Soldano SLO or Mesa Mark IV?

[Binnerscot]

Re: Soldano SLO or Mesa Mark IV?

Dude, the clear winner here is SLO.

the mesa is a superb amplifier, premium quality... but the SLO is a ****ing beast.

Aside from that, you can find a used Mesa at a good price. I would keep the SLO just because they are less common and not found very often at good prices used.

 

[guitarded]

Re: Soldano SLO or Mesa Mark IV?

The problem with Mark series Mesas is that they usually sound compressed and stripped of some harmonic complexity and open-ness.

My real opinion is to sell off a couple of your least used amps, and come up with the money for a Bogner Ecstasy. IMO, it's a better amp than both of them. Use one for several years, like I have, and you wouldn't dream of trading it for a Soldano or Mesa. I wouldn't even trade mine for both of them as a package deal.

The tubes that you use come into play a lot with the Mark IV

 

[guitarded]

Re: Soldano SLO or Mesa Mark IV?

The Mark IV can be tricky to dial until you understand it. You can dial a some pretty bad tones if you don't put some time into learning the amp.

 

[guitarded]

Re: Soldano SLO or Mesa Mark IV?

Plus one thing I have read many places is that Mesa EQ's are pretty finicky and I am not a knob tweaker!

Ohh Yea.... The other thing is what works great from one guitar can sound bad for another guitar.. Even if it is a similar guitar. If you are NOT a tweaker.. you made the right decision sticking with the SLO.