Who's Still Playing Their Mark V?

[loudgtr]

Never played a Mark V but this dude's sure sounds great, not to mention his playing is stellar This Video should be its own thread...its that good.

Marco Sfogli:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOx_uxq7i3g

Another Killer video with the decriptiions mentioning the Mark V as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7YIWOSB ... ure=relmfu

 

[Jofipe]

jesus.. yeah. The way those lead tones just jump out is pure Mark V stuff.

I love the Celestion c90 aswell.

 

[ejecta]

I wonder if they really believe all that BS they write?

They believe it all the way to the bank to deposit the cash you guys fork over.

 

[sjk]

I loved both my mark IV and V until I bought the Mark III. May not be as versatile and stage friendly as the V but the lead sounds I can get out of it are superior to me, not to mention alot less compressed ymmv! You can't go wrong with any of the marks, great amps.

 

[Spaceboy]

I've never touched a Mark V... always messed with Rectfiers when dealing with Mesa, but browsing random videos on YouTube has me thinning about a Mark V for my next big 100w amp purchase. Creamy fusion leads, awesome cleans, and super tight thick distortion on one amp? Sounds like it was made for me!

So does the amplifier still sound good and put out usable recording tones when on the 10w setting? I record/practice in a bedroom apartment and don't want to blow the neighbors away to get a good sound, which my old Dual Rectifier couldn't do... thing had to be CRANKED or else it sounded like compete crap, and it was always slightly woofy, even when boosted.

 

[Jofipe]

10 - 50 - 100 W all sound very different... different saturation and thump. 50w mode is the jack of trades i think.

I love playing the 10w mode at home tho.

 

[skoora]

Never played a Mark V but this dude's sure sounds great, not to mention his playing is stellar This Video should be its own thread...its that good.

Marco Sfogli:

Another Killer video with the decriptiions mentioning the Mark V as well:

Wow! Haven't heard this guy before. I don't usually care for the instrumental, shredder type but he has a feel and melodic sense I really dig. NIce vids

 

[Tone Zone]

Never played a Mark V but this dude's sure sounds great, not to mention his playing is stellar This Video should be its own thread...its that good.

Marco Sfogli:

Another Killer video with the decriptiions mentioning the Mark V as well:

Wow! Haven't heard this guy before. I don't usually care for the instrumental, shredder type but he has a feel and melodic sense I really dig. NIce vids

You might check out his playing on James Labrie's (Dream Theater singer) solo albums: "Elements of Persuasion" and "Static Impulse".

 

[skoora]

You might check out his playing on James Labrie's (Dream Theater singer) solo albums: "Elements of Persuasion" and "Static Impulse".

I'd rather not

 

[Tone Zone]

You might check out his playing on James Labrie's (Dream Theater singer) solo albums: "Elements of Persuasion" and "Static Impulse".

I'd rather not

 

[Spaceboy]

Surprisingly, LaBrie is decent on the solo albums, where in Dream Theater I find him almost unbearable.

 

[some dude]

I've never touched a Mark V... always messed with Rectfiers when dealing with Mesa, but browsing random videos on YouTube has me thinning about a Mark V for my next big 100w amp purchase. Creamy fusion leads, awesome cleans, and super tight thick distortion on one amp? Sounds like it was made for me!

So does the amplifier still sound good and put out usable recording tones when on the 10w setting? I record/practice in a bedroom apartment and don't want to blow the neighbors away to get a good sound, which my old Dual Rectifier couldn't do... thing had to be CRANKED or else it sounded like compete crap, and it was always slightly woofy, even when boosted.

The Mark V does pretty good at low volumes, even in 90w mode. Switching wattages shifts the voicing, so sometimes it's easier to score a particular sound by choosing the wattage for tonal reasons instead of choosing the wattage based on the volume.... if that makes any sense?

 

[Tone Zone]

Surprisingly, LaBrie is decent on the solo albums, where in Dream Theater I find him almost unbearable.

I agree!

 

[skoora]

Surprisingly, LaBrie is decent on the solo albums, where in Dream Theater I find him almost unbearable.

I agree!

I did check out those LaBrie vids and granted a little more tolerable than DT but the guitar tone I hated. Typically super smooth, low tuned modern metal tone with no bite and overly compressed lead tone. Much prefer the tone I heard in his demo vid, plus he was tuned higher which sounded better to me.

 

[dgaemc2]

Just a quick response to the 10, 45 & 90 watt power setting option questions.....
Yes, the channel power selection does make a significant difference in tone and feel of the amp because each setting (10, 45 & 90) offers a completely different power amp configuration.....each of which sound very different.

Basically, the MkV not only offers 3 completely independent channels....each with 3 different modes, but also each with 3 different power configurations.

Couple that with the added footswitchable GEQ, Reverb, Effects Loop and Solo Boost capabilities and the alternate option to bypass the Effects Loop, Master Volume and Solo Boost circuit altogether (which some prefer). By all means.....experiment with this amp!

If one can't find awesome sounds offered in the MkV for any musical style/application.....then clearly it isn't the right amp for them.

IMO the MkV offers incredible flexibility unmatched by any other amp I have ever played or owned, and I am able to achieve excellent tones for my needs in many modes and power settings of all 3 channels. My .02

 

[thiswaythatway]

Just a quick response to the 10, 45 & 90 watt power setting option questions.....
Yes, the channel power selection does make a significant difference in tone and feel of the amp because each setting (10, 45 & 90) offers a completely different power amp configuration.....each of which sound very different.

Basically, the MkV not only offers 3 completely independent channels....each with 3 different modes, but also each with 3 different power configurations.

Couple that with the added footswitchable GEQ, Reverb, Effects Loop and Solo Boost capabilities and the alternate option to bypass the Effects Loop, Master Volume and Solo Boost circuit altogether (which some prefer). By all means.....experiment with this amp!

If one can't find awesome sounds offered in the MkV for any musical style/application.....then clearly it isn't the right amp for them.

IMO the MkV offers incredible flexibility unmatched by any other amp I have ever played or owned, and I am able to achieve excellent tones for my needs in many modes and power settings of all 3 channels. My .02

But for all the different tones the V does, the few great tones a good IIC+ does sounded better to me than anything you can dial in on the V. Heck, I even prefer the IV and the III over the V. They sound more alive and raw and the V sounds a bit hollow and flat in comparison.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Agreed... Nevermind the IIc+. .

Sounds like you've never played one. Mesa has never been able to match that amp, as far as Mark series are concerned.

 

[dgaemc2]

danyeo,

If the IIC+ does it for you.....no problem and congrats on owning one!!
I have never owned or even played a IIC+. I am not questioning that it is great....nor am I saying the MkV in IIC+ mode can really capture the true IIC+ amp. I am sure that it can't!

However, I have owned and still own a MkIVb since 1995 (not too shabby either), and can honestly say that I much prefer the MkV over my MkIV not only due to the MkV's versatitity in all 3 channels, but yes......even its versatility of great tones offered in Ch3. I AM able to achieve nearly identical great tones in Ch3 with my V (MkIV mode and Extreme mode) that are more "controllable" and usable than what I have achieved from years of tinkering with my actual MkIV amp. This is partly due to the much needed more gradual taper to the master volume of the V compared to the IV.

I also really like the great sounds that I can achieve from my MkV in the IIC+ mode. Honestly, I could care less whether or not it sounds like the "real deal" as long as it sounds good to me, but that is just my opinion.

 

[verderacer]

I have played the MkV several times at a few different stores and tho I loved my MkIIc+, and miss it at times, the MkV nearly nailed my old IIc+ dead nuts on.

In regards to the gain it is completely different animal than my Fortin Cali, and though I still would like a VH4 or NATAS, I just dont see me needing those now if I had the Cali and MkV. The range of tones I can get with both just cover everything I could hope ever to deal with and in many cases sound better imo.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Just a quick response to the 10, 45 & 90 watt power setting option questions.....
Yes, the channel power selection does make a significant difference in tone and feel of the amp because each setting (10, 45 & 90) offers a completely different power amp configuration.....each of which sound very different.

Basically, the MkV not only offers 3 completely independent channels....each with 3 different modes, but also each with 3 different power configurations.

Couple that with the added footswitchable GEQ, Reverb, Effects Loop and Solo Boost capabilities and the alternate option to bypass the Effects Loop, Master Volume and Solo Boost circuit altogether (which some prefer). By all means.....experiment with this amp!

If one can't find awesome sounds offered in the MkV for any musical style/application.....then clearly it isn't the right amp for them.

IMO the MkV offers incredible flexibility unmatched by any other amp I have ever played or owned, and I am able to achieve excellent tones for my needs in many modes and power settings of all 3 channels. My .02

But for all the different tones the V does, the few great tones a good IIC+ does sounded better to me than anything you can dial in on the V. Heck, I even prefer the IV and the III over the V. They sound more alive and raw and the V sounds a bit hollow and flat in comparison.

I was a doubter of the MKIIC hype until plugging in to one. It was downtown Atlanta at the Guitar center on a Saturday morning. Some guy in there, customer, was saying how he had one, blah blah and knew how to dial it in. I know 2 guys that work ther a bit. We ended up getting it dialed in for some molten metal and ended up taking turns jamming on it. Got loud enough to have to close the doors on the vintage gear roon the amp was in. We all were amazed by the real thing. Of course I bought it. The MKV is good. I bought one 2 years ago. Not hating. It just is not really close to the MKIIC in the higher gain settings. The IIC is a superb clean and edge of breakup amp as well. I think it is a better move to find a IIC which Mesa can modify to a true +, and spend just a little more money to get a truly epic amp.

I like Mesa. They seem to have come out with a good new amp in the Dyne. The mini Rec is a solid marketing move. But they have been smoking their own hype in some other areas. Kinda like a boss that can't tell the difference between real honest feedback and someone blowing smoke up their ass. Poor decisions get made. Several attempts at Brit type tones and the culmination of the Mark series is now an amp that models the old ones?

Oh yeah, and an owners manual for the V that calls MKIIC+ owners tone snobs that paid too much! Priceless! Gotta give that the marketing douche bag move of the decade.