Mark IV Questions.

[Monsta-Tone]

I've really been wanting a higher gain amp. I love my DC-5, but it is time to step up to something else.
I have a Dual Rec head (Rev. G) that I got in a trade. The distortion is amazing! The cleans are, well..., crap.

While I was at a friend's studio yesterday, recording my band's 1st demo, I asked how his Mark IV was doing.
He has a Mark IVa combo, narrow body style with EVM. I did some work on it a few months ago because it was eating power tubes.
After replacing a few parts in the Phase Inverter, the amp roared back to life.

The Lead channel's gain pot is now broken, and it needs tubes. My friend is tired of lugging it around and has a bad back, so he offered it to me for $700.
I've been saving (and selling gear) in an attempt to get a Roadster or Mark V, but $700, how can I refuse? It will need a full set of tubes, and some repairs, but for that price, if I hate it I can always sell it later.

Anyway...
Here are my thoughts and questions:
1. I would replace the speaker with a C-90 right away. I know that the EV works for a lot of guys, but I don't like them for what I do.

2. I would need some settings advice for the following sounds:
- Sparkly Fender like cleans (as close as the IV can get).
- The thickest, heaviest, crunchiest distortion the amp can make. This is the only thing I really love about the Recto!
- What the hell do I do with R2? Last time I had a Mark IVa, the only sounds this channel seemed good at were Rolling Stones, Classic Rock stuff. I would like for this channel to be smooth and overdriven, or crunchy cleans would be cool too.

3. I would need advice on extension cabinets to use with the amp for both, stellar cleans & serious distortion.
- I have an older Mark series open back 1x12 (narrow body), it is incredible for cleans, not so much for distortion. This cab has a C-90, I tried an EV and just didn't like it at all. Too stiff sounding on the distortion and the clean sparkle was all gone (granted, this was done with my DC-5 and not a Mark IV).
- I have a Stiletto 1x12 with Vintage 30. This cab is great for adding bottom end, but does not really help clean tones very much. Maybe I would like it more with a C-90? I don't really like V-30's very much for cleans anyway.

4. R2 - Since this amp has 2 loops, one that is assignable, do any of you guys use a dedicated boost pedal or EQ pedal just for R2 to get a better tone out of this channel?

5. Have any of you guys used a Mesa 3/4 back 2x12 cabinet with a Mark IV? I've always been interested in this cab.

6. Midi control - I have a G-Major and Ground Control Pro. I would like to be able to control this amp with this setup. Should I get the Amp Gizmo, or the GCX? It doesn't seem like there is much difference in pricing between the 2.
- I want super fast, flawless channel changes with no delays, drop outs, volume swells, etc.

7. Any mods that should be mandatory for the loop, clean channel, etc.?

8. Any other advice that I should have asked for but didn't?

My band plays all original music that is an odd mixture of rock, metal, blues, fusion, and weirdness.
Sort of like Rush, Zappa, Iommi, Incubus, Jimmie's Chicken Shack and Heart sitting in a mushroom bar in Amsterdam. I'm the only guitar player. It's nothing for me to have 5 or 6 settings for one song, so I'm really hoping to use midi control for the amp.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've owned a couple of Mark IV's in the past but never bonded with them. I can't pass the price up, especially since I live on an island and shipping a Roadster combo would be just plain painful.
I've always wondered if I gave the IV a fair chance, now is my time to find out.
Thanks,
Andy

 

[Mister Joshua]

I'll start the soon to be exhausting string of answers. These are based on my thoughts as a metal guy who does leads and prefers to occupy the upper midrange area in the tone spectrum and has another guitarist with a dual rec for the monstrous rhythm tones. Here goes:

1) I always use a 212 or 412 for mine. I really don't like anything Mark in a 112 combo. I think the external cab lets it open up and breath whereas to me the 112 combo sounds choked and gaspy regardless of what speaker you use.

2) A good place to start is to look at the John Petrucci website under the gear page. He has settings from his previous tours. I usually start there and adjust. The JP cleans are the best i've used.

3) Again i go 212 or 412 closed back so i have no opinion

4) I never use R2 so i can't chime in. It's pretty useless to me unless you need a bluesly or jazzy semi crunch tone. I have gotten a good sound by pushing the gain to 10 but i still only use R1 and Lead and Lead with a boost.

5) No i have not.

6) Amp Gizmo. Love that thing. Was faster than the GCX in my opinion. And cheaper if memory serves.

7) None that i know of. I do retube mine with Tung Sols which are super headroomy and a 12AT7 in the Phase Inverter. But again i like lots of headroom and an upper midrange lead sound.

8 ) None come to mind

So i hope that will be a good start to the discussion to come

Peace,
Joshua

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Right on, thanks for the great starting point! I hadn't thought of looking at JP's site, although his Mesa videos really had me gassing for a Mark V!

I play all of the rhythms and leads (what few leads there are), so I need both chunky and searing tones.

I guess for cabinets, I'm looking for a compromise between open and closed back. I don't really want a 4x12 again, especially if I have to move it by myself.
I like the idea of the 2x12 3/4 back, but have never actually tried one. I had a Recto 2x12 and loved it for chunky rhythm tones, but hated the clean tones on it.

I am going to try and pick the amp up today while we are there finishing up our recordings.

 

[GD_NC]

Put a Thiele Cab with an EVM under it & put a V30 or C90 in the combo. It will give you the 4x12 chug and still keep the "fender" openess on the clean tones.