"Convert" is maybe the wrong word... but this is as much a cautionary tale to suggest people give the Mark more time than they might think (in the vein of the "It's you" post, I suppose) as anything. I've run a number of amps over time... 5150, couple of Marshalls, a Triple Recto, a couple of ENGL's, various tube and solid-state pre's w/ a KT88-based VHT power amp (don't remember the model name), and most recently (before the Mark, that is... stil have it) a Peavey 6534.
I like the 6534, but was looking for something else/different/whatever. So, I bought a used Mark V (honestly, haven't even looked at the date on it, no idea when it was built) w/ its stock 6L6's. To be honest, for first many hours, loved the cleans, but hugely disappointed with Ch 3. Plugged back into my 6534, all was right w/ world again. Fine. A lot of $$$ wasted (especially now that various states like mine charge Sales tax now on marketplaces like eBay and Reverb... money you'll never get back)... gonna list it.
But then I spent couple hours reading this forum (among others), and read the constant re-iteration: forget everything you ever knew about dialing sound on other amps. This is completely different animal. I thought, "surely nonsense". But, finally said, "f___ it" and followed suggestions.
Within half hour, I was like, "d__n, I can't believe the sounds I'm getting out of this thing". Another half hour, put a little EQ in effects loop, turned volume up a little, and was now like, "holy s__t! I can't believe the sounds I'm getting out of this thing." So, as a side task, I was swapping some Celestion vintage 30's into one of my cabs (the other I was playing through has 4 Eminence man-o-wars). Plug that in; DAAAYYYAMMMN, that's nice.
To be honest, I actually like Mk IV mode the best, and am able to get a tone I really like for some things out of Extreme mode, too. And now I can't get a sound from the 6534 that I like as much any more... LOL. I can't believe the transformation after coming at it from a different angle.
I also have to say that I empathize greatly with people who've given up, because it really is "hard"/counter-intuitive to figure out at first. Like, I have never, in any amp ever, turned the dials to anything even vaguely similar to what they are on the Mark and was also not prepared for how much almost every single knob in the stage seems to affect everything else. In fact, the previous night, before getting angry, I thought I had something, then touched... I don't remember what... but the sound was poof... gone. (I've figure it out now, but there are some very subtle things at play here).
Of course, you still may not like the sound even when you figure it out, but "don't give up!", at least not too early.
This experience also makes me think I may not have understood my Triple Recto as well as I should have (contributing to my selling it).
I like the 6534, but was looking for something else/different/whatever. So, I bought a used Mark V (honestly, haven't even looked at the date on it, no idea when it was built) w/ its stock 6L6's. To be honest, for first many hours, loved the cleans, but hugely disappointed with Ch 3. Plugged back into my 6534, all was right w/ world again. Fine. A lot of $$$ wasted (especially now that various states like mine charge Sales tax now on marketplaces like eBay and Reverb... money you'll never get back)... gonna list it.
But then I spent couple hours reading this forum (among others), and read the constant re-iteration: forget everything you ever knew about dialing sound on other amps. This is completely different animal. I thought, "surely nonsense". But, finally said, "f___ it" and followed suggestions.
Within half hour, I was like, "d__n, I can't believe the sounds I'm getting out of this thing". Another half hour, put a little EQ in effects loop, turned volume up a little, and was now like, "holy s__t! I can't believe the sounds I'm getting out of this thing." So, as a side task, I was swapping some Celestion vintage 30's into one of my cabs (the other I was playing through has 4 Eminence man-o-wars). Plug that in; DAAAYYYAMMMN, that's nice.
To be honest, I actually like Mk IV mode the best, and am able to get a tone I really like for some things out of Extreme mode, too. And now I can't get a sound from the 6534 that I like as much any more... LOL. I can't believe the transformation after coming at it from a different angle.
I also have to say that I empathize greatly with people who've given up, because it really is "hard"/counter-intuitive to figure out at first. Like, I have never, in any amp ever, turned the dials to anything even vaguely similar to what they are on the Mark and was also not prepared for how much almost every single knob in the stage seems to affect everything else. In fact, the previous night, before getting angry, I thought I had something, then touched... I don't remember what... but the sound was poof... gone. (I've figure it out now, but there are some very subtle things at play here).
Of course, you still may not like the sound even when you figure it out, but "don't give up!", at least not too early.
This experience also makes me think I may not have understood my Triple Recto as well as I should have (contributing to my selling it).
