Mesa Mark IV questions

Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

mark iv is the rosetta stone of doitall amps - countless bands have used em for recording and shows and they sound great. if your style ever changes, you would still have the right amp.

blues to classic rock and just a bit beyond

fits the bill..better than a stompbox imo
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

I would quote Bill, but I don't know how to without getting that whole book along with it. I believe that we must be similar players. I came up playing the blues, but also some classic rock, and now, some fairly aggressive stuff. Do you need 11 guitars, and 12 amps ? No, but of course they're fun to have anyway, as long as you're still saving for retirement, and paying your taxes.

To get to the point, I have an F -30 Mesa, and two EL-34 equipt Riveras, that will probably do anything you'll ever want to cover. The Riveras are relatively cost effective, as nicer amps go, and the mesa is rather an indulgence, that I swear by, now that I own it. The Mesa can get * really * aggressive, on request, but also, kind of nice and chimey.

What will be best for you, unfortunately a furum will not answer, but I'd bet a bunch that an F series Mesa, or an EL-34 Rivera would do nicely.
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

the lead channel on the Mark IV is to die for. tight, chunky, aggressive, articulate, musical...just awesome. I also love the clean channel. haven't found much use for the rhythm 2 channel, but I'm a metalhead. the Mark IV has a ton of buttons, switches, bells, and whistles...you can literally get a headache with all the possible tweaking at your disposable. I wanna try some EL34's in this baby.

I had a dude recently ask me if I wanted to trade my Mark IV head for his "Krankenstein" :chairfall :laugh2: I told him not for a bull that pissed jack daniels.
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

MVI said:
I would quote Bill, but I don't know how to without getting that whole book along with it. I believe that we must be similar players. I came up playing the blues, but also some classic rock, and now, some fairly aggressive stuff. Do you need 11 guitars, and 12 amps ? No, but of course they're fun to have anyway, as long as you're still saving for retirement, and paying your taxes.

To get to the point, I have an F -30 Mesa, and two EL-34 equipt Riveras, that will probably do anything you'll ever want to cover. The Riveras are relatively cost effective, as nicer amps go, and the mesa is rather an indulgence, that I swear by, now that I own it. The Mesa can get * really * aggressive, on request, but also, kind of nice and chimey.

What will be best for you, unfortunately a furum will not answer, but I'd bet a bunch that an F series Mesa, or an EL-34 Rivera would do nicely.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the compliment, and I will TRY to be a little less wordy--but I could talk amps all day.

I think you are right, of course. There is one feature on some of the Mesa amps that is not on the F-Series amps that I would miss--and that is the OUTPUT LEVEL control--it is an overall master volume for alll the channels. I didn't think I needed it but it really does make things easier. Of course you pay for it....and the F-Series amps are wonderful values for the money, I think.

You also mentioned Rivera, and that's another amp I like. He had some really good designs with the stuff he did for Fender, and I like some of his early amps, but then they lost me for a while. Some of the R-Series amps just didn't do it for me. I bought my first Mesas around '94 and '96, so I kinda forgot about Rivera. I was recently re-introduced to them, they have some wonderful amps, for sure.

Bill
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

Thanks for the posts guys... You are really helping me out here and I consider everything you are writing...

I will do my best to find some mesas here, but I don't think I ll have any luck. I ll see... Good thing that I made this thread before I pulled the triger on the new tweed amp...

I have been finding clips of mark IV in classic rock tunes for the past days... Sounds pretty good, and I like the tone.

What I really enjoy doing, when I am playing alone is to get that tube overdrive when you hit the strings harder and the amp responds to you... That's absolutely great.

I want the amp to have that adility, to be dynamic and to overdrive and compress when I hit harder. Just perfect for blues jamming... I don't want the amp to be dirty or clean. I want it right in the middle. I suppose that's how most of us play.

I just thought I'd let you know what I think when I cosider a "tube" amp.

BTW I have noticed some "long" and some "narrow" mark IV heads. Is there a difference between them? (if I decide to pull the triger on one)
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

I have owned a Mark IV since '92. I have plyed 100's of gigs with two different Mark IV combos and they have excelled at everything. I use the one now mostly for Blues Jams and I played Classic Rock inspired blues. It is a wonderful amp. My favorite speaker for it is the EVM12L - had to buy one of these of eBay a few years back for my second Mark IV combo. I also prefer two 6L6's and two EL34's.
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

Lava Man said:
My favorite speaker for it is the EVM12L - had to buy one of these of eBay a few years back for my second Mark IV combo.
Click to expand...

I use my Mark IV head with a Marshall 1960B loaded with EVM12L Zakk Wylde speakers and the tone is crushing and wide-open. and NO flabby cone distortion! the headroom, clarity, and cut is awesome.

I also prefer two 6L6's and two EL34's.
Click to expand...

I wanna try that combo. any particular brand/model of EL34 you recommend?
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

I'm going to thread jack for a sec...

Does mesa still product Mark IV heads or only the combos?
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

fingerace said:
BTW I have noticed some "long" and some "narrow" mark IV heads. Is there a difference between them? (if I decide to pull the triger on one)
Click to expand...


Some claim that there is a sonic difference, and I suppose the different layout could cause an audible difference--but it can't be much.

Little more room between knobs on the long head, and a couple of switches on the back of the short head are moved to the front.

Bill
 
Re: Mesa Mark IV questions

Lava Man said:
I have owned a Mark IV since '92. I have plyed 100's of gigs with two different Mark IV combos and they have excelled at everything. I use the one now mostly for Blues Jams and I played Classic Rock inspired blues. It is a wonderful amp. My favorite speaker for it is the EVM12L - had to buy one of these of eBay a few years back for my second Mark IV combo. I also prefer two 6L6's and two EL34's.
Click to expand...


I use both a Mark III Simul-Class and Mark IV combos, and that's how I use mine, with the mix of tubes; and usually with a 112 EVM Theile underneath them as well.

Bill
 
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