Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: XxpapertigerxX on November 05, 2011, 08:05:36 AM
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I've suddenly become very interested in picking one of these up. Interestingly, I've found that its clean tone is supposed to be one of its best features, which is kind of unexpected, but in a good way. The clean sounds I've heard from it (not in person, unfortunately) are gorgeous.
What concerns me is that the high gain tones could be too processed and metal sounding. However, a lot of the people who do video reviews of these amps somehow manage to make every amp they get their hands on sound exactly the same, so it's hard to tell.
Do any of you have personal experience with this amp? If so, how would you describe its tone, especially on the higher gain channels? It would be great to hear some first-hand accounts of the tone, because if the high gain tones are versatile enough to play styles other than metal, I might just be sold on this amp :D
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Listen to John Petrucci/Dream Theater. He's used the Mark V on the last few albums, and he plays every kind of style imaginable. I think the Mesa Marks have a really expressive lead tone :). Just remember, it's the tone freak's Holy Grail. You can modify the amp to get the exact tone you're looking for.
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Good luck to anyone who wants to mod a MarkV...!
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r88/1987JMP/mmv2.jpg)
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Listen to John Petrucci/Dream Theater. He's used the Mark V on the last few albums, and he plays every kind of style imaginable. I think the Mesa Marks have a really expressive lead tone :). Just remember, it's the tone freak's Holy Grail. You can modify the amp to get the exact tone you're looking for.
Only about 50% of Petrucci's recent recorded tone is the Mark V. He uses several amps in the studio and relies just as much on his MkII.
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Listen to John Petrucci/Dream Theater. He's used the Mark V on the last few albums, and he plays every kind of style imaginable. I think the Mesa Marks have a really expressive lead tone :). Just remember, it's the tone freak's Holy Grail. You can modify the amp to get the exact tone you're looking for.
Only about 50% of Petrucci's recent recorded tone is the Mark V. He uses several amps in the studio and relies just as much on his MkII.
Doesn't he mainly use a Mark IV? And your probably right about the different amps. Best thing is to watch Dream Theater live. At least then you'll get the idea of the tone, straight from the amp live, rather than having all the editing in the production stage.
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Good luck to anyone who wants to mod a MarkV...!
Yeah... that's not going to happen.
Only about 50% of Petrucci's recent recorded tone is the Mark V. He uses several amps in the studio and relies just as much on his MkII.
Yeah I think it is a mix of amps as well. I haven't been able to find a recent interview where he says what he recorded with. He did say that he got the amp too late to do much recording with it for Black Clouds and Silver Linings. He said he got it right at the end of recording, so it was only used for one solo. As for A Dramatic Turn of Events, I have no idea.
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Good luck to anyone who wants to mod a MarkV...!
Or needs to get it fixed...
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Yeah I think it is a mix of amps as well. I haven't been able to find a recent interview where he says what he recorded with.
Check out the October issue of Premier Guitar. He and John Myung are interviewed. :)
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Good luck to anyone who wants to mod a MarkV...!
Or needs to get it fixed...
Do Mesas break?
I've had mine for decades and it's still going strong ...
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Good luck to anyone who wants to mod a MarkV...!
Or needs to get it fixed...
Do Mesas break?
I've had mine for decades and it's still going strong ...
I repaired a burnt-out PCB on a single recto a few years back.
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hey Roland
if your main concern is whether the mk 5 is an all out metal amp then the answer is no.. what i found out having spent almost one year with this amp is that it's really really depends on the guitar/pickups+playing style..
PRS guitars.. teles and strats sound totally different on certain settings than LPs and full bodied mahogany guitars do..
superstrats are even more different.. I must admit I am not digging any of the videos of the mark5 I've seen online.. expcept for this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1YANbeMsrI
if you play metal and you've got a superstrat then - yes it will sound 'metal'but due to the music you play :) if you play modern rock using PRS/LP and stuff, it will suit that style well, too.. if you play swing using hollowbodies, it's gonna sound just like that.. the only limit is usually the guitarplayer (in this case it's me :D )
it's really versatile.. anyway.. to all who play rock/classic rock and stuff like that.. you'd be more than happy using EL34s with this amp spending 90% of your rhytm work on channel 2 crunch (maybe mark 1 too) and switching over to the ch3 2c+/mk4 settings for your smooth-cream lead work.. whereas a metalhead would choose 6L6s, channel 3 mark 4 or extreme settings and balls to the walls sound slight V GEQ scoop and lots of gain
the sky's the limit..
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Seems to me that a MK5 is in with a shout for being the most versatile amp going.......http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=b5zZw8sz6lU
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I just came across this video. For those of you who don't want to watch it, John Petrucci basically says that he only used the Mark V on the latest Dream Theater album. He even said that he always would use his CII+ for leads, but this time around he plugged into it and just didn't like the sound enough for whatever reason, so he put the Mark V on the CII+ setting and it "kicked the CII+'s butt." So yeah, this amp looks amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7G2XxAj-Vw&feature=channel_video_title
I also happened across a demo video of the Mesa Royal Atlantic. Wow, that amp is great. Here's the video:
(7:10 is a nasty sound, I love it. I would almost get the amp for that sound alone, but one Mesa is expensive enough)
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I just came across this video. For those of you who don't want to watch it, John Petrucci basically says that he only used the Mark V on the latest Dream Theater album. He even said that he always would use his CII+ for leads, but this time around he plugged into it and just didn't like the sound enough for whatever reason, so he put the Mark V on the CII+ setting and it "kicked the CII+'s butt." So yeah, this amp looks amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7G2XxAj-Vw&feature=channel_video_title
I also happened across a demo video of the Mesa Royal Atlantic. Wow, that amp is great. Here's the video:
(7:10 is a nasty sound, I love it. I would almost get the amp for that sound alone, but one Mesa is expensive enough)
He must be going deaf if he honestly said the MkV sounded better than the 2c+ (or the most probable scenario, got paid to say so). I've heard numerous clips and played that amp so many times, yet it still feels and reacts like a 2c+ modeler.
If you like the Mark series tone, I'd recommend you either find a used 2c+ or IV.
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He must be going deaf if he honestly said the MkV sounded better than the 2c+ (or the most probable scenario, got paid to say so). I've heard numerous clips and played that amp so many times, yet it still feels and reacts like a 2c+ modeler.
If you like the Mark series tone, I'd recommend you either find a used 2c+ or IV.
Well Mesa actually doesn't pay anyone to endorse its products. In fact, they don't even give out free products, so even people like John Petrucci have to pay for their amp. So I don't think it's a conflict of interest. Anyway, it could have been something as simple as the IIC+ was in need of repair since it's so old and he just found it easier to use the Mark V.
Have you played the Mark V and the IIC+?
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He must be going deaf if he honestly said the MkV sounded better than the 2c+ (or the most probable scenario, got paid to say so). I've heard numerous clips and played that amp so many times, yet it still feels and reacts like a 2c+ modeler.
If you like the Mark series tone, I'd recommend you either find a used 2c+ or IV.
Well Mesa actually doesn't pay anyone to endorse its products. In fact, they don't even give out free products, so even people like John Petrucci have to pay for their amp. So I don't think it's a conflict of interest. Anyway, it could have been something as simple as the IIC+ was in need of repair since it's so old and he just found it easier to use the Mark V.
Have you played the Mark V and the IIC+?
I think that the whole "Mesa doesn't pay/offer discounts to endorsees" statement is true for the majority of players, but I guarantee that's different for heavy-hitters such as JP (and kept under wraps, of course). I'm pretty sure that they know he influences gear-purchasing habits in a major way (check out his forum if you don't believe me). I wouldn't be surprised if they ride the gravy train to the point of designing a "MV Lite" which just has a couple channels / features for a lower price point.
I doubt his 2C+'s ever need repair. Mike B. (the man that did the original C+ thing) still works at Mesa, and he routinely services those amps. He told me that there are a few people that own more than a few C+'s and send them in for check-ups about yearly (I wouldn't be surprised if JP is one).
Like I said before, I've played the Mark V tons of times. One of my friends is a HUGE gear whore and goes through amps like no one's business. He had a MV and we tweaked with it for a good month or so (even played a show with it). It's super versatile and very convenient when it comes to features, but it's one of those "jack of all trades but master of none" scenarios. It'll get you 80% there or so, but there are better amps for each of the modes it attempts to emulate.
As for the 2c+, I've had one for the last ten years or so. It was serviced this year by Mike B. I've gigged with it tons, and play it on a daily basis.
In my opinion, there are "better" amps as far as pure tone is concerned. If you want features and versatility (if you like a wide array of tones for performances, IE cover bands) then the V is great. In a live setting, there isn't a noticeable difference between awesome tone (80%) and perfect tone (99%).
Another option for acquiring an amp is to look for a used 2C and have it sent in to Mike to be upgraded to C+ (I think it's around $500 or so). He still offers that, as well as upgrading to Simul-Class, EQ, or Reverb.
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Thanks, that's a lot of helpful information.
In my opinion, there are "better" amps as far as pure tone is concerned. If you want features and versatility (if you like a wide array of tones for performances, IE cover bands) then the V is great. In a live setting, there isn't a noticeable difference between awesome tone (80%) and perfect tone (99%).
What are some amps you consider better, as far as pure tone is concerned? Also, what do you like more about the IIC+ than the Mark V?
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Thanks, that's a lot of helpful information.
In my opinion, there are "better" amps as far as pure tone is concerned. If you want features and versatility (if you like a wide array of tones for performances, IE cover bands) then the V is great. In a live setting, there isn't a noticeable difference between awesome tone (80%) and perfect tone (99%).
What are some amps you consider better, as far as pure tone is concerned? Also, what do you like more about the IIC+ than the Mark V
If I lost mine and had to replace it, I would probably consider either a Bogner XTC or Diezel Einstein. I think both of those amps do overdriven tones WAAAY better than a MV. Another little contender would be a Mesa Lonestar... I was bored one day at a guitar center and tweaking it for a good hour or so, and I got within range of something that had a similar feel to my 2C+ (my friend was rather surprised to hear that). It didn't have near as much the aggressive qualities; it almost felt like a "vintage" approach to C+. In fact, I might try to score a used one for shites and giggles (I made a thread asking for small, tone monsters).
As far as differences from the MV and 2c+, I'd say that I perceived the V to be rather boxy or compressed compared to the C+. The mids on the C+ are AWESOME; extremely detailed and crunchy, and the pick attack feels "organic" (the best way I can describe that term is that the amp seems to react and sound different as you follow through your picking motion).
On the other hand, the V doesn't sound like it pushes out as wide an array of frequencies. The amp's feel is more "simple" when it comes to your pick attack, like a lack of proper articulation (comparitively speaking).
I hope you can understand where I'm coming from (talking about tone is much more difficult than experiencing it)! Once again, I'm not saying that the MV is bad at all, just that it isn't a shapeshifting amp, capable of reproducing perfect replicas :p
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Yeah, from what I had heard I was a little concerned about the Mark V's level of compression. I really just have to play one in person, but they're not so easy to find, unfortunately. Thanks for describing your experiences with the Mark V and the IIC+, it's been helpful. The plus side is that I'll never know what I'm missing, because I don't think I'll ever even see a IIC+, let alone play one :)
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Agree with most folks here: had the MK V almost a year...NOT a beginner's amp (not for long-time players like me with no skill perhaps lol); the channels and functions are way delicate, and a good month of playing and tweaking will begin to show you what it can do. People who want instant results will be bummed out, and Mesa's recommended presets are lousy, if you ask me: V shape EQ and knob fiddling all the way! 8)
I suggest you lug your guitars to a shop (OK, just your fave!) and try one out, then twice, even TEN TIMES to find out if it is what you like, and at ALL CHANNELS and WATTAGES: sorry to sound pedantic: Petrucci is a whiz at amps, and makes the MK V sound great, but that's cos he knows what he's looking for and does this fiddling for a living, thus can find out what it's capable of. Still, it takes a long while to see its worth, and believe you me, the amp is worth tweaking!