Modena M90 vs Mark V

[TrustNoShadows]

Hey, y'all! I'm a long-time lurker. My gear has been the same for about 7 years. My setup is Guitar > Amp and I don't use effects. So, I haven't had much reason to join the forum. I get excited just trying out new strings or picks. I've also noticed that regardless of guitar or amp, I can usually get a sound I like and make it sound like 'me'.

Anyway...I was thinking about selling my Elmwood M90 to buy a powered Kemper. I wanted to get away from tubes and have a wider variety of tones. Someone on craigslist offered to trade for a Mesa Boogie Mark V and he kind of flaked out, but now my interest has been piqued by the Mark V. The different channels, wattage ratings available, tube rectifier, and the variac mode all sound awesome. Maybe I'd have more fun with it and I'd be inspired to play more.

There's a Mesa dealer not too far from here and I'll soon test one out myself. It seems like the M90 is Marshall-esque correct? From what I've read, Marshall = trumpet and Mesa = saxophone. Can the Mark V deliver a good middy punch to the ears? How is the noise floor? Could someone share thoughts/opinions who has experience with both the M90 and Mark V?

thanks!

 

[Racerxrated]

I don't have a MarkV, but I have a Mark III. Its all about where the mids sit on a Mark vs a Marshall. Mark-low mids, Marshall-upper mids. Marks have a graphic eq that if you don't use you will have mids mids and more mids. Even with the eq engaged and mids scooped you still have mids. Mark Vs are very versatile but also 2-3X the cost of a mk3. Mark series amps are killer and a whole different animal than a rectifier, which I couldn't gel with years ago. A Mark series has great articulation and power, and as a Marshall guy I'm glad I spent 700 on a used mk3. Good luck!

 

[TrustNoShadows]

Ah, now all the smiley face EQs I've seen on Marks make more sense.

 

[Racerxrated]

And when you turn it up, the tone gets brighter, almost Marshally. The love/hate about a Mark series is the tweaking..some love it, some hate it. I get a base tone then tweak depending on the room/volume. And they say if a fly lands on your slider, everything changes lol...V30s sound good with a mark because of the upper mids they provide..imo

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Imagine having this in your jam space? Imagine that mesa tolex smell. The smell of the new tubes warming up. The anticipation of that 30-45 seconds as the tubes warm up. The rumble of the low strings as you strike that first chord .

Imagine the women, falling to their knees "ooohh, he's got A Mark V"

You don't want a Mark V, you NEED a Mark V and it's only a short drive away.

I don't use the preset on the EQ. I play 7 and 8 strings and with a bass player you want to boost the mids. What I love the most is when I get HIGH and just sit in front of the thing. My buddy has a Kemper and it's cool, but to me the sound of the tubes and full bodied multi-dimensionality of the tone. You can hit one chord and just sit there and hear the complexity and all the overtones and the thing just puts a shit eatin grin on your face.

The Kemper to me sounds good, but it seems to lack the complexity of the tone. With the Kemper, to me at least, you get a good tone and that's it. It just seems like it's missing something. Plus I don't like the lunchbox look. If I were to get one it would be a rackmount.

The other thing to consider is this. Although the options on the Mesa are staggering, once you set your tone, chances are you're not going to go nuts twisting knobs. With the Kemper, at least me, I don't think I'd ever actually play again. I'd be like my buddy, downloading profiles till his eyes are hanging out of his head.

 

[TrustNoShadows]

lol @ bills. You've sold me on it.

I think can handle the tweak-ability. I read through the manual and the amp seems simple to operate now. That's good to hear about the V30s. My Elmwood 4x12 has them. I really need to go try one out and post enough to use the classifieds section here. The black tolex with wicker grill looks amazing.

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Yes, the wicker ones look out of control. Couldn't find a black / wicker one sitting on a 2x12, but G'damn sonn, this thing looks too good to even touch.
I wish I could find some of the proper wicker, I'd redo mine. I looked for the sh*t and can't find the same stuff Mesa uses.

 

[mooncobra]

the Modena m90 is bad ass man!

 

[RG955TT]

Yup, had both, keep the Modena

 

[glassjaw7]

I wasn't a fan of the Modena I played. It was brief play through at a shop so it could've been bad tubes but it was real fuzzy and loose with no real structure of any kind. Sounded big and fat though. About as different from a Mark as you can get.

 

[Little B]

I have both..I could never get rid of either. They both deliver stellar tone in different ways.( and I use them in different ways).As far the recs go ( I like the triple rec) but every time I demo a rec, I end up back to either a mk III,IV, or V. Now, that m 90 ( when dialed in ) is a dragon slayer! A buddy of mine sold his and wishes he never did.Now he's on the hunt for another one and he is also the owner of mkIII coli...you may also want to hop over the boogie board..theyre mk series fanatics.Id really try to swing both if you could.

 

[TrustNoShadows]

I'd say the gain channel is a tight, smooth sound. A lot of mids available. Kind of a clean sound with single notes and then rougher with chords. I'm sure many have heard an M90 but I'll record some clips with how I dial it in and see what you guys think.

It's going to be even harder to find one now since they closed up shop recently. So, I'd have to do it without looking back. I'd love to have both. This is what I get for going boutique on my first real amp, ha.

 

[Little B]

Man, if that m90 is your first real amp, you went right to top dude!. Most times, more often than not, the m90 is in the same camp with,diezel,Mesa, Bogner,VHT,Soldano,and others like that....its like flavors; you have chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon,strawberry,etc..but then you also have a zillion flavors of just chocolate alone!..

 

[chunktone]

I'd keep the Modena.

 

[Hey_bert_whtcha_doin_bert]

I've had both, I liked the mark v better myself. It sits better in a mix by my ears.

 

[TrustNoShadows]

Have any of you recorded clips with the Mark V that you could link me to? Maybe even some clips using the variac mode?

 

[chunktone]

Have any of you recorded clips with the Mark V that you could link me to? Maybe even some clips using the variac mode?

I'd try to find one to test drive before hand. When the Mark V came out I was pretty interested, and some clips sounded pretty good. found one to try, and was pretty not impressed at all in person.

 

[TrustNoShadows]

Which carrier is a good/safe option for shipping an amp?

I've now committed to selling my M90, but to fund an AxeFx II instead of a Mark V. The Mark seems awesome, but I still want to try digital. Direct recording seems great. The worst case scenario is that I don't like it, sell it, and get the Mesa. I wanted to sell locally to avoid shipping, no luck...no choice now, ha.

I was getting a quote from UPS and they surprised me by also giving me a USPS quote. USPS is cheaper, but UPS is better...or is it?

Am I asking too much for the M90?
https://reverb.com/item/465042-elmwood-modena-m90-head

 

[RG955TT]

Yeah sorry $2k is too high, most of the M90's I've seen have to be about $1500 to $1600 to sell from what Ive seen. That's about all I got for mine imcluding a hard case. $2k it will sit. Sorry, its worth it but not if you know what I mean.

 

[TrustNoShadows]

WOW, that's interesting, good to know thanks. Guess it depends on how bad I want the Fractal.