Soldano SLO vs Mesa MKIV high gain shootout - video inside!

[Racerxrated]

I also noticed that when he first played the Mesa he just played and played well. When he switched to the SLO he immediately reached for knobs to tweak and then didn't play quite as well.

Also, they were played through a Mesa cab with I assume V30s. Through another cab the results might change a bit.

This. Completely overlooked this factor. As crappy as Marks sound through green backs, the SLO sounds equally crappy through v30s. GBs or 65s for the win with the SLO.

I've always thought Soldanos sound really great with V30 speakers versus other speakers. I know Mike isn't a fan of V30's but most don't seem to be huge fans of what he uses in his Soldano cabs either. I've rarely seen anyone gigging a Soldano amp with a Soldano cab.

Yeah, maybe I'm a bit harsh with the V30/SLO combo but I remember having a V30 cab for my jubilee, G12 65 cab for both amps and an EVH cab as well. SLO was night and day better with the GBs/65s. Marks however sound like they are designed for V30s. Even better than EV12Ls.

 

[jdel77]

I think Mailman Dan's MESA MK III blows them both away ...

Is there a clip of this somewhere?
I'd love to check that out.
I've also got a Blue Stripe MKIII here that I want to mod to C+ specs if possible.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Not sure about the slow.
But man I sure love my Marshall "dissle'
Or DSL as the common man would call it.

 

[Mesa\Kramer]

People that call an SLO a "slow, don't deserve to own one. Sell it to someone who knows how to pronounce SLO. When I hear people refer to it as a "slow", I think is this person a retard? jackass? illiterate? Sell the amp.

You need to get off the internet. Go yell at a cloud.

lol

 

[Starman22]

Mesa Mark series comes alive with a little boost or a drive pedal said no one ever.

 

[Racerxrated]

Mesa Mark series comes alive with a little boost or a drive pedal said no one ever.

Wrong. OD1X in front of my C+ makes a great amp even better. Just adds some upper mids that I like. See, boosting an amp isn't always about increasing gain. Sometimes you just want to change the voicing a bit. Works for me.

 

[Marshall Freak]

Both sounded great to me. I probably prefer the mark IV, seemed more clear, seemed easier to play. I've owned both. And think they're both great amps. Thr mesa will cut better in a band situation I MO.

 

[Jdub]

SLO had better definition and more dimension. mk4 sounded ok but definitely more muddy and boxy

 

[AmpliFIRE]

Mesa Mark series comes alive with a little boost or a drive pedal said no one ever.

Wrong

 

[Starman22]

Mesa Mark series comes alive with a little boost or a drive pedal said no one ever.

Wrong

I predict Hillary will win.

 

[SpiderWars]

Mesa Mark series comes alive with a little boost or a drive pedal said no one ever.

Wrong

I predict Hillary will win.

vs the SLO or the Mesa?

 

[thiswaythatway]

Both great, but from this particular vid I gravitate slightly towards the SLO (Ess Elle Ooh. )

You can hear the special 'bloom' in the mids a bit I think.
I played an SLO once; such a great tone. Owned a Mark IV. Contains great tones too, but that particular SLO tone you won't be able to get from a Mark.
Not to mention the SLO can do some awesome low/mid gain refined Marshally tones, whereas the Mark IV can't. R2 =
The Mark IV's cleans OTOH...No SLO can touch that.

I've been getting great tones, IMHO, from R2 on my Mark IV. But I'm using boost pedals for it, or shall I say the OD sims on an AX8. I don't think it does a wide open AC/DC crunch very well but I'm getting tones that sound great for older Rush, or think Journey on the Evolution or Infinity albums. Well that type of gain and in the ball park of those tones.

 

[petejt]

I like both. The MarkIV sounded fuller, but could easily be set to sound like the SLO ("Ess-Ell-Oh").

 

[supersonic]

I'm going to take a guess and say you've owned the Mesa for some time and have it dialled in with speakers , guitar etc. The SLO in this case seems mismatched to the wrong guitar /speakers. Love the Mesa tone by far here. I actually struggled for years to make my SLO's work for me, I gave up.

 

[Jdub]

People that call an SLO a "slow, don't deserve to own one. Sell it to someone who knows how to pronounce SLO. When I hear people refer to it as a "slow", I think is this person a retard? jackass? illiterate? Sell the amp.

You need to get off the internet. Go yell at a cloud.

 

[Jack Luminous]

I like both. The MarkIV sounded fuller, but could easily be set to sound like the SLO ("Ess-Ell-Oh").

"The MarkIV [...] could easily be set to sound like the SLO"

Nope.

 

[Racerxrated]

I like both. The MarkIV sounded fuller, but could easily be set to sound like the SLO ("Ess-Ell-Oh").

Yeah..No. Marks can't sound like the SLO, and the SLO can't sound like a Mark. Way different amps. IMO.

 

[Racerxrated]

I'm going to take a guess and say you've owned the Mesa for some time and have it dialled in with speakers , guitar etc. The SLO in this case seems mismatched to the wrong guitar /speakers. Love the Mesa tone by far here. I actually struggled for years to make my SLO's work for me, I gave up.

Running an SLO through V30s is like running a Marshall through V30s..gotta turn the mids WAAAY down to make it work IMO. Unless it's a Jubilee, where V30s work well. GBs or similar work really well with the SLO, and V30s work really well with a Mark. Running mismatched speakers with any amp neuters the tone IMO. Such a huge difference when matched correctly.

 

[Marc_Nitschke221B]

they both sound great. I'm more of a boogy kinda guy. But would love to try out an SLO... newer played one.

 

[Jdub]

I also noticed that when he first played the Mesa he just played and played well. When he switched to the SLO he immediately reached for knobs to tweak and then didn't play quite as well.

Also, they were played through a Mesa cab with I assume V30s. Through another cab the results might change a bit.

This. Completely overlooked this factor. As crappy as Marks sound through green backs, the SLO sounds equally crappy through v30s. GBs or 65s for the win with the SLO.

Definitely loved greenbacks for more vintage vibe and crunchy grind.. and the 65's for pummelling rhythms or smoother lead work. v30 and SLO not my fave at all.