Ill just leave this here (Belated NAD)

Jetfire

So, Ive had this for a few weeks and Ill be honest, its totally blown my socks off. I've used a few times just the combo on its on with some standard EQ-ing and its been ok... which kinda shocked me abit.  So I did some googling and found a few suggested EQ's for it and tried them at next practice. Holyfuckingshit. What a difference! Essentially, no bass at all on any of the knob EQ's (as it makes it "flub") and it just blew me away. I hooked up the cab next practise and Im just sold 100%. I havent even started fiddling with the rest of the switches but I like where its at now so I may just leave it. In all, I can see why people love them!

Jetfire

Just to add, its welshyboyo's pic and old amp and he's a true gent with a fine set of flooring to boot...

ICBM

I think that may be partly why I can never get on with them - I can't stand the tone with the bass knobs turned right down.

That and the shared middle and bass EQ for R1 and R2. And that R2 can't sound any good without the EQ, but you need the EQ set differently for Lead. Too many compromises for me, and just too fussy to set up. And it can't do a decent Marshall-type crunch at all…

I know a lot of people do like them though. Enjoy!

Barney

great amps and work best with a band...they seem to mix in perfectly with the other instruments ..the R2 gets a lot of stick but i dont know why...i sometimes use that channel as an alternative lead sound and boost it with the EQ on the footpedal...i use the EQ for a boost on the clean as well and it works great...

Jetfire

I do love the cranked tones ive got out of it. It does crunch and the jvm doesnt do crunchycrunch at all sadly. Only thing wrong is that the reverb seems to be a global reverb rather than just selectable to one channel... Even with the bass all off, its still nicely eq-ed for me, cant wait to try it with my other guitars as with the blacktop its been ace!

welshboyo

LOL, glad its worked out for you dude, I'll always have a soft spot for Mark Boogies, the best thing Mesa make (IMO).

and I'm glad you liked the floor, I spent enough time on my hands and knees sanding the feckin thing....

and if you want a Marshall sound...buy a Marshall :P

Drew_TNBD

JVM not doing crunch? I despair sir! They do crunch extremely well!

Jetfire

No crunch on a jvm, esp using the channel 2 which is pretty pointless imho. Its a good amp but just wasnt for me any more. Got practise again tonight so im trying another couple of guitars so quite excited!

ICBM

I think we have very different ideas of what 'crunch' is .

I could never get a decent crunch out of any Mesa Mark series.

Marshall is the definition of crunch, and the JVM has it too - although to me, not quite as great as something like a 2203.

The Marks are definitely great amps, but I've always found them to be more 'solo' amps than rhythm… not my thing at all. Although the clean sound is pretty good.

Jetfire

Ni no no, dont get me wrong, marshalls = crunch, no question at all about that. Its just the jvm I have just does full on or fuck all which is fine but but doesnt work for me as well as this mesa boogie does. Ive gassed after a 1 x 12 marshall anniversery in purple for a long time but this mesa ticks all the boxes for this closet metaller.

Barney

ICBM said:

The Marks are definitely great amps, but I've always found them to be more 'solo' amps than rhythm… not my thing at all. Although the clean sound is pretty good.

ooh...no they are great at clean and crunch rhythm as well....they do need a bit of volume to get there though...the cleans are spot on and if set high enuff break up great when you hit the guitar a bit...rhythm 2 just starts of where the clean ends...i think its really important to work with the guitar volumes a lot ..as you would in a single channel amp....something iv just been doing for a couple of years now , but it opens the amp right up ...loads of options ..it makes a difference where you put the master vol compared to the channel volumes as well...try with the channel vols up and the master down and the other way round...

ICBM

I know what you mean, but... nah, not for me . I should probably mention that my favourite sound of all time is a Trem-o-verb in valve rectifier mode with the bass turned all the way up on both channels . I love that huge loose open crunch they have - the Mark just can't do that, it's a much tighter and more focused type of tone. (Which equally the Trem-o-verb can't do.)

I do very much appreciate what the Mark can do, and I've certainly heard people get great sounds out of them… but not me. What would be ideal is to give the *other* guitarist in the same band as me a MkIV . The two of them would complement each other perfectly.

If you've ever tried a Rectifier and found it isn't for you, chances are a Mark is… and vice versa. Although there may be people who like both. I can't think of many more completely different amps made by the same company, other than Tweed and Blackface/Silverface Fenders.

ThePrettyDamned

Interesting about the different sounding amps from same manufacturer. I love the recto sound (listen to rammstein and tell me that doesn't sound awesome) but the mark series always sounded a bit too processed - but petrucci has great tone.

I vaguely recall blackface fenders being labelled as plain and soulless, and generally avoided until the recent boutique boom. Is that my imagination?

welshboyo

what @ICBM says about liking Marks and not the Recto is absolutely true..

I have always used and loved the Mark Series, but at one point when my amp was away for repair (not this one Gar!!) I was loaned a Triple Recto and I couldn't gel with it in any way or form - a lovely amp don't get me wrong, but the whole extra Bass thing just didn't suit my playing whatsoever..

rockmonster

It's funny I like the recto MUCH more than the MKIV I had. I really feckin' hated it!