Who still loves the Mesa Boogie Mark IV?

[TX6Strings]

Love my mark Iva. Have it for 13 years now. I even like r2 with a boost. Only quibble I have with it is that at lower volume, there is a volume drop and difference in feel when I engage the effects loop. I think that would go away if I could run the channel masters higher....

I had the same problem when running a DD6 and CE5 in the loop of my MKIV. I replaced them with a flashback and Chorona...problem solved!

 

[jlb32]

I've been toying with the idea of selling mine lately. Next to my BE100 and 5153 50watt the lead channel just sounds stiff and under saturated. I've tried the little tricks like turning the treble above 7, etc., even retubed it to no avail; but it seems prices on them seem to keep dropping.

Under saturated? I just do not see how that's possible on the lead channel unless your settings are off or something is wrong with the amp. The Mark IV's lead channel IMO is the best of all the Mark series. I like the Mark III also but to me the Mark IV's lead channel just has something I like more.

I have all 6L6's also. Just like it better than with EL34's in the outer positions.

Pentode, Simul class, mid gain. Keep your bass and mids below 3. Also keep you 750hz eq slider slightly above the bottom line. Anything lower really makes a huge tonal difference. It will sound more lifeless and really scooped sounding.

Put your output level around 3. Put your master volume around 3.5-4. It's loud but it will give you a true representation of how the amp sounds. After that you can tweak your settings for lower volumes.

The only thing I'm doing differently than your suggestions is running the mids at about 5 but l doubt that effects the gain levels. Guess it's just the amp.

Sounds like you may need a full tube change or have other issues. The Mark IV has a insane amount of saturated gain. I couldn't see ever needing more.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Can any of the amp modders like FJA do anything with R2?

 

[TX6Strings]

I've been toying with the idea of selling mine lately. Next to my BE100 and 5153 50watt the lead channel just sounds stiff and under saturated. I've tried the little tricks like turning the treble above 7, etc., even retubed it to no avail; but it seems prices on them seem to keep dropping.

Under saturated? I just do not see how that's possible on the lead channel unless your settings are off or something is wrong with the amp. The Mark IV's lead channel IMO is the best of all the Mark series. I like the Mark III also but to me the Mark IV's lead channel just has something I like more.

I have all 6L6's also. Just like it better than with EL34's in the outer positions.

Pentode, Simul class, mid gain. Keep your bass and mids below 3. Also keep you 750hz eq slider slightly above the bottom line. Anything lower really makes a huge tonal difference. It will sound more lifeless and really scooped sounding.

Put your output level around 3. Put your master volume around 3.5-4. It's loud but it will give you a true representation of how the amp sounds. After that you can tweak your settings for lower volumes.

The only thing I'm doing differently than your suggestions is running the mids at about 5 but l doubt that effects the gain levels. Guess it's just the amp.

Sounds like you may need a full tube change or have other issues. The Mark IV has a insane amount of saturated gain. I couldn't see ever needing more.

I completely retubed it a few months ago with a brand new complement of tubes directly from Mesa. While it sharpened the bottom end a little and added a touch more gain it didn't do much else.

Don't get me wrong the MKIV's got some gain it just doesn't saturate like my 5153 50watt and BE100 do. I was reading the online manual yesterday and am going to try a few other tricks again that Mesa suggests, like Tweed power.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

I used the pull fat on the lead gain knob to add saturation, but the amp is a bit dry compared to some other high gainers.

I boosted the lead channel occasionally as well.

 

[thiswaythatway]

I've been toying with the idea of selling mine lately. Next to my BE100 and 5153 50watt the lead channel just sounds stiff and under saturated. I've tried the little tricks like turning the treble above 7, etc., even retubed it to no avail; but it seems prices on them seem to keep dropping.

Under saturated? I just do not see how that's possible on the lead channel unless your settings are off or something is wrong with the amp. The Mark IV's lead channel IMO is the best of all the Mark series. I like the Mark III also but to me the Mark IV's lead channel just has something I like more.

I have all 6L6's also. Just like it better than with EL34's in the outer positions.

Pentode, Simul class, mid gain. Keep your bass and mids below 3. Also keep you 750hz eq slider slightly above the bottom line. Anything lower really makes a huge tonal difference. It will sound more lifeless and really scooped sounding.

Put your output level around 3. Put your master volume around 3.5-4. It's loud but it will give you a true representation of how the amp sounds. After that you can tweak your settings for lower volumes.

The only thing I'm doing differently than your suggestions is running the mids at about 5 but l doubt that effects the gain levels. Guess it's just the amp.

Sounds like you may need a full tube change or have other issues. The Mark IV has a insane amount of saturated gain. I couldn't see ever needing more.

I completely retubed it a few months ago with a brand new complement of tubes directly from Mesa. While it sharpened the bottom end a little and added a touch more gain it didn't do much else.

Don't get me wrong the MKIV's got some gain it just doesn't saturate like my 5153 50watt and BE100 do. I was reading the online manual yesterday and am going to try a few other tricks again that Mesa suggests, like Tweed power.

The 5153 is basically a metal zone distortion pedal IMHO. I've tried to like that amp, but really can't stand it. Yes tons of gain but all at the expense of tone IMHO.

 

[jlbaxe]

Can any of the amp modders like FJA do anything with R2?

Like what? Volume mod? or tonal change?

 

[jlb32]

I've been toying with the idea of selling mine lately. Next to my BE100 and 5153 50watt the lead channel just sounds stiff and under saturated. I've tried the little tricks like turning the treble above 7, etc., even retubed it to no avail; but it seems prices on them seem to keep dropping.

Under saturated? I just do not see how that's possible on the lead channel unless your settings are off or something is wrong with the amp. The Mark IV's lead channel IMO is the best of all the Mark series. I like the Mark III also but to me the Mark IV's lead channel just has something I like more.

I have all 6L6's also. Just like it better than with EL34's in the outer positions.

Pentode, Simul class, mid gain. Keep your bass and mids below 3. Also keep you 750hz eq slider slightly above the bottom line. Anything lower really makes a huge tonal difference. It will sound more lifeless and really scooped sounding.

Put your output level around 3. Put your master volume around 3.5-4. It's loud but it will give you a true representation of how the amp sounds. After that you can tweak your settings for lower volumes.

The only thing I'm doing differently than your suggestions is running the mids at about 5 but l doubt that effects the gain levels. Guess it's just the amp.

Sounds like you may need a full tube change or have other issues. The Mark IV has a insane amount of saturated gain. I couldn't see ever needing more.

I completely retubed it a few months ago with a brand new complement of tubes directly from Mesa. While it sharpened the bottom end a little and added a touch more gain it didn't do much else.

Don't get me wrong the MKIV's got some gain it just doesn't saturate like my 5153 50watt and BE100 do. I was reading the online manual yesterday and am going to try a few other tricks again that Mesa suggests, like Tweed power.

Have you tried using a overdrive pedal like a Ibanez TS9 or something else? I personally wouldn't go into spending mega money though. Maybe the gain just isn't what you are looking for.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Can any of the amp modders like FJA do anything with R2?

Like what? Volume mod? or tonal change?

To make it not suck. I guess a pedal with tone controls should be able to help it though. From what I remember a BB Preamp made R2 useable.

 

[blackba]

Love my mark Iva. Have it for 13 years now. I even like r2 with a boost. Only quibble I have with it is that at lower volume, there is a volume drop and difference in feel when I engage the effects loop. I think that would go away if I could run the channel masters higher....

I had the same problem when running a DD6 and CE5 in the loop of my MKIV. I replaced them with a flashback and Chorona...problem solved!

So you went from 2 pedals with buffers to two true bypass pedals. Got it, I will try to cut the buffered pedals out and see if that helps....

 

[Chris6870]

I get a pretty good crunch tone out of R2 with EL34's. EQ on of course.

 

[jkdsteve]

Never owned one...but I sure miss my Mesa 2x12

 

[stevemorse]

I Use it and like it a lot. I never leave channel 3-that's the tone for me.

 

[Ratou]

I got a rev A rackmount this year and I don't touch my other amps since then... The lead channel is just perfect. I use it mostly in full power, simul-class, triode and harmonics with 4 6L6s.

However, does anyone else notice that the presence pot on the lead channel has a very subtle effect? Doesn't make a big difference whatever i set it to, unlike the presence for R1 and R2

 

[jlbaxe]

Pres usually fades out of the circuit the louder the amp is. Works great for low volume playing. Like that on most amps. I also read that it affects tube life the higher it is????

 

[vultures]

Loved that amp, I owned a IVa and IVb. Had to sell them both for monetary reasons. That thing has more versatility than you'll ever need. Thing can most definitely do death metal, has crystalline cleans, can crunch and be a total rock machine. I very sparingly ran a modded SD-1 through it to give it a little more bite for death metal crap.

I would slay for another one, but I picked up my guitar for the first time in several months and I sucked. I wouldn't do that amp justice. Just gonna stick to my practice amp for a while.

 

[fretout]

I still have both of mine. It's my "go-to" amp for jam sessions since it's my only tube combo that I own. The amps are incredible, but they are very sensitive to the most minute changes.

If the Mark IV doesn't have enough gain for you, then something is wrong. The lead channel is the same as the Mark IIC, and there's more than enough gain to rip someone's face off. I remember when I took delivery of my first, all I had to compare it to was online clips, and my lead channel sounded nowhere near as aggressive as everyone else's. After panicking, I checked the tubes and determined V1 and the PI 12AX7-As were bad. I replaced them with some Mesa-branded EH tubes, and it was a drastic improvement.

I was content, but I wanted something a little less dark. I tried several Red Stripe Mark IIIs and they were much more aggressive, but I ended up getting a really good deal on an online sale, and I ended up getting a Blue Stripe Mark III. This amp is the most aggressive amp I have ever heard...period. I never would have thought there was something that sounded more aggressive than a Mark IV, but the Mark III is it. The Mark III is THE tone I've always heard in my head, and I've never wanted any other amp since.

So, yes, I still love my Mark IVs. They sound amazing, they're versatile, and if you need more gain, it has switches for that. They tend to be dark sounding, while still being responsive. After my Mark IIIs came home, I have debated selling off a Mark IV, but every time I bring it to a jam session, I'm happy I did, and really appreciate it.

 

[TX6Strings]

Do any of you have to run the volume on R1 higher than on R2 & R3 to keep up? With the Master on 3 I have to run R1 at 5 to match R2 & 3 at 1.5 or 2. I bought this amp used off a fellow rig talker a few years ago and am starting to wonder if maybe there's something wrong with it.

 

[TX6Strings]

Do any of you have to run the volume on R1 higher than on R2 & R3 to keep up? With the Master on 3 I have to run R1 at 5 to match R2 & 3 at 1.5 or 2. I bought this amp used off a fellow rig talker a few years ago and am starting to wonder if maybe there's something wrong with it.

Same here, i think it's due to the fact that the gain is usually set higher on R2 and Lead, so you have to compensate with the master volume for R1. If the R2 and Lead channels are at 2-3 on the MV, I usually set R1 to 6 to have similar volumes with my gain settings.

I'll have to recheck my settings when I get home but I'm pretty sure I've got the gain maxed out on R1 and still having to run it at 5 to match channel volumes. And this is with absolutely no break up on R1.

 

[Ratou]

Do any of you have to run the volume on R1 higher than on R2 & R3 to keep up? With the Master on 3 I have to run R1 at 5 to match R2 & 3 at 1.5 or 2. I bought this amp used off a fellow rig talker a few years ago and am starting to wonder if maybe there's something wrong with it.

Same here, i think it's due to the fact that the gain is usually set higher on R2 and Lead, so you have to compensate with the master volume for R1. If the R2 and Lead channels are at 2-3 on the MV, I usually set R1 to 6 to have similar volumes with my gain settings.