Well, I guess the MKV is indeed a reality...

[simonich]

My bet is, it's as much about profit as it is about wanting to engineer the next great Mesa amp.

Yes! It is indeed about profit where companies are concerned. Period. That's why they exist. Whatever Mesa does it will be done to ultimately increase the bottom line...

 

[JOEY B.]

My bet is, it's as much about profit as it is about wanting to engineer the next great Mesa amp.

Yes! It is indeed about profit where companies are concerned. Period. That's why they exist. Whatever Mesa does it will be done to ultimately increase the bottom line...

Profit is the bottom line in keeping any business afloat. If the MkIV sales figures were low, it might be because very few of the dealers would stock them :? . It's real hard to sell an amp that you don't have on hand. Most importantly, the salesperson would have to be competent at dialing in the Mark series, as it is very easy to pull the wrong pots and throw the wrong switches.

 

[phyrexia]

There aren't any STR415s for sale by Mesa. If anybody has them, Mike B. has a stash that he's selling to people.

I defy anyone to show me a receipt for STR415s purchased within the last six months. Yeah you, JOEY

Also I think it's obvious why the Mark I took so long to die and the Mark IV died so quickly - which is more in demand? How many people do you hear raving about their New Mark I reissue?

If they had, say, 200 transformers left for Mark Is, and 200 transformers left for Mark IVs, it wouldn't surprise me if it took a year to sell 100 Mark I transformers and three months to sell 200 IV transformers.

 

[Dead Moon Rising]

I could see an "uber king" that has a Mark mode as well as the Rectos. That'd be pretty sweet... Lonestar Cleans, Recto and Mark Distortions.

If they do that, they could maybe do a throwback such as a Mark reissue.

It's called the Triaxis!!!

 

[JOEY B.]

There aren't any STR415s for sale by Mesa. If anybody has them, Mike B. has a stash that he's selling to people.

I defy anyone to show me a receipt for STR415s purchased within the last six months. Yeah you, JOEY .

The receipt that I have is dated 10/2/07, so it falls out of your six month timeframe. They did not come from anyone's personal stash, or else they could not be invoiced thru Mesa/Boogie Ltd. Another misinformed rep was the local Jackson guitar guy back in the mid '90's. I wanted the SL-1 in Black Cherry, which was not (at the time) a standard color for that particular model. I then inquired at my local dealer about getting this guitar in that color. He called his Jackson "rep" and was told that it would have to be a complete custom shop guitar at the cost of around $2800 :shock: . I smelled ******** and called Jackson myself. When it was all said and done, my guitar was pulled from the regular assembly line (right before paint), and THEN sent to the custom shop for paint and final assembly. So, I got my guitar for a mere $1600 ($200 more than the standard model). I learned then that it was just a matter of how deep the "rep" was willing to dig, to fully answer any questions. :wink:

 

[phyrexia]

I asked about the specific part number you gave me, and he put it into the computer, and it said QTY: 0. I haven't called Mike B and asked him personally because I don't feel like using up his time (I can only imagine how busy he must be), but didn't you talk directly to him, Joey?

 

[sleepingtiger]

However, I would not mind a rectifier amp that could actually get a great lead sound !).

My RKII has many great lead sounds available. As many have said, IF you're willing to take the time & tweak it, you'll find some sweet lead tones, perhaps not your specific "Grail Tone" though. For instance, I replaced the EL34's with Yellowjackets, as the 34's don't supply a really useable tone FOR ME. They might be your bag however...different strokes, I guess...

Tony

 

[wastoid]

If the MkIV sales figures were low, it might be because very few of the dealers would stock them :? . It's real hard to sell an amp that you don't have on hand. Most importantly, the salesperson would have to be competent at dialing in the Mark series, as it is very easy to pull the wrong pots and throw the wrong switches.

This is what I was told when I asked my main guitar store why they didn't carry a Mark IV. He said it was just too hard to dial in for an inexperienced user so they would rarely be able to sell them.

 

[LEVEL4]

Why won't Apple share the end with us and talk about their new model phone? Why won't Mesa Engineering share the end of the Mark IV run and their new model? I think they must be clients to the same marketing agency.

That's more a sales tactic than a marketing tactic. It's Sales 101 . . . and it's followed by practically every for-profit business in the world. The less its customers (and their competitors) know about a new product, the better. (This applies pretty universally, unless, you're choosing to engage in a "pioneering" marketing strategy to generate early-adopter demand of a new product.)

This tactic keeps their competitors guessing, and keeps their customers buying any remaining inventory of the "current" model. Since Mesa is more of a "boutique" shop, than say, the behemoth that Apple is, my guess is that their "quiet" pulling of the Mark IV was also partly to avoid the avalanche of customer phone calls and e-mail campaigning against the Mark IV's impending demise, before the fact. Next, it wll be marketing's job to communicate how much "better" the Mark IV's replacement is . . . but not until they're good ready.

 

[dodger916]

There aren't any STR415s for sale by Mesa. If anybody has them, Mike B. has a stash that he's selling to people.

I defy anyone to show me a receipt for STR415s purchased within the last six months. Yeah you, JOEY

I spoke with Mike B in Jan/Feb time frame. He offered 415s at $150 a pair, and also said any (subtle) difference between them and the STR 440s would be inaudible after the first cymbal crash!

 

[Core9]

I don't know for sure, so take it for what's worth;

I would expect a Mk V, but nothing like the MK IV layout. Mesa has great modern styling going on right now and the Mark series amps have "way outdated" styling. Unfortunately for those "not in the know" about the tone goodness they possess, looks sell a lot of other amps. People will and do buy on looks as well as tone. They want that stack of (insert name here) amps they see on the backline that their hero is playing. The Mk IV is more "underground" than it is out in the open. When was the last time, if ever, you saw a stack of Mk IV heads/cabs on any stage?

I think Mesa will stay true to their heritage, but in a new and simplified package.

Unfortunately, image is everything in retail, with the exception of tone!

 

[MrMarkIII]

I hope MkV facade looks alot like a Modern amp ala' Roadster/Stilleto faceplate, w/ Built in Attenuator (for bedroom rockers like Me the old MkIV looks alot like GrandPop's Amp or somethin'?

Grand Pop's amp!!!??
... Why you little...!!!
(strangulation noises)

 

[Core9]

I hope MkV facade looks alot like a Modern amp ala' Roadster/Stilleto faceplate, w/ Built in Attenuator (for bedroom rockers like Me the old MkIV looks alot like GrandPop's Amp or somethin'?

Grand Pop's amp!!!??
... Why you little...!!!
(strangulation noises)

hahahahahahaha, put your oxygen mask back on old man.

 

[MrMarkIII]

I hope MkV facade looks alot like a Modern amp ala' Roadster/Stilleto faceplate, w/ Built in Attenuator (for bedroom rockers like Me the old MkIV looks alot like GrandPop's Amp or somethin'?

Grand Pop's amp!!!??
... Why you little...!!!
(strangulation noises)

hahahahahahaha, put your oxygen mask back on old man.

Get off my lawn, you... you... hooligans!

 

[JOEY B.]

I hope MkV facade looks alot like a Modern amp ala' Roadster/Stilleto faceplate, w/ Built in Attenuator (for bedroom rockers like Me the old MkIV looks alot like GrandPop's Amp or somethin'?

GrandPop's bedroom amp. :lol: It will send you crying home to mommy.
:shock:

 

[lesterpaul]

aaaaarrrrggghhh!!!more menacing family members...you and Jay have mk III's now..one a coliseum...summer is about to begin..more twisted tone experiments ahead....I am gettin' dizzy :twisted:
congrats on the coli

 

[CoG]

I hope MkV facade looks alot like a Modern amp ala' Roadster/Stilleto faceplate, w/ Built in Attenuator (for bedroom rockers like Me the old MkIV looks alot like GrandPop's Amp or somethin'?

GrandPop's bedroom amp. :lol: It will send you crying home to mommy.
:shock:

WHAT'S THAT SONNY? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!

 

[Core9]

I hope MkV facade looks alot like a Modern amp ala' Roadster/Stilleto faceplate, w/ Built in Attenuator (for bedroom rockers like Me the old MkIV looks alot like GrandPop's Amp or somethin'?

GrandPop's bedroom amp. :lol: It will send you crying home to mommy.
:shock:

Nothing to worry about, it's got the small tranny. :shock:




j/k, I'm sure it shakes the house and makes for a great defibrillator. :lol:

 

[JOEY B.]

j/k, I'm sure it shakes the house and makes for a great defibrillator. :lol:

Yes it does, and the best thing is that I'm on the wagon now, (as far as prune juice is concerned). I also have been able to quit the Geritol habit, cold turkey. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: This amp is like the fountain of youth.

 

[phyrexia]

Who needs fiber when you've got a K-Series?

To think I'm shipping out my 6-Tube Boogie tomorrow