more often than I change my underwear LOL…

 

[bandit2013]

I actually prefer heads over combo's. I was considering converting my Mark IV to a Head at some point, that was before I opened up the baffle for front mounting the speaker and shoe horned in a Fane Studio 12L. Still not quite the same character as it is when driving the half stack. However, with an extension cab 1x12 and driving a total load of 4 ohms it really delivers the mojo. I can get the Mark IV with my speaker arrangement just as loud as the Mark V though a 412 cab. If I really like the Roadster (head of course) with the EV equipped OS recto 412, I may get a vertical 2x12 Recto cab for the V. I will have to decide if that is the best path. I will find it hard to part the Mark V from the EV cabinet. I will have to try it thought the small V30 cabinet again. Heck, why not just get another 412 cab (I am going to run out of room fast) Easy approach, Put all the heads on a rack, stuff the Mark IV under it, and just use two the two 412 cabs. Too bad I like to run two amps at one time, that really sounds incredible.

However, dong gigs and such, it would be easier to carry the combo as compared to the head and cabinet. All depends on the sound system and what is available. My Mark III combo was capable of cutting through the mix with just the EV black shadow speaker. I did use two homemade 2x12 cabs (oversized and deep, not the best envelope, but they worked) on occasion, still did not sound better than the EV black shadow which is mostly what I relied on.

 

[ricorocks]

Oh ok so you do prefer heads! It’s just more practical with combo’s. I catch your drift… but when you mike up combo amp and 4x12 cab you would have to mike up 2 diff. cabs because one has Ev’s 4x12 and the other C90’s (Combo) from my understanding… doesn’t that make it harder toEQ?!? By the way why don’t you just buy a music store instead of getting another 412 or 212 LOL…I get a kicjk outta you. You probably got more gear than many stores carry …Ciao man

 

[bandit2013]

When you drive a 412 with a combo amp, unplug the combo speaker. I guess you could use both combo and a 412 if they are matched impedances but the single speaker will not be very noticeable in the mix. When I am using the combo speaker in my Mark IV and a 1x12 extension cab, I use both 4 ohm positions since both speakers are 8 ohms each and the combined load is 4 ohms. (note: the two 4 ohm jacks are in parallel). The same would apply with the Mark V (or the Mark IV) if I were to drive two 412 cabinets that are 8 ohms each which I have done many times.

I don't have more gear, there are others in this forum and over in the Carvin forum that have way more than I could ever imagine.
I have seen some that have 20 amps, and probably 100 guitars. I am satisfied with the amps I have but will see about the Roadster which will be it for me. That will basically complete my goals since I do not have a DR to use (Mark V is more like a 45W single rectifier but in 90W mode, it is all Mark since it uses silicon rectifiers for the power in that mode. Sometimes I will use the variac for that sag but I normally use it at full power in 90W mode.

 

[ricorocks]

Oh I didn’t think of unplugging the combo speaker LOL. I thought you would hook up both together in the 4Ohm Output…( Combo and 4x12 cab) ?!? that’s why I was asking about mic’ing issues… well for me you have more than plenty in gear…. I don’t even want to ask how many axes you’ve got LOL …why in the world would someone need 20 amps and 100 guitars?!? Unless Of course if you’re JP or some Pro…or if you were loaded with money and didn’t know how to spend it and just wanted every amp and guitar under the sun then I could understand…It’s just overkill to me . I can understand 4-5 nice/great amps and 6-7 nice/great axes . 5-6 diff. cabs for diff. applications ( 1x12 open back- closed back- 2x12 Vert - horiz.– 4x12) I guess. but more just seems like a waste of money to me. If I had all that money I would place it elsewhere “REAL ESTATE” buy a home in Florida, another in California, another in NY City - Arizona … yeah that would be real cool. Now that’s an investment …just day dreamin’ man…oh by the way if I become famous and loaded with “BUCKS” I’ll probably do that LOL… Rock till you drop…

 

[bandit2013]

I believe I have seen pictures of rooms filled with amp heads of various makes, more cabinets than makes sense, and way too many guitars. Some people get G.A.S and just cannot get out of it. I know I was there long ago, but only had 5 guitars and one amp.

Now, things are quite different. I have 10 electric guitars and 2 acoustics (6 and a 12). The electric guitars, most of them I bought on EBAY. The only thing thy have in common, they are all Carvin. If I did not like them, I could always sell it without taking the first bath of loss. I only bought 2 new from Carvin. So far I have two bolt on neck super-strats, 5 neck though strat style with humbuckers (different woods) a vintage 84 double cut les paul type, Two California carve top models (one that is similar to a PRS and the other is a LP clone). I took the picture before getting the 2nd super strat. It is not much, but enough for me. As for the guitars, they each have a specific character to them. I am basically done with buying guitars. I do have a desire for a semi-hollow axe though, I really enjoy the roots of rock (blues) but I can't seem to stay away from the heavy stuff either. I only keep out 5 guitars at a time and will use each of them daily. Same applies to the amps, but they stay out all the time. My favorites are the super strats (both have Floyd Rose trems)

Here is a link to the other super strat. (sorry it will take you to Carvin forums).
http://carvinbbs.com/viewtopic.php?t=42111&start=0

 

[ricorocks]

Wooooooh…………. :shock: :shock: now I understand why you said that you’ve heard people with lots of gear on the Carvin forum..That’s incredible man… you got some serious mojo there. Just wondering why do you have all carvin’s??? are you a Rep?!? I think you’re missing out on a great instrument though… I believe every guitarist should have (A Bass) at least a 4 string. It helps a lotttttt with left arm endurance and right hand alt. pick. It Reinforces your wrist for alt. picking… . trust me. After playing my bass I go back to my guitar and can fly on it. I also shred on my bass LOL…lots of pros also play bass. An you got me gassing for a Roadster now… and maybe one of your Carvins. I got 2 Suhr custom moderns. Basswood – maple cap and roasted maple neck and board with Suhr Aldrich Humpups bolt-on. (Holy grail of tone) as described by the man himself. J. Suhr (it’s so true…) and an all mahog. Set-neck with same pups and pau ferro board. Awesome fu?!in’ guitar. This thing blows man. I prefer it to my bass/maple top Suhr. Then I got ibby RG770 prestige DX and my first toy a peavey T-15. which I will NEVER sell. Brings back memories of when I was a kid tryin’ to play “Paranoid” or “Iron man”.. Wow… good ol’ days. By the way I was thinking of getting a 7 string for fun also. Just can’t decide if go with Ibby or Dean!!! I got a bass Ltd all mahog neck through with rosewood board and EMG active pups . this thing has awesome cleans and warm round fat notes. It’s just awesome for me. And as I said helps a lot for guitar playing. I usually start warming up on it, then start playing a few tri tone chords and just simply impro. And when I feel comfortable start speedin’ up to shred. Then grab my axes and SUHRPERMAN LOL…Anyhow great pic and awesome gear. Kudo’s to you. I am NOT good at posting pics. I would like to so I could show you my gear… i envy you... :twisted: :twisted: Rock till you drop…

 

[bandit2013]

Hmm, I heard that Suhr guitars are second to none. There are some Carvinites in the Carvin forum that really like those too. I would probably like them too.

I have seen some really nice axes on the Suhr website that are quite impressive. :shock:

As for Carvin guitars, I got the bug in 2000 when I first played a used one in a local guitar shop in Coopersburg PA. (close to where I used to live). At that time, I thought that Gibson and Charvel / Jackson were it for me. I sold my LP about a year before finding the Carvin guitar so I was eager to get another set neck or neck through axe. I have not had the opportunity to play a custom Suhr guitar. They are about as rare as finding a Carvin in a retail guitar store where I am at now. Most of the Carvins I have now (except for two) were Ebay finds, If I really like it as a used instrument, I may consider getting a new one with options that I would prefer. Same goes for the RA100. The Mark IV I had bought just before I found the Carvin guitar. The Oversized Recto cab I bought new at the same time. It was only about $556.00 at the time. Now they are twice that much. It seems like I buy something guitar related after a relationship ends. Come to think of it, I bought the Mark III after ending an engagement. I bought the Mark IV and Carvin after a divorce of a 10 year long relationship. And the rest, well it was after I lost my 2nd wife due to an illness. I tend to burry myself in music, I guess it depends on how painful the experience and how much of a void I need to fill. Besides that, I promised her that I would start playing again before she passed, this was before I realized her condition was terminal.

Yep, you are right about the Bass, was thinking about getting one someday. I have also considered a drum kit too, however would prefer to stick with the stringed instruments.

I do not have the Roadster yet, :x I hope I get it soon. :| I keep checking the Sweetwater site to see if they are in (the others are there but wanted the jute face plate with vented grill, similar to the Road King design.) I did search on Ebay but I decided to go new. Problem I had with the RA100, all the power tube sockets were modified probably to fit non-standard tubes, if I am not careful installing tubes, I can easily rotate them in any position which is not good. Already had a tube installed that was indexed improperly, found this out by the heater not lighting up. At least it was not a hard short circuit or worse. I had to put a mark on the ceramic where the key slot should be so I do not screw it up. When it comes to amps, never know if it had been modified. Usually buyer beware when it comes to used equipment.

As for posting pictures, you need to have an on-line host since you cannot upload directly from your pc. I finally figured out how to get the picture into the forum than ending up with a link. Photo-bucket works, usually on the left side of the screen there is a few buttons. I usually select the one to create a link to the image, copy it, then paste it in the IMG thing. You need to edit the link and delete the first part of it and it works.

 

[ricorocks]

Thanks for the pic info. So Sorry to hear about your wife, you gave me watery eyes man. Life sucks then you die… :| but enough of that cause when I think of it I just get depressed…yeah Suhrs are awesome but do NOT get the Pro series model, go with a custom built… I got 2 Moderns and love them both ( well a bit more the set-neck all mahog) but the classics are also awesome and others. I think you would love the Modern customs because they’re Superstrats…When I went to try out the RKII the dealer put a guitar in my hands , but while I was playing I did not look to see what the hell he gave me. So just outta curiosity I looked down and realized I had a PRS Custom in my hands. I’ll tell you I had to look at the axe cause’ I was like “what the hell is this stiff feeling guitar I got”?, LOL . I was like: “it doesn’t “boogie”.. . it also had a higher action than my suhrs. But the sound was dull to me . maybe I got the Suhr bug LOL. But Suhr truly have a ring like bell to them that I haven’t heard on any other guitars. The sound is so open, and crystal clear. these axes are second to none that’s for Suhr LOL… I tried JP models before taking the plunge on a Suhr without ever trying one. Because dealers don’t always (Never) have them in Stock. When they do they are Pro series- not even close to a custom . don’t believe otherwise… The Suhr in my opinion is in another ballpark. Leagues ahead of a Factory line build instrument, As opposed to a custom hand made piece of art. ciao man Rock till you drop… :wink:

 

[bandit2013]

The way you described the Suhr is the way I feel about my Carvin guitars. Before I decided to bid on the RA100, I tried to look around. Found an ElectraDyne, it was nice but just did not suit my needs. I generally ask if the shop has any used Carvin's in short of bringing my own and requiring a security check. Even my beat up 1984 DC100 feels better than what I was provided when I test drove amps. I do not own one Carvin that is not a joy to play. I have tried Ibenez of various models, Fender, Gibson, ESP, etc... they all feel like foreign objects in my hands. When I bought the Mark V at guitar center in 2012 they had the Mesa amps in a locked room with all of the high dollar guitars. It took me longer to find a guitar that felt good to me. My first pick was a PRS as to what model it was not really sure. Music Mann did not even feel the same as when I first tried one in 1993. Probably one of the reasons I did not get the Roadster which is what I was originally after. While I was bidding on the RA100, I found a not so local shop that had a new one, so I took the 3 hour drive to get there to try it out. This is not an amp to try at low volume. The shop owners did not want me to open it up and let it rip. If I lost the auction at leas I knew where to get one right away. If I ever get another guitar, it would have to be a semi-hollow since I do not have one of those. I played a few of them, always thought they were fuddy-duddy. I could not be so wrong.

Oh yeah, another point, depends on what it is you are trying to accomplish in tone and character. There are some merits of having a combo or open back cabinet when compared to a head with a sealed cabinet. If you want a dry acoustic tone as character of your clean signal, it cannot be done with a sealed cabinet (at least I have not been able to achieve it). I can place the Mark V on top of the Mark IV and use the combo speaker (I made the cable long enough) as well as the extension cab (has a 1/3 open back) to get an amazing dry acoustic sound. I recently bought two new EV's to replace the Ebay one's. Turns out the grill of the cab was making the noise and not the speaker. I decided to give them a try in the Mark IV (already altered the baffle for front mounting) as well as the extension cab. I did like the Fane Studio 12L but the EV made a world of difference. One point, EV is not the solution to all amps. The RA100 does not sound great though the EV, but sounds incredible through the V30. Same applies to the Mark Amps. incredible with EV, not so great with V30. Probably due to the overall tone of the amp. I wonder what happened to my order though Sweetwater. Either I stick to my guns for the Jute face with vent or opt to change the order for the diamond plate face. Also has a different tube protector, the Jute comes with a cage like the MKV and RA100, the diamond plate version does not. Now that makes me wonder are they identical amps or is one a newer version based on the RKII and the other on the RKI, or are they no longer related?