Mesa Mark V guys, I seek advice.

[Crunchtime]

I have a Mark V inbound. All the features seem a bit overwhelming compared to my current amps.

I'd really appreciate any tips, hints, or secret settings. Do people usually crank the masters and control volume with the output? Or is it the opposite? Or do you balance the two?

What do I need to know about the diode selections? I play high gain metal mostly. Do I want 6L6 or EL34's? Does it like to be boosted?

Thanks for any info.

[jlb32]

I have a Mark IV so I'll let the Mark V guys chime in. I will say all the knobs are not even close to as overwhelming as you think once you mess with the amp for a short time. It's actually pretty straight forward.

[fr0sty]

rtfm, it's important. Some tips though. Treble adds gain. The higher the gain, the lower the bass control should be. If you want more bass, add it in the post eq.

[prodrigu]

Originally Posted by fr0sty

rtfm, it's important. Some tips though. Treble adds gain. The higher the gain, the lower the bass control should be. If you want more bass, add it in the post eq.

This is a very good tip. Could not have been put better !!!

Amazing amp, I love mine.

[primeholy]

 

Originally Posted by fr0sty

rtfm, it's important. Some tips though. Treble adds gain. The higher the gain, the lower the bass control should be. If you want more bass, add it in the post eq.

 

With that in mind, if you are getting too much feedback, you can cutback the treble as well as the gain.

[PhilBelanger]

Keep the channel master on ch 3 around 9-10 o'clock. Going higher will reduce low end.

[sbrett]

Unlike some of the other Marks, the V is actually difficult to get a bad sound out of. Things to be careful of:

1. Set the bass on channel 2 to 9 o' clock or under if using the crunch or mark I modes--dial it in with the graphic EQ.

2. It was recommended to me by 'the' mesa tech in the area to leave all the modes on one power setting (i.e. don't set channel 1 to 10 watts and channel 3 to 90 watts and switch back and forth)

3. As others have mentioned, the treble control on all channels has a huge influence on EQ.

4. Watch out for big volume changes in the third modes of channels 1 and 3 (I don't notice it so much on channel 2)

5. Boosting works great on all channels, but it doesn't really need it.

Try using channel 3 for your rhythm sound and channel 2 (mark I mode) for your lead sound. Sounds counter-intuitive, but that mark I mode is pretty sweet for leads.

[67mike]

I use channel 2 crunch for Marshall-type sound and channel 3 extreme for high gain stuff.

I always use 90watt setting on channel 1 clean and at home I use 10watt settings on channel 2&3 most of the time.....it is still loud enough to peel paint off the walls on 10 watt setting. The reason the tech told you not to run 10 watts on one channel and 90 on the other...is you can get a loud popping between channels with those power differences...it will not hurt anything. You will not get the popping switching channels between 90 and 45 watt settings.

Here is a wicked video of how awesome channel 3 extreme is...... I have sorta adopted the eq settings the guy in the video below uses...it is not a typical V shape.

[67mike]

In regard to the diodes....you can choose between silicon diode or tube rectuifier in 45watt poser setting ONLY. 90 watts automatically use silicon diodes.

You can experiment with pentode/triode in channel 3.

[Kardula]

 

Thought these were fairly comprehensive for starters.

[Kardula]

double

[Tommy Horrible]

If I had a Mark V I would put all EL34s in it for Metal and never look back. I think my Mark IVs sound 100X better in Class A pentode with EL 34s in the class As.

I've never played a Mark V, but i'm assuming it's still the same basic Mark circuit except the input gain and drive knobs have been combined.

Thus, the basic concept is this: You basically shape your amps front end response with the gain, tone knobs, and pull switches, then EQ like a standard Marshall tone stack with the 5 band.

My number one tip is that the front end works like a old school Hot and Cold water faucet where you have to combine the hot(Treble) and cold knobs(bass, mid) to get the the desired temp, and if you turn to much hot(treble) no cold is allowed through.

This is what the knobs actually do:
Gain = controls how much juice is getting in
Treble = controls how much crunch and grind the signal has
Middle = adds warm, but not much
Bass = adds mud

[jenksdrummer]

Originally Posted by Tommy Horrible

If I had a Mark V I would put all EL34s in it for Metal and never look back. I think my Mark IVs sound 100X better in Class A pentode with EL 34s in the class As.

I've never played a Mark V, but i'm assuming it's still the same basic Mark circuit except the input gain and drive knobs have been combined.

Thus, the basic concept is this: You basically shape your amps front end response with the gain, tone knobs, and pull switches, then EQ like a standard Marshall tone stack with the 5 band.

My number one tip is that the front end works like a old school Hot and Cold water faucet where you have to combine the hot(Treble) and cold knobs(bass, mid) to get the the desired temp, and if you turn to much hot(treble) no cold is allowed through.

This is what the knobs actually do:
Gain = controls how much juice is getting in
Treble = controls how much crunch and grind the signal has
Middle = adds warm, but not much
Bass = adds mud

as far as I know, the MarkV you can't mix 6L6 and 34's - not that your suggesting that....


For the most part, I use ch1 as a sweet-clean, ch2 as marshally (1st mode), and the 3rd as all-out extreme. The graphic EQ is addictive. Dial the amp in (IMO) without it enabled, same with the preset EQ...once you get that nailed down, THEN add some graphic or preset EQ. The trick to it is to not go TOO extreme with the settings, else you play it one day and think "THIS IS AWESOME" then fire it up the next day and thing...WTF!?

It also seems to not care for greenbacks, or, at least, a 16 ohm avatar cab loaded with greenbacks - need to rewire it as 4-ohm, or just breakdown and get the Mesa Traditional Slant cab I've been eyeballing.

[greatmutah]

Diode selection only applies to channels 1 and 2 and really only on the 45 watt mode. On channel 3 the selector is for Pentode or Triode for how the tubes are run. Pentode is more upfront and feels a bit more full and urgent. Triode is somewhat more loose and elastic feeling. Try each one with each mode and see what you like. Tommy Horrible's description of the tone stack is very accurate. Treble is the strongest control followed by mid and bass. Use bass sparingly in the Pre-EQ (i.e. the knobs) and add it back in in the Post EQ sliders. Play with the EQ sliders and try different things out. They all do a lot of work to vastly shape the tone, but the 750 Hz slider is probably the most powerful one on there. Also mess around with the Pre-set knob there as well. Some like one, some like the other, some like both for different flavors depending on how they feel.

It's a cool amp man. Don't be intimidated by all the knobs. There's a lot to tweak for sure, but there's also a lot that once you find it, it's set it and forget it. Have fun with it.

[tech21man]

Officially boogie says you can't mix EL34s with 6L6s on the V. Many did it without blowing their amps but what is being stressed and for how long nobody knows exactly so...

Either way, even if you have a mark IV, the power section runs in parallel and the EL34 pair have you opted for having them is always being pushed much faster than the 6L6 pair which means two things, the first is that whatever power amp colour/crunch you get is firstly added with EL34s and secondly that the amp with the switch in triode (how the mark IIC+s were wired) for them, will put out less than 85 watts. Mark IIC+s were always 60-70 watt amps far more cranckable than others in that regard even with four power tubes. No wonder most mark V guys seem to prefer EL34s all around!

The taper on the tonestack on the lead channel is a bit different than other marks, so don't be affraid to run the bass a bit higher than the usual 0-2!!!

[Crunchtime]

Thanks for the replies. I can't wait till Wednesday for my new Mrak day! This could be the one.

[Mauler]

In addition to the above don't be afraid to engage the loop and use the loop level as another volume control device. Keeps it more manageable when playing at home volumes for sure that relying on the front panel controls. Even though JP in those vids shows you what he uses, I stole his settings from a clinic back when I first got mine and they were different that day, and preferable to my ears.
Over 2 years later and I still love mine. Let us know what you think when you get it.

[magh8]

mkt will chime in later

[NinjaRaf]

Ive always been curious about marks. I mean, Metallica used them for such a long time and I very rarely hear bad things, and those people are ones that just dont like that tone. But they are fairly unanimously loved, it seems....I played a 5 one time, but wasnt digging it too much...although, 5 minutes with an amp in a GC isnt fair to the amp at all....but at the same time, the first time I played a 5150 212 was at GC for 5 minutes and I left with it....but yeah...still curious lol.

[Tommy Horrible]

 

Originally Posted by NinjaRaf

Ive always been curious about marks. I mean, Metallica used them for such a long time and I very rarely hear bad things, and those people are ones that just dont like that tone. But they are fairly unanimously loved, it seems....I played a 5 one time, but wasnt digging it too much...although, 5 minutes with an amp in a GC isnt fair to the amp at all....but at the same time, the first time I played a 5150 212 was at GC for 5 minutes and I left with it....but yeah...still curious lol.

 

But you also probably didn't get how that tone stack works. Marks aren't hard to dial in like people say, you just have to understand what the tone stack actually does. The whole treble as your distortion knob is hard for people to wrap their heads around at first, but if you know that going in you should be fine.

[NinjaRaf]

 

Originally Posted by Tommy Horrible

But you also probably didn't get how that tone stack works. Marks aren't hard to dial in like people say, you just have to understand what the tone stack actually does. The whole treble as your distortion knob is hard for people to wrap their heads around at first, but if you know that going in you should be fine.

 

Yeah, I definitely didnt. After seeing some threads, next time I see one, Ill know a little better about getting a good sounds out of it.

[Tommy Horrible]

I would also like to add that contrary to what some people say, the more extreme with the EQ the better. Marks on the lead channel with the Classic V in it's most extreme setting still sound less scooped than my JVM in the OD1 amber the setting Bass 6, miss 7, treble 5. YMMV, but that's my perception. Marks are so middy you literally almost can't make them sound scoopy and still get a decent tone.

[tech21man]

Originally Posted by NinjaRaf

Ive always been curious about marks. I mean, Metallica used them for such a long time and I very rarely hear bad things, and those people are ones that just dont like that tone. But they are fairly unanimously loved, it seems....I played a 5 one time, but wasnt digging it too much...although, 5 minutes with an amp in a GC isnt fair to the amp at all....but at the same time, the first time I played a 5150 212 was at GC for 5 minutes and I left with it....but yeah...still curious lol.

I always liked metallica, offspring and dream theater for their rythm sound. Well, what do you know! (All of them still use marks mixed with other amps, try and tell that to diezel fanbois about the hetfield connection). I always thought you'd be great with a mark, so punchy...

[67mike]

Originally Posted by Tommy Horrible

I would also like to add that contrary to what some people say, the more extreme with the EQ the better. Marks on the lead channel with the Classic V in it's most extreme setting still sound less scooped than my JVM in the OD1 amber the setting Bass 6, miss 7, treble 5. YMMV, but that's my perception. Marks are so middy you literally almost can't make them sound scoopy and still get a decent tone.

If you listen to the youtube clip I posted near the start of this thread....which was done by a touring pro (I forget the band) .....anyway, he does NOT use a V setting.....I tried the V setting and I much prefer something inbetween the V and his setting.

Also....some of the modes are a lot less BASS heavy than others.....the clean channel 1, crunch on channel 2 and extreme on channel 3 do not require you to turn down the bass as much as say Mark 1 or Mark llc.

[NinjaRaf]

 

Originally Posted by tech21man

I always liked metallica, offspring and dream theater for their rythm sound. Well, what do you know! (All of them still use marks mixed with other amps, try and tell that to diezel fanbois about the hetfield connection). I always thought you'd be great with a mark, so punchy...

 

Yeah, I think I could make one work pretty well...Id just need to spend more than 5 minutes with one. Im a very plug and play kinda person...dont like tweaking and dont like to spend too much time on something if Im not immediately thrilled with it....thats what happened with my D60 lol. But, plug and play is different from not understanding how to properly dial something in.