Favorite Mark Series Boogie

[LanierP]

I just bought the 2C+ Coliseum that was for sale here about a month ago. When I got it, I dialed in all the knobs exactly where they should be to get "the tone". It sounded lame. I was scratching my head thinking I just bought a high dollar paper weight, then remembered the presence knob on the back. It was on "0". Turned it up to around 7 and Holy Shit! Unreal! This is insanely loud, anywhere past 2 on the master and you can feel your ear canal hairs being flattened! Limiter circuit is cool to tame this monster a bit. Fantastic sounding gain. I was able to dial in the Gillis "Speak of the Devil" tone so close with this amp, it gives me goosebumps. Cranking the 'Symptom of the Universe' riff thru it is mind blowing. Hope the previous owner tried moving that presence knob around a little. Sounds like Mud on '0'

 

[Hard&Heavy]

Love my mklll coli.

 

[Guitarnobody]

I just bought the 2C+ Coliseum that was for sale here about a month ago. When I got it, I dialed in all the knobs exactly where they should be to get "the tone". It sounded lame. I was scratching my head thinking I just bought a high dollar paper weight, then remembered the presence knob on the back. It was on "0". Turned it up to around 7 and Holy Shit! Unreal! This is insanely loud, anywhere past 2 on the master and you can feel your ear canal hairs being flattened! Limiter circuit is cool to tame this monster a bit. Fantastic sounding gain. I was able to dial in the Gillis "Speak of the Devil" tone so close with this amp, it gives me goosebumps. Cranking the 'Symptom of the Universe' riff thru it is mind blowing. Hope the previous owner tried moving that presence knob around a little. Sounds like Mud on '0'

My Mark III coliseum is modded for more gain and doesn't have the limiter circuit. The added gain give the amp more bounce when it is turned up a bit (vs being too compressed by the power tubes). The amp is nothing short of insane. Plus my amp doesn't have reverb, so the presence is located on the FRONT!! Considering that around 87 Mark III coliseums were supposedly made, I'm thinking only a few have the presence on the front.

 

[Racerxrated]

I just bought the 2C+ Coliseum that was for sale here about a month ago. When I got it, I dialed in all the knobs exactly where they should be to get "the tone". It sounded lame. I was scratching my head thinking I just bought a high dollar paper weight, then remembered the presence knob on the back. It was on "0". Turned it up to around 7 and Holy Shit! Unreal! This is insanely loud, anywhere past 2 on the master and you can feel your ear canal hairs being flattened! Limiter circuit is cool to tame this monster a bit. Fantastic sounding gain. I was able to dial in the Gillis "Speak of the Devil" tone so close with this amp, it gives me goosebumps. Cranking the 'Symptom of the Universe' riff thru it is mind blowing. Hope the previous owner tried moving that presence knob around a little. Sounds like Mud on '0'

I dial every amp's high end first with presence then add treble. More bite/attack IMO.

 

[stephen sawall]

Interesting to see how the poll is going.

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Mark IIC+
Never played a stand alone. Just the mode on my MKV, which I hear is nothing like the stand alone amp. This is odd, you'd think they have all kinds of analyzers to nail the tone.
the IIC+ mode on the MKV is missing something.

The IV mode is where it's at as far as I'm concerned. Especially with a tad of a clean boost up front, love it. The Extreme mode, I find just useless.

So I have 7 amps in my MKV, not 9

 

[cecilbag]

I've had tons of Boogies but always love the tone of a Mark IV. I have had 2 mark v's and just couldn't gel with them. The IV I owned was a combo with the EV speaker. Loved everything about it and shouldn't have sold it. I need another soon. Never cared for the IIB combo I tried but I'd love to try an honest c+ like everyone else

 

[Avi8r2005]

The 2 Mark IV's I had were cool initially, but after a few months with them I got frustrated trying to chase a tone I never quite could nail down. Sold them both and moved on to other things including a Triaxis. Again, same thing, heard always these awesome tones coming from everybody elses amp but mine. Got frustrated with that too and moved it on down the road. Finally settled on a Mark V. I find it is much easier to dial in on the Mark IV settings and get a pretty good sound out of it fairly easily and quickly. But again, seems like its not one of those instant gratification amps like others out there.

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Once I discovered the major influence of the treble knob on the V in MKV mode I was happy. The extreme mode is another thing. Anybody use extreme mode? Sounds way too boomy to me. Then you turn down the bass and there's nothing.

 

[skoora]

Once I discovered the major influence of the treble knob on the V in MKV mode I was happy. The extreme mode is another thing. Anybody use extreme mode? Sounds way too boomy to me. Then you turn down the bass and there's nothing.

It's definitely Extreme in extra "body", not extra gain. I don't play CH 3 a whole lot but I'll have to experiment dialing some hard rock tones with Extreme, not so much metal tones.

I've played some IV's where CH 2 is pretty good but some where it's just lifeless. Could have been pre tubes, I don't know.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Can we vote if we've never owned a Mesa Mark? I do love them though. If I'm allowed to chime in, there's something about the red channel on a MKIV that is just...perfect. If I were in a metal or heavy rock band and in the studio, it'd be the first amp I'd want for thick, articulate, cutting rhythm sounds.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Mark IIC+
Never played a stand alone. Just the mode on my MKV, which I hear is nothing like the stand alone amp. This is odd, you'd think they have all kinds of analyzers to nail the tone.
the IIC+ mode on the MKV is missing something.

The IV mode is where it's at as far as I'm concerned. Especially with a tad of a clean boost up front, love it. The Extreme mode, I find just useless.

So I have 7 amps in my MKV, not 9

The V really isn't anything like the IIC+. But, the versatility of the Mark V is nice and if we compare it to other amps out now like 5153, JVM, Rectifiers, then I think it competes well and I'd take it over a lot of other amps out there.

If I had to cover a lot of different tunes for a gig I'd probably take the V over a IIC+. The solo switch, independent channels, footswitchable FX loop...it's all great to have on a gig.

 

[stephen sawall]

Can we vote if we've never owned a Mesa Mark? I do love them though. If I'm allowed to chime in, there's something about the red channel on a MKIV that is just...perfect. If I were in a metal or heavy rock band and in the studio, it'd be the first amp I'd want for thick, articulate, cutting rhythm sounds.

Everyone can vote.

Surprised no one picked a Mark I......

 

[worldcatalyst]

I'm shocked that the MK IV is still in the lead. Still my favorite amp after 10 years.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Mark IIC+. Superior to the Mark IV all day, everyday.

I've owned 3 real deal IIC+'s and one MKIV. For me the MKIV was the clear winner. I'm not just referring to the flexibility, but the lead tone of the IV was more to my liking.

 

[Racerxrated]

Kinda kicking myself, could have had a Mk IV head last year for 700. No foot switch though, but obviously a great price...

 

[Racerxrated]

I'm shocked that the MK IV is still in the lead. Still my favorite amp after 10 years.

I think the price and availability of the MKIV has something to do with it. Much less expensive and many thousands more available than a 2C+. Want to try one though.... Between 2Cs and 2C+, 4000 total? Made for 2 years vs 15 or more..just saying.

 

[fretout]

I voted for the Mark III based on the Coliseums I own, and how they perform. Compared to the Mark IIC+ (which is arguably Mesa's most critically acclaimed amp), it had the same "feel" and even better range of gain. I will add that if I compared the Mark IIC+ to a normal "100 watt Mark III", I would have chosen the Mark IIC+. The Coliseums have a depth and responsiveness the other Marks can't compete with.

I will say that Mesa's best all-around amp goes to the Mark IV. With 3 nearly independent channels, it competes with the Mark V, but the Mark IV has a usable lead channel that is very, very close to the lead on the Mark IIC+...with the right settings. One trick that often gets overlooked with the Mark IVs is how modern sounding they can be. Most thrash and prog guitarists set the amp for harmonics, but if you flip the switch to "mid gain", the amp takes down-tuned guitars in B and C really, really well. If you've heard the early Sevendust and early Chevelle tracks, that's all Mark IV.

The Mark III has this extra aggression and rage that the Mark IV and even the Mark IIC+ don't have, and I've always liked having more gain than I need that I could turn down if I needed to instead of not having enough gain and trying to add stomp boxes and higher output pickups to compensate for it. The Blue Stripe Coli is the most pissed off amp I've ever heard and sounds a little more focused while the No Stripe Coli sounds a little more open, which is closer to the way a Mark IIC+ sounds.

 

[jorual]

I have tried some of them and I have a Mark IV in combo. I prefer it with a 4x12". It totally changes. Mark V is good but it sounds to me a bit coulder tha MARK IV.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Has anyone had the IV and V in the same room, same cab? What can be done to get the V lead channel where the IV lead channel is? Can a simple tube screamer or EQ pedal on the V get it there?