Mark IV vs Roadster

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colimofsmoke

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So I've never had a chance to play a Mark IV, how do they compare to a Roadster, both in terms of functionality and sound? Mostly playing very heavy stuff, still finding my sound right now, but have mostly been using channel 4 on the roadster with the modern mode, bold power, and tube recto setting on 50 watts, but have also been using channel one a lot, on the tweed setting, gain maxed, with a big muff and blackouts, starts to get into really good sludge/doom territory. Style wise been switching back and forth between doomy stuff, and tighter fast chuggy riffs with single note melodies. Also sometimes playing heavy psych rock on channel 3 with the vintage setting, gain around 2 o'clock, and reverb maxed with a carbon copy in the loop.
 
Its fairly easy to get a good idea how the 2 compare: They don't.

Completely different amps in terms of feel, response and tone. Roadster is huge, loose, saggy and scooped. Mark IV has loads of midrange, cuts like a knife, is extremely tight and responds with an immediate attack.

Hope that helps :D
 
I've got a Mark IV and fluff hit it on the head. No doom stuff on the IV, very tight and responsive.
 
fluff191":1mcujlob said:
Its fairly easy to get a good idea how the 2 compare: They don't.

Completely different amps in terms of feel, response and tone. Roadster is huge, loose, saggy and scooped. Mark IV has loads of midrange, cuts like a knife, is extremely tight and responds with an immediate attack.

Hope that helps :D
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It does help, thanks. That is actually how I would describe my Mesa if I was better at describing amps.

I guess I would say that on the roadster, I like channel 4 on modern with the gain around 2 o'clock, bass up high, mids up high, treble around 11 o'clock. The rest of the channels seem to get close to something I would use, but never quite there. 2 on Brit is basically useless for my purposes. I don't play clean so the clean and fat modes don't get used, ever. I do think it's a highly versatile amp, and the functionality is great, I just don't seem to be able to find many tones in it that I personally love. I've heard lots of records and live shows where rectos sounded awesome, but so far not jumping for joy over it. I'm not actively looking for a mark iv, someone offered me one in trade and it got me thinking about whether it might fit better.
 
colimofsmoke":2tyrvkqy said:
I like channel 4 on modern with the gain around 2 o'clock, bass up high, mids up high, treble around 11 o'clock.
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If those are your preferred settings you probably won't like a Mark. The basic tonality of a Mark is pretty much the total opposite direction.
 
some dude":3g515oei said:
colimofsmoke":3g515oei said:
I like channel 4 on modern with the gain around 2 o'clock, bass up high, mids up high, treble around 11 o'clock.
Click to expand...

If those are your preferred settings you probably won't like a Mark. The basic tonality of a Mark is pretty much the total opposite direction.
Click to expand...

You can determine that he won't like a mark IV by looking at his settings on a different amp? huh
 
sjk":163gdg51 said:
some dude":163gdg51 said:
colimofsmoke":163gdg51 said:
I like channel 4 on modern with the gain around 2 o'clock, bass up high, mids up high, treble around 11 o'clock.
Click to expand...

If those are your preferred settings you probably won't like a Mark. The basic tonality of a Mark is pretty much the total opposite direction.
Click to expand...

You can determine that he won't like a mark IV by looking at his settings on a different amp? huh
Click to expand...

I can't determine whether he'll like it or not, but if someone came up to me and said "I have a Recto and I run the bass up higher and cut the treble, what amp would I like?" a Mark wouldn't be the first thing that comes to mind.
 
It's such a personal preference thing that I say you just need to play both and pick out the one that fits your playing best. Anyone who says that you can't play this or that style on either of these amps either can't play worth a shit or bases everything on internet jargon.
 
I didn't like the mark v I played, but mostly I just thought all the switching was really annoying and didn't feel like spending the time that seemed necessary to find a good tone. The tones I did find were not to my liking at all.
 
rocknrolla":2ayt2q4o said:
It's such a personal preference thing that I say you just need to play both and pick out the one that fits your playing best. Anyone who says that you can't play this or that style on either of these amps either can't play worth a shit or bases everything on internet jargon.
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This seems to be generally the most true thing about these kind of forums. I just thought I'd ask because I can't play a mark iv.
 
The mark V will do sludge any day of the week. This amp is capable of anything. Set channel 2 to Mark 1 mode, bass at 1, then shape the desired tone with the graphic EQ and you are in sludge hell. Adding even more of the pregain bass will take it into a nasty fuzzy and extremely dirty territory.

Mark V is the best Mesa amp ever. Had most of it...

It takes learning time tho.. But its so rewarding when you know all it's hidden little gems.
 
sjk":29aghfua said:
some dude":29aghfua said:
colimofsmoke":29aghfua said:
I like channel 4 on modern with the gain around 2 o'clock, bass up high, mids up high, treble around 11 o'clock.
Click to expand...

If those are your preferred settings you probably won't like a Mark. The basic tonality of a Mark is pretty much the total opposite direction.
Click to expand...

You can determine that he won't like a mark IV by looking at his settings on a different amp? huh
Click to expand...

Based on the info the OP gave, I'd say yes, he can. He has experience with both amps and the OP said what he was after. Dude just gave him an answer. That's what we do here, no? :confused: -I don't think he was saying "stay away from the Marks", just saying its far from the first amp that comes to mind for that style/sound.
 
Jofipe":2ajyein8 said:
The mark V will do sludge any day of the week. This amp is capable of anything. Set channel 2 to Mark 1 mode, bass at 1, then shape the desired tone with the graphic EQ and you are in sludge hell. Adding even more of the pregain bass will take it into a nasty fuzzy and extremely dirty territory.

Mark V is the best Mesa amp ever. Had most of it...

It takes learning time tho.. But its so rewarding when you know all it's hidden little gems.
Click to expand...

Agree, the V can do just about anything, but the Roadster (and recto series) still does Doom/sludge better. It's just a loose and deeply voiced beast by nature. I think he should play both and decide for himself. :thumbsup:
 
Would love to. Have a roadster in my studio, have no access to a iv. But thanks for the advice!
 
For the record, I also play tight modern 7 string metal, not just doom/sludge.
 
A Recto voicing will make a de-tuned or 7 string guitar very loose and flubby. I'd aim for a voicing with a higher midrange and a tighter bottom end.
 
rocknrolla":drihheu8 said:
A Recto voicing will make a de-tuned or 7 string guitar very loose and flubby.
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Rectos are only loose and flubby if you dial them in to be loose and flubby.
 
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