Torn between two amps, help

Bucket

Ok, so some of you might know I've been very much set on buying a Mesa/Boogie Express 5:25+ head to use with a 1x12. I can get this amp very soon on a zero-interest finance deal from Andertons. I've played several of them and they always really impress me, but a major spanner has been thrown in the works in the shape of Mesa's new Mark V 25-watt head.

I've just watched the demo and judging from that, it sounds even better than the Express and has six modes rather than four. Its cleans seem to be on par with the Express, maybe a tad better, but for high-gain stuff it just walks all over the Express. It does most of the same stuff (the 5-band EQ isn't quite as flexible and the power scaling only has two wattages available, but I'm sure I could live with those things) and the price increase isn't big enough to really make a difference. And that's available on 0% finance too.

I've never played one, so I'd need to bring my pedalboard and have a good thorough play with it, but that depends on me even being able to find one. Andertons get a shipment in a few days, but I can't get down there until late next week, by which time I fully expect they'll all be sold out. It feels so weird given that I've had my heart totally set on an Express for ages, but I'm really leaning towards the Mark V.

So, what would you do here? Express 5:25+ head or Mark V 25 head?

RaymondLin

Mark V.

monquixote

Express

57Deluxe

I like the broad spectrum of tones from the Rectum-Verb myself...

ICBM

Why do you think they'll sell out that fast?

Mesa amps are vastly overpriced new in this country and don't actually sell all that well.

Personally I do not like Mark series Boogies, so without trying one (or even a full-size MkV yet) I would probably buy the Express, but that's just me.

monquixote

ICBM said:

Why do you think they'll sell out that fast?

It's the juxtaposition of Dream Theatre fanboy lust and "low wattage cranked amp tonez". It will sell by the buss load.

RaymondLin

ICBM said:

Why do you think they'll sell out that fast?

Mesa amps are vastly overpriced new in this country and don't actually sell all that well.

Personally I do not like Mark series Boogies, so without trying one (or even a full-size MkV yet) I would probably buy the Express, but that's just me.

You are not wrong about them being overpriced, there is a massive thread on TGP about it right now. Even though that thread is literally side by side with the Mesa mark 5 25 thread where Mesa has posted many times, they've ignore the price thread but once (when I called them on it) and posted what I can described a vague answer as to why it is inflated. It's not jus the UK but everywhere outside North America.

sweepy

Just think how much the Usanians pay for the current crop of shitty Marshalls  its retribution I tell you

ICBM

RaymondLin said:

It's not jus the UK but everywhere outside North America.

Yes, apparently Australia is even worse than here.

sweepy said:

Just think how much the Usanians pay for the current crop of shitty Marshalls  its retribution I tell you

lol

guitarfishbay

The prices are inflated here but we don't have much home grown stuff that competes on spec with the likes of the Mark V or Road King/Roadster. JVM410 is the only one I can think of, but from what I understand the build is not Mesa quality. Diesels are made in the EU but the VH4 at £2314.51 UK price is not much less than the Mark V or Roadster at £2399. The Engl Special Edition is £2405 at GAK.

So yes we pay relatively too much compared to the US. But compared to some of the competition it still isn't too out of line.

thecolourbox

Stereo set up?

guitarfishbay

monquixote said:

ICBM said:

Why do you think they'll sell out that fast?

It's the juxtaposition of Dream Theatre fanboy lust and "low wattage cranked amp tonez". It will sell by the buss load.

It is definitely what I'd predict to be their best (in terms of potential sales) product in recent years.

ThePrettyDamned

Express.  

Catthan

You want 25W strictly?

As much as I love my big MkV, if I wanted to downgrade I'd look at the E 5 50+ first instead of either 25-Watters.

Looking briefly at MB's posted dimensions the 50W Express isn't that much bigger than the 25 and it's only £50 more expensive.

But then again, add another £200 and you can get a big MkV used.. Oh well..

Unless you want a lower-rated power stage to push, hence the 25W. But how much you'll really push it is also debatable imho..

I don't think you'll go wrong with any option tbh good luck

sweepy

Had a very interesting chat to an ex Marshall Amp chap , he was there in the 70's 80's and early 90's , quite an insight into just how they spiralled into a pit of skimping and poor build quality, even some of the solder joints on my 9100 rack looked as though they were made by Stevie wonder wearing oven gloves

Bucket

People saying Express, why so?

@ThePrettyDamned @monquixote

sweepy

The Express has proper Boogie valves imhp , 6L6's whereas the Mark 5-25 has EL84, like comparing a Vox AC30 to a Fender Twin

monquixote

Bucket said:

People saying Express, why so?

@ThePrettyDamned @monquixote

I've played an Express a couple of times and I thought it was excellent. 

I haven't played a MKV, but I've played a MKIII and a MKIV and assuming they are similar I've always found them a bit too complicated to use, fiddly to dial in, the cleans a touch hard and the distortion a bit fizzy. That said as you love Petrucci then it's the obvious choice.

Bucket

monquixote said:

I've played an Express a couple of times and I thought it was excellent. 

I haven't played a MKV, but I've played a MKIII and a MKIV and assuming they are similar I've always found them a bit too complicated to use, fiddly to dial in, the cleans a touch hard and the distortion a bit fizzy. That said as you love Petrucci then it's the obvious choice.

I've used a Mark IV for a while, borrowed an early (1993 I think) example off a friend of my dad's. I found it similar to how you're describing - the distortion channel was quite fizzy and it was difficult to dial in. But there doesn't seem to be a trace of that in the demo. I know it's an official demo so it'd have to sound good, but obviously it's possible to set it up really well. There's three different modes too, I can have a Mark IIC+ distortion channel which would theoretically be ideal for early Petrucci...

And @sweepy, the Express 5:25+ also uses EL84s, only the 50-watt Express uses 6L6s.

ThePrettyDamned

I've never played an express, but having heard several people using an express I can attest that it kicks arse.

Mark amps are cool, but... I don't know, I associate it with pure lead playing. Maybe a mistake, I know, but when I've used them (a mark one! And a mark... Later one, 4 or 5 maybe?) they were really quite fiddly to dial in.

The mark one was a bit nicer in this respect, if I remember correctly (to be fair, it might be the beat up cool look that did that mind ).

Drew_TNBD

Honestly? I probably wouldn't get either. They reportedly sound nothing like their bigger wattage counterparts, and I suspect that is the vibe you're going for.

Bear in mind if you're buying new, you're going to lose 40% of the value almost as soon as you walk out the door, such is the state of the amp resales at the moment.

I'd be looking 2nd hand personally, and I'd be starting a thread listing out the features you want so we can all recommend a variety.

If you want high-gain chest thump stuff, a 50-watt head might be better for you. If you're not playing live, a EVH 5153 50-watter head could be the ticket, if you can live with the volume jump.