Chris6870
Well-known member
I have heard that Mesa does not pay endorsers.Andy Timmons said that he basically walked away from Laney who designing a sig amp for him and and went to Mesa who was not paying him, just because he really liked the amps.
racerevlon
Active member
He's reading from (an albeit extremely narrow) teleprompter. I don't buy this.
Badronald
New member
scottkahn":3nlzg81i said:1. Learn more about John's amp choice and the making of the latest CD from this great interview I did with him this past fall:
http://www.musicplayers.com/features/gu ... trucci.php
2. Generally speaking, endorsees are not paid for their endorsements. Here's a feature I wrote all about endorsement deals, for those of you who think you know what the deals are about without actually having any endorsement deals of your own:
http://www.musicplayers.com/features/ge ... dorsed.php
Enjoy
Scott
I've had, have endorsement offers. I can get ridiculous deals, but not get paid to use gear. I'm nobody, but I assumed someone on John's level would get paid to endorse gear. I could be wrong. I'm sure there are many deals out there and I'm sure different guys get different deals.
F
FIREBALL
New member
i owned a mark IV which i lked a lot more than IIc+s,then i got my mark v which i liked just as much,so i sold the mark IV.....what is it that people dont like about it....i see lots of great videos of the mark v on this very forum.....just wondering
D
dgaemc2
New member
Here is my opinion....
John realizes that the MkV kicks ass for his needs.....and that is why he uses it. It is that simple!! John is a very gifted player and can play whatever guitar, amp, effects, cabs, etc. that he chooses. Does he have endorsements with some manufacturer's....maybe, but who cares.....he is going to use what works best for him. He never said the IIC+ sucked....he just said that he preferred the MkV.
I highly respect John and his talents, but do not even play his style at all.....so honestly, I could care less what he uses to get his great sound.
Personally, the MkV is my all time favorite amp (and I've owned many through the years). I have owned it for over 2 years and it still puts a smile on my face while playing through it at home or live. It is a fantastic amp for my needs!
BTW....I don't think that Mesa Boogie has to have somebody such as John to hype up the MkV to improve sales. The MkV is probably their current best seller, and that is saying a lot. If not, I would wager that it is very close to top because of its incredible flexibility and sound.
John realizes that the MkV kicks ass for his needs.....and that is why he uses it. It is that simple!! John is a very gifted player and can play whatever guitar, amp, effects, cabs, etc. that he chooses. Does he have endorsements with some manufacturer's....maybe, but who cares.....he is going to use what works best for him. He never said the IIC+ sucked....he just said that he preferred the MkV.
I highly respect John and his talents, but do not even play his style at all.....so honestly, I could care less what he uses to get his great sound.
Personally, the MkV is my all time favorite amp (and I've owned many through the years). I have owned it for over 2 years and it still puts a smile on my face while playing through it at home or live. It is a fantastic amp for my needs!
BTW....I don't think that Mesa Boogie has to have somebody such as John to hype up the MkV to improve sales. The MkV is probably their current best seller, and that is saying a lot. If not, I would wager that it is very close to top because of its incredible flexibility and sound.
petejt
Active member
I respect John's opinion and appreciate his honesty, or Mesa/Boogie's marketing strategy for that matter. Whatever. I'm not going to take those opinions and make them my own, no matter what anyone says.
I love my MarkIV and that's that. As I said before the MarkV was released and continue to say now, I would not give up my MarkIV for a MarkV, fullstop.
I love my MarkIV and that's that. As I said before the MarkV was released and continue to say now, I would not give up my MarkIV for a MarkV, fullstop.
Mokaccino
New member
He likes it better than the IIC+? So be it. It might be a publicity stunt? So be it. Mesa Boogie pays him to do that? So be it.
I don't like Petrucci, I don't like Dream Theatre. Personal choices. So be it.
What's to discuss really? I don't get the hate/bashing on Petrucci/Mesa Boogie... I would be ready to bet that if any of you get famous and have the opportunity to be paid large sums of money to promote some amp/guitar/whatever you would do it. And there is nothing wrong with that. There's a market for everything: some like the Mark V, some don't. Same goes with Peavey or any other company. Personal choices. So be it.
I don't like Petrucci, I don't like Dream Theatre. Personal choices. So be it.
What's to discuss really? I don't get the hate/bashing on Petrucci/Mesa Boogie... I would be ready to bet that if any of you get famous and have the opportunity to be paid large sums of money to promote some amp/guitar/whatever you would do it. And there is nothing wrong with that. There's a market for everything: some like the Mark V, some don't. Same goes with Peavey or any other company. Personal choices. So be it.
Gjeven
New member
luther910":26avlbcy said:
When I first got that amp, it looked really complicated because there a lot of knobs. But when you take a close look at it, its no more complicated than any other amp controls, it just has controls for each of the channels so it seems like a lot.
Has the normal controls, Bass, Mids, Treble, Presence, Gain, Volume. THere are different switches on some of the channels, but nothing that hasnt been done before in other amps.
The main difference are the channel switches that change the amp circuits to "replicate" older Mark series amps. They probably dont sound as good as the original amp, but they are close enough to get the tone of what made those amps special.
S
Soundguy213
New member
man, a lot of Mesa animosity.
scottkahn
New member
Artists don't get paid for endorsements, but they get other benefits, namely obtaining the gear at cost and having priority support treatment via their direct contacts at the manufacturers. Now sometimes they might get one amp or one guitar in exchange for using their image in advertisements, but they don't get paid. And "real" artists don't typically do endorsement deals with companies whose products they don't want to use in the first place.
Great example -- John Petrucci and Music Man guitars. He gets 10-15 new guitars before each world tour. He pays for them. If Ernie Ball gave every one of their top name endorsees 10 guitars for free every other year they would go out of business. Same for Mesa. They're only a 70 person company, not as big as some folks think, manufacturing everything in their Petaluma, CA shop. If they gave multiple amps to Petrucci, the guys in Metallica, Green Day (both of whom outsell Dream Theater and thus have more marketing value), and even just 10% of their endorsement list... they'd go out of business.
Petrucci has multiple rigs built around the Mark IV. He switched to the Mark V because it offered him some features he liked more, while still preserving the tones he requires from the Mark IV and IIc+. Not everyone loves to stand by their older gear. I prefer new/modern to vintage, for example. Amp designers like Randal Smith (Mesa) look at ways of improving upon things they've already built. You might not like the Mark V compared with earlier versions, but generally speaking, Randal and co. are happier with the changes they've made.
But rest assured heros like John Petrucci are playing the gear that fuels their passion for music, and they're getting a great deal on it, but they are not getting much for free.
All that said... with most companies, an artist signature model amp/guitar/pedal is designed in part by the artist, and the artists collect a royalty for each unit sold. So Eric Johnson, for example, probably earns more money from sales of his Fender signature guitars than he actually does from sale of recordings.
Scott
Great example -- John Petrucci and Music Man guitars. He gets 10-15 new guitars before each world tour. He pays for them. If Ernie Ball gave every one of their top name endorsees 10 guitars for free every other year they would go out of business. Same for Mesa. They're only a 70 person company, not as big as some folks think, manufacturing everything in their Petaluma, CA shop. If they gave multiple amps to Petrucci, the guys in Metallica, Green Day (both of whom outsell Dream Theater and thus have more marketing value), and even just 10% of their endorsement list... they'd go out of business.
Petrucci has multiple rigs built around the Mark IV. He switched to the Mark V because it offered him some features he liked more, while still preserving the tones he requires from the Mark IV and IIc+. Not everyone loves to stand by their older gear. I prefer new/modern to vintage, for example. Amp designers like Randal Smith (Mesa) look at ways of improving upon things they've already built. You might not like the Mark V compared with earlier versions, but generally speaking, Randal and co. are happier with the changes they've made.
But rest assured heros like John Petrucci are playing the gear that fuels their passion for music, and they're getting a great deal on it, but they are not getting much for free.
All that said... with most companies, an artist signature model amp/guitar/pedal is designed in part by the artist, and the artists collect a royalty for each unit sold. So Eric Johnson, for example, probably earns more money from sales of his Fender signature guitars than he actually does from sale of recordings.
Scott
Norton666
Member
scottkahn":32k00p81 said:1. Learn more about John's amp choice and the making of the latest CD from this great interview I did with him this past fall:
http://www.musicplayers.com/features/gu ... trucci.php
2. Generally speaking, endorsees are not paid for their endorsements. Here's a feature I wrote all about endorsement deals, for those of you who think you know what the deals are about without actually having any endorsement deals of your own:
http://www.musicplayers.com/features/ge ... dorsed.php
Enjoy
Scott
Just read your endorsement article and its really well written and hits the nail on the head. Ive had a few deals over the years and it amazes me how many people think endorsement= free. And to think people get paid to use a product is pretty silly.
Little B
Well-known member
And this is why we call the forum "Rig Talk". Were talking rigs here- be it guitars, amps, effects,other artists gear, whatever it is, it makes for great discussions, and I for one learn so much from this site Brad has put up here on the good ol internet..... anyways, I own a MK IV, and MkIII coli and a V for a short time and they dont anything like each other...NOTE: ( in a killer studio, U can get almost anything to sound like something else-at least to fool the public's ears)...I loved the V, the only thing I didnt like is the claim that the "preset" knobs for the eq will go from flat to the big "v",but they dont go that far at all-compared to the main graphic eq...if they did,I'd buy a few mk V's...Somebody should just ask John in person about his V vrs IIc+, IV, ect and get it straight from him.. 
scottkahn
New member
Thanks Norton!
I keep waiting for the day when someone says "we just want to give you this stuff for free because you're cool and we don't really need to cover our manufacturing costs." Until I'm selling out football arenas, I think I'll be waiting a bit longer... but the discounted pricing definitely makes a huge difference.
I did, in the interview. He's pretty clear that he prefers the tones he gets from the V, probably because it gives him cleaner clean tones while still giving him the same lead and rhythm sounds he got from his IV a IIc+. He never really uses his IIc+ stuff anymore.
I keep waiting for the day when someone says "we just want to give you this stuff for free because you're cool and we don't really need to cover our manufacturing costs." Until I'm selling out football arenas, I think I'll be waiting a bit longer... but the discounted pricing definitely makes a huge difference.
Little B":1l2onl72 said:Somebody should just ask John in person about his V vrs IIc+, IV, ect and get it straight from him..
I did, in the interview. He's pretty clear that he prefers the tones he gets from the V, probably because it gives him cleaner clean tones while still giving him the same lead and rhythm sounds he got from his IV a IIc+. He never really uses his IIc+ stuff anymore.
snowdog
Active member
scottkahn":1ctbnyf7 said:
Maybe right now he isn't using it, but in a Guitar World interview for the album before last, Black Clouds and Silver Linings he said he used it on the whole record except one solo, which he did use the MKV on, that just came out at the time. So he has used the MKII C+ extensively in the not too distant past.
Maybe he's not getting paid to play Mesa stuff, but I'll bet the Boogie truck makes more than a few deliveries at his place free of charge. Besides Metallica he is probably single handedly responsible for more people buying Boogie amps than anyone else.
van hellion
New member
Badronald":1yl0zgap said:
but sometimes they actually do like the new designs better than the old ones. not arguing or anything, just saying. i mean it is a diferent amp and he could possibly like it better. for me personally i dont get along with vh-4 i like hagen better, but diezel didnt pay me to say that or feel that way to pump hype into a new product. it just happened ya know?
A Wood
Little B
Well-known member
....Someday,even many many years from now, for me anyways, I'd love to fire up those ol MK IIc+'s and MK V's , even though perhaps the MK IX's are out and all the rage in 2016!...For someone like John, who has the means to own all of the models, he could very well do that..and have a great time re-living some tones from the past.....Ive just recently pulled out some rare Rockman stuff- xpr, sustainor 200,chorus/delay,rockman poweramp, ect and wow,what killer "boston" tone from back in the day!....The point: Please keep all Boogies alive!
jlbaxe
Banned
Active member
I would like to try the Mk V since I never had a II C+ or IV. My Mk III is a great combo amp but it shares the eq for all 3 channels and ch1&2 needed the R2 Vol mod to make it useable. If the Mk V uses different eq for each channel and can use E34L and or 6L6 tubes with on board reverb and Direct out it should be a great Combo amp. I luv my Mk III tone but the eq and pedals suck and there is a fine line to dial it in for me, the push pull pots suck also 
thiswaythatway
Well-known member
Badronald":hchvkyos said:
I met Petrucci in the early 90's right when Images And Words came out. He selling a bunch of stuff so he could buy Mesa gear. He told me me Mesa wasn't even giving him any free gear. But at that time Dream Theater wasn't known yet and he wasn't an endorsee.
Now is there a video from the Lamb Of God dude who dumped his Mark V for the Royal Atlantic?
killertone
Well-known member
I work directly with all the big (and small for that matter) manufacturers daily for the artists that I work with and for my own deals as well. I work for a heavy hitter and he is not paid a dime for playing anything (he wouldn't do that anyway, but just using it as an example). He gets some free stuff and also has to pay for some at a special artist rate. I have a couple deals for myself as well and I pay artist rates, as I should. Most good artists understand that getting awesome deals on killer gear is worth it and realize that it benefits both parties.
I never said that JP got paid by Mesa and never would say that because I know it is most likely not true. However, JP is a loyal Mesa guy as he has obviously shown over the years, and he most likely made the video because A) he actually does like the V, and B) knows that his opinion will help sell amps and he did it to help them out.
I never said that JP got paid by Mesa and never would say that because I know it is most likely not true. However, JP is a loyal Mesa guy as he has obviously shown over the years, and he most likely made the video because A) he actually does like the V, and B) knows that his opinion will help sell amps and he did it to help them out.
mightywarlock
Well-known member
Here's the thing.
The Mark V is, kind of like a lot of Mesa's, Hard to dial in.
In fact, with so many modes, settings, EQ, etc, it is very easy to make it sound kind of strange.
However, there IS something good in there, if you get it dialed in right, and can CRANK it to the point where it starts to sound good.
I think when cranked, it is a pretty awesome amp, like most amps. However, if you can't crank the amp, it can sound funky.
and if EQ'd wrong, it can sound bad.
and this can go on and on.
Is it a BAD amp? No way. The Best? I guess that depends on your needs.
It's like people forget, the Mark V ch.3 is basically some Mark IV modes. not a new sounding amp.
I share the same love/hate relationship with the amp, but when I get the opportunity to really crank it, it is pretty awesome. it's just the lower wattage settings that leave me a little flat.
As for Petrucci,
who cares?
I've tried his settings he's talk about in other video's and honestly, it just didn't work for me. Didn't like they way the amps sounded, but was a different way to dial that I had done before.
We've seen him using it live. If he used it on the recording, so be it.
What I'm really waiting for, is all these artists to talk about when they stop using these amps, and start using only the Axe-FX units for everything, not just effects!
The Mark V is, kind of like a lot of Mesa's, Hard to dial in.
In fact, with so many modes, settings, EQ, etc, it is very easy to make it sound kind of strange.
However, there IS something good in there, if you get it dialed in right, and can CRANK it to the point where it starts to sound good.
I think when cranked, it is a pretty awesome amp, like most amps. However, if you can't crank the amp, it can sound funky.
and if EQ'd wrong, it can sound bad.
and this can go on and on.
Is it a BAD amp? No way. The Best? I guess that depends on your needs.
It's like people forget, the Mark V ch.3 is basically some Mark IV modes. not a new sounding amp.
I share the same love/hate relationship with the amp, but when I get the opportunity to really crank it, it is pretty awesome. it's just the lower wattage settings that leave me a little flat.
As for Petrucci,
who cares?
I've tried his settings he's talk about in other video's and honestly, it just didn't work for me. Didn't like they way the amps sounded, but was a different way to dial that I had done before.
We've seen him using it live. If he used it on the recording, so be it.
What I'm really waiting for, is all these artists to talk about when they stop using these amps, and start using only the Axe-FX units for everything, not just effects!