How does this Mark iv look?

Hello everyone...
I'm looking at getting a Mark IV and this came up on ebay. What do you guys think? I am in an actively gigging band/tour this summer. My other guitar player runs in stereo so eventually I will be getting a power amp as well. I thought I just wanted a IV head but now Im thinking about a rack version so that I can rack the power slave as well. What do you guys think of this one? I don't really know anything about head-rack conversions/racks in general... I've always just used heads on the cabs... Would this fit into any rack mount? both front and back rails?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mesa-Boogie-Mark-4-IV-Amp-Head-Rackmount-Excellent-Condition-New-Tubes-/300858430336?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item460c8f5380



Thanks!

I think I might pick this up. But I had a question... Would this fit in any rack case? Both front and rear rails? I noticed that the depth of rack cases range from like 16"-22". Which one do I need?

Alright, I went ahead and bought it. Now what rack case to get?

Any 6 slot should suit, but how much other rack gear do you have? Will this start a new gear trend for you?

NomadExpress said:

Any 6 slot should suit, but how much other rack gear do you have? Will this start a new gear trend for you?

Click to expand...

I don't have any other rack gear. My other guitar player has a rack for his Orange and Power amp. I will be adding a mesa power amp as well so I can run in stereo with him. 4 slots for the mark iv and 2 slots for the power amp. So any 6 slot should be good?

Thanks for the reply

forty6and2 said:

NomadExpress said:

Any 6 slot should suit, but how much other rack gear do you have? Will this start a new gear trend for you?

Click to expand...

I don't have any other rack gear. My other guitar player has a rack for his Orange and Power amp. I will be adding a mesa power amp as well so I can run in stereo with him. 4 slots for the mark iv and 2 slots for the power amp. So any 6 slot should be good?

Thanks for the reply

Click to expand...

I'd recommend going a bit larger than you really need, just in case you fall in love with rack gear and decide to invest in mounting your effects. There's also some really cool automated switching systems you might look into someday. For now, you could fill the unused space with a drawer for picks, tubes, cables, etc.

My two cents. I'm glad you found an amp!

ifailedshapes said:

forty6and2 said:

NomadExpress said:

Any 6 slot should suit, but how much other rack gear do you have? Will this start a new gear trend for you?

Click to expand...

I don't have any other rack gear. My other guitar player has a rack for his Orange and Power amp. I will be adding a mesa power amp as well so I can run in stereo with him. 4 slots for the mark iv and 2 slots for the power amp. So any 6 slot should be good?

Thanks for the reply

Click to expand...

I'd recommend going a bit larger than you really need, just in case you fall in love with rack gear and decide to invest in mounting your effects. There's also some really cool automated switching systems you might look into someday. For now, you could fill the unused space with a drawer for picks, tubes, cables, etc.

My two cents. I'm glad you found an amp!

Click to expand...

I don't get mounting effects. HOw do you use them if they are racked??? Sorry, probably the dumbest question of all time... haha

You control everything with a Midi foot controller. To use one with your new Mark IV, you will need a midi control switcher, such as an RJM Mini Amp Gizmo. Rackmount effects are things like the Line6 Pro series, TC Gmajor2 or GForce, Eventide models. If you end up getting a Mesa Power Amp, realize that they output their own stereo signal, so you will have one more amplified signal than you need for just a stereo signal. You could seek out a Simul Satellite, as that is what Mesa designed to make the Mark IV stereo.

JMMP said:

You control everything with a Midi foot controller. To use one with your new Mark IV, you will need a midi control switcher, such as an RJM Mini Amp Gizmo. Rackmount effects are things like the Line6 Pro series, TC Gmajor2 or GForce, Eventide models. If you end up getting a Mesa Power Amp, realize that they output their own stereo signal, so you will have one more amplified signal than you need for just a stereo signal. You could seek out a Simul Satellite, as that is what Mesa designed to make the Mark IV stereo.

Click to expand...

Ahh perfect. thanks for the info!

You can also get rack interfaces with loops for pedals. Then you would use your MIDI foot controller to turn these loops on and off. Companies like Voodoo Lab and RJM Music make some great products for this type of application.

Really, you've got a lot of options, and they're all great.