1st Mesa amp / Mark V / Some remarks

Hi everyone!

I'm now the very happy owner of a mint condition second hand Mark V in Custom Red ( http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=69124 ).

First remarks:

1. What an amp! Days should have at least 28 hours so I could dedicate the extra time to working out all the possibilities.
I now understand why newbies and guys who want to rush it don't get along with Mesa amps. It's the difference between chugging down tequilla shots or enjoying a nice Port wine. You take some of your time to dial things, let 'em sink in and it gives you back what you put in.
Enjoying the tones I'm getting tremendously! Problem is choosing what to use!

2. Do I still need those distortion/overdrive pedals in front of the amp? Probably not.
Don't want to get ahead of myself, as I have a few pedals I've enjoyed in the past. But the thing is I tried connecting a few yesterday, trying out which channels would be more appropriate for them, and truthfully I got different sounds for sure, but nothing I think couldn't be had with the Mark V on itself (and with less noise, as every pedal introduces its own hiss and hum in the mix...).
Thing is, appart from an Xotic SL Drive pedal which I'm using mainly as a booster, I think I'll go minimalistic for some time, until I get to know the Mark V.

3. Definitely not using the FX Loop for now!
Call me picky, but truth is I only have a couple of good quality fx pedals (one Strymon Timeline delay and a Strymon BlueSky Reverb), and the way they suck something out of the tone when inserted in the FX loop is actually pretty noticeable, even when adjusting the Send level properly.
Don't need the reverb for now (the Mark V spring reverb is actually pretty good and usable), and I can always insert the delay in front of the amp without much degradation. Only use some delay here and there to create a "sound trail", anyway, so it actually gets more responsive in front of the amp.

On the other hand, here's a good tip that worked for me yesterday, late at night: activate the effects loop (even without anything connected to it) so you have an extra volume control for the amp. Switching it to 10W, having a Master volume channel *and* a final Output volume allowed me to control the playing level with great precision, making it feasible to play late at night at bedroom levels.

4. Did I mention how great the tone is already?! ****! What a beast of a product. The difference between the 45W and 90W I can't discern well, maybe it's more obvious when playing at louder levels than what I can.
But from 10W and 45W, man, that's like having a different amp altogether! At 10W you have a nice creamy saturation and sagging; at 45W (especially on the cleaner modes) you get that piano-like bass with articulation and authority. Great stuff! I thought that tube vs diode rectifier stuff was just a bit of gimmicky marketing talk, but there really is a difference.
And to top it all off, the previous owner was conscious enough to replace all the power tubes with the Mesa branded 6L6's. So no biasing problems here.

Overall, pretty happy with my purchase.
I only have one guitar (an Ibanez 1992 original Paul Gilbert model, PGM100) which was given to me on my 18th birthday, and has served me well so far. Don't need or want another one.

Like to think that now, more than 20 years later, I might have found the matching amp that will make me stop the search for new gear (at least, new amps...).

Best regards, and thank you all for quickly answering all my pre-purchase newbie questions in other topis.
Hopefully I'll become an active member to this forum, helping out other users like you guys helped me.

Andre'

Congrats!

Congrats...I guess the long drive paid off!!!

1. Yes, but you'll eventually find your own sound!
2. I don't, just a fuzz
3. I ditched the loop too, EVERYTHING sounds good up front for me. This include delay, phaser, and tremolo.
4. Yeah, the difference between 45 and 90 shows up pretty quick when cranked.

Glad you're enjoying it! Now get together with the band and work it!!
I was amazed how much better it fit into a band scenario when I got mine.

Congratulations. I too am a relatively new Mesa owner. I own a Marshall JVM and a Blackstar Series One 200, which were my "go to" amps, and then stumbled across a used Mesa Nomad. Loved the tones on it, but it went up in smoke (literally). But the whole Mesa tone got my interest, and then started my search until I wound up with the Mesa Mark V. It is by far my favorite amp, which delivers all the tones I had been looking for.

As for pedals, I think the MXR carbon copy works well in the loop. While the Mesa has great gain, I do use an OD pedal in channel 2, only to get a more saturated tone for fills during various points of a song. Channel 3 for solos with the solo switch on is a killer.

Enjoy your new amp!

Great amp for sure. You'll notice the diff between 45/90w and between tube/diode at higher volumes. 90w has more authority and a singing quality from the simulclass power section. Diode rectification def presents a harder edged/harsher distorted tone.

John BNY said:

As for pedals, I think the MXR carbon copy works well in the loop. While the Mesa has great gain, I do use an OD pedal in channel 2, only to get a more saturated tone for fills during various points of a song. Channel 3 for solos with the solo switch on is a killer.

Enjoy your new amp!

Click to expand...

I've been looking at the MXR Carbon Copy too, basically because it would keep an all analog signal path throughout (guitar > MXR > Mark V). The Strymon Timeline I have is a digital device.

On the other hand, analog probably means some added noise no matter how great the circuit is, whilst the Strymon Timeline has top-notch 24bit converters (and the effects are processed digitally, without added noise). So the Timeline is probably cleaner than any analog device, even with a pair of AD/DA conversions involved.
I'll keep it for a while.
Having great fun just connecting it in front of the amp (instead of the FX Loop)! It gets a bit more difficult to tame that way, especially when switching to a channel/mode with different Gain settings, but it also gets more responsive and in your face.

Do try connecting your MXR in front of the amp and use it that way. You might be surprised.

Best regards!