It's Time for a Mesa Mark...III or IV

jlb32":2hufmg2h said:

I love all the Marks but do prefer the Mark IV. To me it just has a grind to the tone the other Marks just can't hit the same.

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Thanks to everyone that has chimed in. I'm not 100% decided yet. This may come down to availability or the deal I can find on one or the other.
I gotta say though, there is something about the way the IV grinds that I dig. I remember hearing that in the one I heard in person and hear it in some of the better clips...something about it that I haven't heard in the III, but it's hard to tell from clips available.
May have to just try both for myself

I had a MKIII and MKIV at the same time.
The MKIII is the angrier sounding one.
The MKIV Lead channel is smoother, the III is just a chainsaw.
I'll never sell my Blue Stripe head, fully loaded Simul.

Markedman":2yh6csgb said:

Mark III amps are more open, raw and aggressive compared to the IV. It does not matter which "stripe" you get, they're all monsters although the ones modded by Mike B. at Mesa are the way to go. The GEQ is mandatory, any Mesa without one is just another amp. An MXR Micro Amp in the loop is the best lead boost IMO and I've tried many. It not only boost without coloring, it gives the tone a nice sweet singing voice. The IV is fine if that's the only Mesa Mark amp you've ever played but once you've played a III or C+, it's over for the IV love.
A Mark III will cause the Marshall style amps sound anemic in comparison when playing leads and will hold their own with those amps when playing rhythm.

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Not really, or shall I say to each his own. I'm really happy with my IV and I've owned a few IIC+'s in my time. For a live gig I'd take the IV because of the versatility. I remember comparing the IV and IIC+ in the room on the same cab and I could get them very very close. The IV gets closer than the Mark V.

I love both my Mark III and Mark IV, but if the best tone is what you're after, your option is the Mark III. Yes, the IV sounds awesome. Yes, it can get close to a C+, but the Mark III is clearer, more responsive, and has a rawness to it that makes it feel as if a blanket has been lifted off of the speakers. It's that noticeable. By comparison, the Mark IV sounds darker, and while it sounds amazing, the Mark III just sounds better, IMHO.

The biggest difference between the two comes down to convenience. The Mark IV has more to offer channel wise by giving you 2 channels with completely different tone controls, and while some of the controls are shared, you can get 3 separate, usable tones. With the Mark III, everything is shared, so it becomes a little more dicey. I'd highly recommend the R2 Volume mod to give Rhythm 2 a little more separation, but otherwise you can use the cleans that are dialed in, or you can use your volume knob to knock some of the hair off the tone.

For me, when I hit the studio, I bring the Mark III. If I'm playing live, I usually bring the Mark IV. For those of us that are used to JCM800s and working with your volume control to get your cleans, you'll be right at home with a Mark III. For those of us that are used to Diezels and multiple channel amps, I think the Mark IV will fit the bill.

I'll also second what was suggested above. Don't get too hooked on the color of the Stripe, because all Mark IIIs are amazing amps. The Blue Stripe is the most aggressive, but it's got so much gain, you'll likely never need it.

If you can live with the limitations... get the MKIII.