The Mark IV thread....!!

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I love my Mark IV. =) Too bad she's retarded....just got my 5150 running, but Im afraid to ship Mesa off to Cali and not have a backup amp, as the 5150 needs some more time on her before she is considered reliable.
 
Me, on the other hand, has just found the tone in my mark IV. Actually, there's a bad power tube in it, but it works fine. And if it starts to crackle, I'll just restart it. Nice
 
I called Boogie today to ask about running 6V6s in my MkIV. The CS rep said that it did not matter what color code tubes I used as long as each pair was the same color. I thought the whole idea of the codes was to always get a set of tubes that match the originals in the amp. His reply seems to defeat the purpose of the color codes.

Has anyone modded their MKIV with a bias pot, so you can adjust to any quad of tubes you want? Also, do the outer, and inner pairs need to be on seperate bias circuits?
 
ducmike said:
I called Boogie today to ask about running 6V6s in my MkIV. The CS rep said that it did not matter what color code tubes I used as long as each pair was the same color. I thought the whole idea of the codes was to always get a set of tubes that match the originals in the amp. His reply seems to defeat the purpose of the color codes.

Has anyone modded their MKIV with a bias pot, so you can adjust to any quad of tubes you want? Also, do the outer, and inner pairs need to be on seperate bias circuits?

The purpose of the colour codes is to match PAIRS of tubes that have identical operating parameters. It is not necessary to use all 4 of the same colour code as long as you insert them : X Y Y X. It is also not necessary to use the same colour as supplied from new. With Simul Class you'll be in dangerous territory messing with the biases. Just buy MB tubes or tubes to MB specs.
 
so, from other threads ive started i pretty much have my heart set on the mark IV.

Now, the medium or short series head?

i know it doesnt mean jack to the tone..but who prefers which and why?
 
Medium head all the way, unless you're a weakling or seriously short of space. :wink:

It looks better on a 4x12
Mains light on front
More rocker switches on the front
Mounting the footswitch is less fiddly
More room for air circulation inside
Leather handle ??!! I could be wrong but I haven't seen a short head with one ???
 
EirikBrandal said:
My mark IV is really loose these days. Is just no tightness in it at all. I wonder if it is a power tube going bad. suggestions?

Shep said:
new Tubes will make it as good as new..

Is that the power tubes that need to be replaced, or the preamp tubes?

I just got a mk iv combo from not having a mk iv for a cpl of years.. Went with the roadster for a while but i am back to mk iv now. Anyway, I replaced my powertubes but it is still not as tight as i remebered it..

The question is: Is the tightness related to preamp or power tubes?

Excuse a noob :oops: :roll:
 
gnarwailnmt said:
which do you prefer.
the mark IV or the roadster?

Well... that's a tough one.. I'm afraid i have to say "both!".

The roadster is amazing! It's clean channels are just perfect, and the 3rd and 4th channel are everything that made the dual rectifier famous, and then some.. I used to own a triple recto, and the roadster is just so much better. That CHUNK on the 3rd and 4th channel on the roadster is the reason to own it.

Buuuut, with all that said about the roadster, i still ended up with a Mk IV again.. I think that pretty much sums it up. As amazing as the roadster is, i still prefer my Mk IV. The tone is just THAT good! Everything from cleans to that raw power on the lead channel. I just love it. Best there is.
 
Long time troll, first post.

Major Mesa fan here. I finally got my Mark IV about 2 years ago after lusting for one for nearly 15 years and have never looked back. My wife wouldn't let me leave the store without buying it. She was tired of hearing about it.

Anyway, I have tried all of the Mesas but still keep coming back to my Mark IV. The Roadster did come close, but I would still need that graphic EQ I've grown to love.
 
urklvt said:
Anyway, I have tried all of the Mesas but still keep coming back to my Mark IV. The Roadster did come close, but I would still need that graphic EQ I've grown to love.

Word!
 
im going with the roadster, because my mark Iv wouldnt start getting built until july, meaning i'd get it buy september if lucky...if i buy the roadster now, i'll have enough saved to buy the mark IV in september when i'd be getting one anyways. Im a gear junkie...
 
I have a question about the short head

Does the rack mountable version use the same chassis as the short head?. Can a short head be converted to a rack mount format can the rack mounted head be converted into a regular short head?.

Oh and finally whats the reliability like of these amps?. I mean I bet they are extremely difficult to repair for your average amp tech. So do they go down often?.
 
yeah the short head and the rackmount are the same.. as reliability they are one of the best amp's in the world in that sence..but you will and should take it to a mesa tech if broken..
 
Shep said:
yeah the short head and the rackmount are the same.. as reliability they are one of the best amp's in the world in that sence..but you will and should take it to a mesa tech if broken..

Hmm, my Marshall tech rescued my old Mk 4 once when someone mistreated it really bad(previous owner). But well, it was Van Halen's old amptech so he had to be good. :lol:
 
gnarwailnmt said:
im going with the roadster, because my mark Iv wouldnt start getting built until july, meaning i'd get it buy september if lucky...if i buy the roadster now, i'll have enough saved to buy the mark IV in september when i'd be getting one anyways. Im a gear junkie...

Mesa just told me there are no more production runs of the Mark IV...good luck finding one!
 
mrichman said:
gnarwailnmt said:
im going with the roadster, because my mark Iv wouldnt start getting built until july, meaning i'd get it buy september if lucky...if i buy the roadster now, i'll have enough saved to buy the mark IV in september when i'd be getting one anyways. Im a gear junkie...

Mesa just told me there are no more production runs of the Mark IV...good luck finding one!
:cry: at least I have one...a semi-broken one. :?

I noticed last night at practice that my footswitch is on its way out. A few of the LEDs have sunk inside the pedal. They all still work yet, and the cable is borken and wire is showing where it connects to the pedal.

these darn pedals go for $250 new I believe. :?
 
To those of you who want to change your power tubes in your Mark IV (plus some very good info on plate voltage, current draw and whatnot), follow these links:
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=24989
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=16487&highlight=weber
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=23664&highlight=bias

Some highlights:
JOEY B. said:
Tell him that your amp, as per the schematic, has a plate voltage of 450-460 . The outer sockets have a -46v for the bias. The inner sockets have a -56v bias. This way he can select the closest plate and bias voltage on his tester to better your results in the MkIV. :D

P.S. When you get the current draw closer to the ideal range, that 475 plate voltage should ease down closer to 450.

I'll add some other highlights when I have finished reading thoroughly all of those.

~trem
 

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