Would you rather have a Mark V or three $1000 guitars.

[Fender_Punk]

Yeah, I'm sure you can do it. But I don't think it's ideal. Never on a Mesa amp, but I've mistakinly plugged my Marshall cab into several of of the amps' I've had 8 ohm output, and it always takes me a while to figure out why it's sounding a little off/weird/bad, LOL.

But then again, transformers don't have to be as beefy if they're designed to run at 8 ohms max. Maybe they do it as part of the whole Fender heritage of the Mark series. Maybe they do it because they do have to fit a lot inside those smaller headshells. Or maybe they just do it to save some money in iron. Or maybe all of the above.

Honestly, I've seen lots of people complain about how small the transformers are in Mesa amps if you compare them to other amp makers. Even Marshall amps have pretty beefy trannies comparatively. Then again, I don't think I've seen anyone complain about lack of balls or volume in a Dual Rectifier either. But I've also read neither Duals nor Triples put out as much wattage as they claim they do.

In the manuals for the Stiletto Ace and the 5:50 Express both say that they encourage experimentating with mismatching 16 ohms into 8 ohms plug or 8 ohm into 4 ohm. So even if the transformers aren't as big as some other amps they are sufficient to do the job including handling reasonable mismatched loads.

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, the manual for my Blue Angel say to experiment with impedance mismatches, too.

 

[Dr.Mavashi]

Amp and cabs are just a bigger part of the instrument ….. Some brands are more than they are worth when it comes to amps, but in the end of the day if whatever the brand delivers FOR YOU - that’s what matters. Guitar is your brush - with pickups being the fuffy tip, amp is your choice of water-color/oil/acrylic/pencil and canvas threading, pedals and speakers are your pallet. Availability of speakers, amps, pedals will give you way more of an overall “pallet” than 4-6 guitars.

 

[uOpt]

Ive never owned a high end amp and the Boogie sounds amazing. I was planning to use it as reward for accomplishing some personal goals by the end of year, but a new guitar every four months would be more satisfying. I love getting new guitars.

Three guitars, or the boogie?

(or neither)

I think it is important to follow through with your self-reward schemes. Otherwise that motivational trick would not work again.

It's gear, so as jeremy said, just watch the resell value. There's no way to predict how you are actually getting along with thingie.

 

[Top-L]

I think it is important to follow through with your self-reward schemes. Otherwise that motivational trick would not work again.

It's gear, so as jeremy said, just watch the resell value. There's no way to predict how you are actually getting along with thingie.

Youre probably right. I ordered an Engl Savage, because coupon, and it will probably be June or later before it gets here. Could buy one now from SW, but that feels too immediate gratification.

I will just have to achieve my goals faster.

 

[Aceman]

Mesa-ly not Marshall.

If you want a Marshall-y Mesa you need this, which can also out JMP a JMP....

(Approximately $71 per knob - but you get Uber Marshall and Mesa out of it!)

 

[Rabelais]

I love vintage amps, so I would rather have a well made 5E3 tweed clone and a PRS S2.

 

[Top-L]

Is that a real piece of alligator hide on the faceplate? gnarly.


​​​​

 

[Charvel1975]

Ive never owned a high end amp and the Boogie sounds amazing. I was planning to use it as reward for accomplishing some personal goals by the end of year, but a new guitar every four months would be more satisfying. I love getting new guitars.

Three guitars, or the boogie?

(or neither)

Boogie Mark Five!!!

 

[chadd]

Ive never owned a high end amp and the Boogie sounds amazing. I was planning to use it as reward for accomplishing some personal goals by the end of year, but a new guitar every four months would be more satisfying. I love getting new guitars.

Three guitars, or the boogie?

(or neither)

I actually sold the vast majority of my guitars over the last couple years and actually prefer only having a handful of stellar guitars. More guitars doesn't make me play more, or sound better. If you're gigging, then get the amp. If you're not, then get the absolute best guitar in your budget. The one guitar that feels so good you never want to put it down or play another one. The only time quantity overrules quality is if you need a backup as well for gigging.

 

[chadd]

Fluff's demo also sounds pretty bad. No edge or oomph at all. Like all mids and no agression. But it looks like he did use a 1x12 there, so...

Did he do his usual high pass, low pass and boost? That tends to make everything sound like a wall of mids. His Mesa Badlander video is easily one of the worst I've ever seen. I have a hard time taking him seriously, but I've only seen a couple of his videos.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Did he do his usual high pass, low pass and boost? That tends to make everything sound like a wall of mids. His Mesa Badlander video is easily one of the worst I've ever seen. I have a hard time taking him seriously, but I've only seen a couple of his videos.

No idea. But the hi/lopass stuff is pretty common. I don't know what particular frequencies he does it at, TBH. But I've seen sompe people do the hipass thing at up to 150-200 Hz. That IMO just neuters all the balls of the tone and moves the emphasis of the low-end to the muddy/stuffy region.

I'm not saying that's what he did, but TBH, I've never liked his tones. They always sound so clanky, stuffy in the mids, and with no balls to the low-end. I get it, it's a full mix. You don't need thunderous lows on guitars. But there's a point where you can have them and still be tasteful. Ola gets away with a much chunkier tone. I'm not 100% in love with the tones Ola gets all the time, but at least they're heavy. Fluff's are not. But then again, Ola's stuff always sounds heavier than Fluff's.

 

[Top-L]

No idea. But the hi/lopass stuff is pretty common. I don't know what particular frequencies he does it at, TBH. But I've seen sompe people do the hipass thing at up to 150-200 Hz. That IMO just neuters all the balls of the tone and moves the emphasis of the low-end to the muddy/stuffy region.

I think you meant to say it leaves space for the bass guitar...

Seriously though.... about the Mark series. Are there any identifyable Mark tones besides Metallica and Petrucci? Any bands I would know with a signature tone that is the Mark?

My impression is that the Mark V/VII has an amazing MOP metal distortion (for standardish tuning), it has amazing lead guitar tone, and it can cover every genre. The only thing it can't do sound like a Marshall.

The Dual Recto and the many flavors of Marshall represent the vast majority of popular guitar music. The Mark is like a hyper-thick lead guitar amp that has a bit of the cocked wah sound at all times.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I think you meant to say it leaves space for the bass guitar...

Depends on the kind of production you're going for. I go for Colin Richardson/Andy Sneap/Fredrik Nordstrom kind of tones, personally. All of those are somewhat generous in the guitar's sub-lows. At least if you compare them to Fluff's stuff. The trick is not to overdo it and go all And Justice either.

Remember a Low E's fundamental is roughly 80Hz. A C (that I tune to) is around 60. I hipass at 60. I believe Andy Sneap and Colin Richardson do it at that frequency most of the time too. I don't want to cut all the balls off the palm-mutes or make my 4x12 sound like a smaller cab. I personally feel there's a lot more of a problem zone just higher up around 200-500 Hz where the low-end is just muddy, thuddy, and stuffy. At least for the aesthetics of the tone I go for. Exactly why I prefer a Recto to a 5150 most of the time.

Bass and Kick can live just below. There's still room below. Especially if you consider my guitar's lowest note is at 60Hz, then that means the Bass' is at 30. Which is ridiculously low, but oh, well. It's a tight fit, but it's worked for me. And if you really need to, you can resort to multiband compression on guitars or side-chain compression on the kick and bass. MBC is a must in bass anyway. Very common on guitars too.

Seriously, the low-end usually needs a lot of tayloring in a modern-ish metal mix. You can take the easy way out and dump all the lows from the guitars, but I personally don't like how that ends up sounding.

It's all relative too. You can of course afford a lot more low-end in a mid tempo song rather than blast beats/heavy palm-mutes at 220 bpm. And it depends of the aesthetic you're going for as well. Because Fluff certainly doens't agree with me, but neither his tones or his music sound heavy to me.

Then again, don't misunderstand me. I'm the kind of dude that is afraid to push a Recto's bass knob past 12 o'clock ever. Even with EMG's and a boost.

And that's speaking from my perspective. I go for a certain tone you or Fluff might not.

Seriously though.... about the Mark series. Are there any identifyable Mark tones besides Metallica and Petrucci? Any bands I would know with a signature tone that is the Mark?

Lamb of God. If you consider that tone good. I personally don't. Exactly another example of dumping all low-end on guitars.

Santana?

A few hair metalers used them as well. Motley Crue, I think? Guns n Roses?

Kurt Cobain?

Not a fan of all of those tones, but I believe there was some Mark involved.

 

[jmh151]

I have a Mark V Combo- bought it used years ago for $2,000- greatest investment I've ever made, aside from a Kemper. The Mark IIc+ setting kills

 

[Mikelamury]

I'm currently saving up for a Mark V! I think it's a lot better deal than the vii, alot more features and my captor x can replace the DI and cab Sims on the vii and I don't use midi either so that about kills the vii for me. I have 17 guitars and I found "the one" with my faded standard but I don't have a really good amp, I've got a couple decent ones but nothing over 40 watts. So I've thought about it extensively and the Mark V is where my money is going, hopefully I will be ready to purchase in May.

 

[Mikelamury]

I'm really digging the blue bronco/tan grille Mark V that Sweetwater has, I'm going to get one in a cool color rather than a plain black one.

 

[Top-L]

I'm currently saving up for a Mark V! I think it's a lot better deal than the vii, alot more features and my captor x can replace the DI and cab Sims on the vii and I don't use midi either so that about kills the vii for me. I have 17 guitars and I found "the one" with my faded standard but I don't have a really good amp, I've got a couple decent ones but nothing over 40 watts. So I've thought about it extensively and the Mark V is where my money is going, hopefully I will be ready to purchase in May.

Are they making the V any more? Might want to hurry up and get one while there is stock.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Are they making the V any more? Might want to hurry up and get one while there is stock.

They still have them on their site.

I suspect the V:25 will be available for a while still. Probably not the big ones.

 

[Mikelamury]

I think that they will still make the Mark V for a while, I think after they start to come out with the smaller wattage mark vii's then they will start to phase out the mark V. I could be wrong but I don't see them discontinued in the next two months, if I start to see that I will act sooner, actually I'm going to ask my Sweetwater associate about that, will post any info I find out.