New amp day - Mesa Mark V combo arrived this afternoon!

[Deaj]

I received my Mesa Mark V combo a couple of hours ago in minty clean condition in original factory packing material and with all accessories, original documents, receipt, hang tags, the whole package. I also received a transferable warranty with the amp!

I've been tinkering with it and playing since it arrived. It really is a fantastic sounding amp! I'm finding a wide array of sounds through the graphic EQ. The clean tones are as nice as I perceived them to be during my demo's of the amp. The combo enclosure and C90 speaker sound great too (I hadn't played a MkV combo until today). I may give an Eminence RWB a go in this enclosure at some point - it seems like it might be a great match al the way around. At volume this thing is amazingly responsive and sounds huge! The high frequencies really come into balance perfectly when the volume is up. Using only the treble and presence controls it is possible to dial in great low volume tones without sounding fizzy. I'm having a blast!

This amp covers a lot of sonic territory, sounds not available in my Fuchs ODS. The Fuchs is also a very flexible amp so my sonic palette is immense at this point and the two amps take up very little space. The Mark V combo is a bit smaller than I pictured it. It's pretty compact and, like the Fuchs combo, will work nicely as a grab-n-go on its own.

I gave the effects loop a go with a Boss SE-70 effects processor. I didn't spend a lot of time balancing levels as it was pretty balanced the way it was set. The loop sounds great! I'm probably going to pick up a TC Electronics G Major (& G Minor foot controller) and rig some custom feet to clear the handle for amp top use as I do with the SE-70 and the Fuchs.

For most general applications away from my home studio I'd likely select the Fuchs most times - it is my ideal amp. I'll definitely take the Mesa to the next couple of jams to see how it works out for me in that setting.

Arthritis shut me down for the night a few minutes ago. Hopefully I didn't overdo it too badly so that I can play some more tomorrow (I'm supposed to pace myself but I was having way too much fun!).

I realize that the above impressions are 'honeymoon' observations and that some enthusiasm may wear off over time. And then again it may not. This is seriously a great sounding amp all the way around. Time will tell. Right now I'm very pleased with this purchase!

Here's a pic:

Follow-up:
I'm really pleased with what I'm hearing out of this amp. I put another hour or so into learning how the controls interact on channel 2. I'm dialing in some really great classic rock tones using the crunch mode, 45w setting, and a bump in the mids on the EQ - low gain Marshall JMP crunch tones that feel just riight under my fingers. Sounds and feels right even at low volume. I'm diggin' it!

 

[stephen sawall]

Your over in Kingston ... that's cool. Very cool you like the amp.

 

[gbsmusic]

Congrats!!

 

[blackba]

Do you have anyway to do some clips?

 

[Audioholic]

Must.. ..have... clips!!!!

 

[sixstrings]

Congratulations! I have the same amp. I personally don't like the stock speaker and so I replaced it and am even happier with it now. Be sure to try some EL34's in it. I'm using EL34's in mine because I really like the way it sounds with them and the low end is more manageable.

There is so much more you can do with it. In addition to the graphic EQ, etc..., try switching around the power modes and variac/full power setting. Good God man, you can get THE tone at any volume.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Must.. ..have... clips!!!!

I did one a while back if you really need one. I didn't own the amp long enough to make many clips though.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=50690&hilit=boston

 

[Deaj]

Congratulations! I have the same amp. I personally don't like the stock speaker and so I replaced it and am even happier with it now. Be sure to try some EL34's in it. I'm using EL34's in mine because I really like the way it sounds with them and the low end is more manageable.

There is so much more you can do with it. In addition to the graphic EQ, etc..., try switching around the power modes and variac/full power setting. Good God man, you can get THE tone at any volume.

What speaker did you go with? I'll spend some time with the amp in its stock configuration but eventually I'll experiment with speakers to find an ideal match.

 

[Deaj]

Thanks all! I'm really diggin' it so far. In addition to being a great sounding amp it's a pile of fun to tweak the various options and controls to shape new sounds. One could get lost for days in this thing.

 

[Deaj]

Your over in Kingston ... that's cool. Very cool you like the amp.

We drifted across the water to Kingston about 7 years ago. We like it over here and plan to stay until retirement, maybe until we fall over dead. The ferry system is a pain in the ass when driving a car but no bother whatsoever on a motorcycle.

Diggin' the MkV for sure!

 

[sixstrings]

Congratulations! I have the same amp. I personally don't like the stock speaker and so I replaced it and am even happier with it now. Be sure to try some EL34's in it. I'm using EL34's in mine because I really like the way it sounds with them and the low end is more manageable.

There is so much more you can do with it. In addition to the graphic EQ, etc..., try switching around the power modes and variac/full power setting. Good God man, you can get THE tone at any volume.

What speaker did you go with? I'll spend some time with the amp in its stock configuration but eventually I'll experiment with speakers to find an ideal match.

Texas Heat, 150w

 

[Deaj]

Congratulations! I have the same amp. I personally don't like the stock speaker and so I replaced it and am even happier with it now. Be sure to try some EL34's in it. I'm using EL34's in mine because I really like the way it sounds with them and the low end is more manageable.

There is so much more you can do with it. In addition to the graphic EQ, etc..., try switching around the power modes and variac/full power setting. Good God man, you can get THE tone at any volume.

What speaker did you go with? I'll spend some time with the amp in its stock configuration but eventually I'll experiment with speakers to find an ideal match.

Texas Heat, 150w

I'll have to look into this speaker as well. Thanks for the info!

 

[sixstrings]

Congratulations! I have the same amp. I personally don't like the stock speaker and so I replaced it and am even happier with it now. Be sure to try some EL34's in it. I'm using EL34's in mine because I really like the way it sounds with them and the low end is more manageable.

There is so much more you can do with it. In addition to the graphic EQ, etc..., try switching around the power modes and variac/full power setting. Good God man, you can get THE tone at any volume.

What speaker did you go with? I'll spend some time with the amp in its stock configuration but eventually I'll experiment with speakers to find an ideal match.

Texas Heat, 150w

I'll have to look into this speaker as well. Thanks for the info!

I have a Jensen Jet Blackbird alnico 100w speaker I was thinking about putting in it, but the magnet is pretty big and I'll have to check if it fits. When I had a 2x12 with Jensen Jet Blackbirds, I ran my Mesa through it and it sounded spectacular. It really brings out the sparkle and personality in the Mark V. I imagine that the speaker will sound just as good in the Mark V 1x12. I wish I still had that cab because it was a mistake to trade it. If I get around to installing the Blackbird in it, I'll let you know.

Too bad they don't make a 90w Celestion Gold. That's another speaker I really like a lot, even more than the Blackbird.

 

[Deaj]

Just a couple more observations:

Running a processor in the loop, even when the unit is in bypass, smooths out the tone and gives the top end a glassy sheen. It's a bit subtle but definitely noticeable. It sounds great regardless of the config (loop hard bypassed, loop active with nothing in line, and with a processor in the loop). I really like the way it sounds with the processor in the loop! It also seems to make overdrive and distortion sound 'chewy' more so than without it. Damn this sounds great!!

 

[Deaj]

After spending the last couple of days playing through the Mark V and discovering some of what it's capable of I did a quick A/B comparison between it and my Fuchs ODS. The amps are so different that a comparison isn't even useful. They're both so flexible and musically expressive but they cover very different sonic territory. They're both also a pile of fun to play through! If I had to sell one it would be the Mesa - the Fuchs is an ideal fit for me and much of what I do musically. Fortunately I don't have to choose - the intent was to have both available as studio tools. The Mesa seems ideally suited to covering much of what the Fuchs cannot and visa versa. Between the two I should be able to find a sound for just about any project I might involve myself with.

Here's a visual that I feel best describes the characteristic differences between these two amps:

 

[stephen sawall]

Cool photo

 

[Deaj]

Cool photo

Thanks!

 

[Deaj]

One more observation:

Contrary to what I had read about it the Mark V sounds astonishingly good at low volume. As with anything Mesa it's all about learning to dial it in. Given the amount of power on tap and the intended applications for the MkV it's clearly not a bedroom amp by design. But it can be and an excellent one at that! Just one more thing this amp excells at!

 

[ke2]

If I may suggest something:
Go for the Tech21 Midi mouse instead of the G-minor. The G-minor is the worst flimsy, piece of plastic crap controller I`ve owned.
You lose the flexibility of the tuner that way, but the MM is much more solid. They work more or less the same apart from the tuner issue.

 

[Deaj]

If I may suggest something:
Go for the Tech21 Midi mouse instead of the G-minor. The G-minor is the worst flimsy, piece of plastic crap controller I`ve owned.
You lose the flexibility of the tuner that way, but the MM is much more solid. They work more or less the same apart from the tuner issue.

Thanks for the heads up!