Mesa Boogie Mark V really disappointing

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by kafka

One thing about Boogies is that I've always found them to be fairly finicky to use. They sound great once you get the tone dialed in, but not before that.

^^^This.








[edit: and VVV This also.]

[barryjohns]

Originally Posted by kafka

One thing about Boogies is that I've always found them to be fairly finicky to use. They sound great once you get the tone dialed in, but not before that.

Boogies can take Days to dial in. I found that out 20 years ago when I first messed with the Mark IV.

Same is true with the Mark V.

Someone who tries to demo an amp like this in a Music Store are not likely to ever get the tone they like or certainly allow the amp to shine with all the tonal options.

The vast majority of amps out there the tone they are known for can be dialed in, in a few minutes. Not true for the majority of Boogie amps.

[masaom]

Originally Posted by barryjohns

Boogies can take Days to dial in. I found that out 20 years ago when I first messed with the Mark IV.

Same is true with the Mark V.

Someone who tries to demo an amp like this in a Music Store are not likely to ever get the tone they like or certainly allow the amp to shine with all the tonal options.

The vast majority of amps out there the tone they are known for can be dialed in, in a few minutes. Not true for the majority of Boogie amps.

very true. though i wasn't expecting to get that magic tone anyways; right away i mean.

the thing that i knew right away though is that this amp, even at 10 watts, is ear shockingly loud! i also have an engl savage and powerball II and they sound brilliant at low volumes. the mark v doesn't.

another thing though that i realized is that this amp can get you a LOT of variations in voicings. all the tones are really different rather than the engl's 3rd and 4th channels being somewhat similar to each other on every
amp they make aside from the extra gain.

this amp is not an novice amp for sure. it'll sound awesome to those who know their poop, and sound like poop to those who don't. i expect to get a nice tone from it in a month or so haha. ~ i like the fact that you can get reverb from this amp like the rectos as well

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by masaom

very true. though i wasn't expecting to get that magic tone anyways; right away i mean.

the thing that i knew right away though is that this amp, even at 10 watts, is ear shockingly loud! i also have an engl savage and powerball II and they sound brilliant at low volumes. the mark v doesn't.

another thing though that i realized is that this amp can get you a LOT of variations in voicings. all the tones are really different rather than the engl's 3rd and 4th channels being somewhat similar to each other on every
amp they make aside from the extra gain.

this amp is not an novice amp for sure. it'll sound awesome to those who know their poop, and sound like poop to those who don't. i expect to get a nice tone from it in a month or so haha. ~ i like the fact that you can get reverb from this amp like the rectos as well

channel 1 is great on 10w, channels 2-3 dont bother, start at 45w.

[_Ludovico]

I tried this amp in a Quebec city shop while trying a few Les Paul's and was totally unimpressed. So many channels, switches and knobs, way too much for me. Hated the sound. Worst match ever for a LP Custom...Razor like and harsh highs and mids. I played with a few knobs and finally gave up. I told the salesman and he basically told me well you just don't know how to make it sound good. Fair enough, but I just didn't feel like tweaking the damn thing all day long. Needless to say I also walked away empty ended. Talk about the wrong thing to say

[barryjohns]

Originally Posted by _Ludovico

I tried this amp in a Quebec city shop while trying a few Les Paul's and was totally unimpressed. So many channels, switches and knobs, way too much for me. Hated the sound. Worst match ever for a LP Custom...Razor like and harsh highs and mids. I played with a few knobs and finally gave up. I told the salesman and he basically told me well you just don't know how to make it sound good. Fair enough, but I just didn't feel like tweaking the damn thing all day long. Needless to say I also walked away empty ended. Talk about the wrong thing to say

Once you understand the amp, you can dial in any sound you want in a minute. The amp is really like owning 9 different amps. There is a reason they give you templates to write down settings!

FWIW, my Les Paul roared through the the amp.

Music Store Salesmen should be trained on the amp more!

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by _Ludovico

I tried this amp in a Quebec city shop while trying a few Les Paul's and was totally unimpressed. So many channels, switches and knobs, way too much for me. Hated the sound. Worst match ever for a LP Custom...Razor like and harsh highs and mids. I played with a few knobs and finally gave up. I told the salesman and he basically told me well you just don't know how to make it sound good. Fair enough, but I just didn't feel like tweaking the damn thing all day long. Needless to say I also walked away empty ended. Talk about the wrong thing to say

my les paul custom sounds killer through it.

as barry stated, once you get a grasp on the amp, you can dial all kinds of great tones quickly, but learning it takes awhile. i have had mine for a couple years and every once in a while i am surprised of something new i can find.

[fvlt]

I love my Mark V.

There was a period of time where I was kind of luke warm towards it. It took me months to get the tone from the point where it was usable to the point where it was excellent.

In my case the problem was I used to own a Mark III and I kept trying to dial it in like it was a Mark III. Once I got over that hurdle my tone started getting better.

I also thought that Crunch mode dialled in like a regular Mark (tone stack near the beginning of the gain stages). Turns out that it's post gain, like a Marshall or Recto, so there's no need to use the graphic/preset EQ to boost/cut anything. Once I learned that it became a lot easier to balance channels 2 and 3.

[fvlt]

Originally Posted by guitardom

my les paul custom sounds killer through it.

Couple of clips including a Custom below;

Mesa Boogie

[_Ludovico]

Originally Posted by barryjohns

Once you understand the amp, you can dial in any sound you want in a minute. The amp is really like owning 9 different amps. There is a reason they give you templates to write down settings!

FWIW, my Les Paul roared through the the amp.

Music Store Salesmen should be trained on the amp more!

Well, I think he had good intentions in plugging the guitar in this amp in the first place, he probably wanted to overwhelm me with the thing and the LP Custom, but I ended up underwhelmed. It was far from instant love, like it happened with my DRRI 65 and my Fender Super Sonic. I'm pretty sure all you guys can dial superb tones with it, but I'm just not a super tweaker. I'm impatient....and lazy. For the same reason, I'm not into modelers like the Axe-FX. I'm sure someone who gets to know the thing for a while can dial his settings quicker. To each his own

[Animus]

Yeah. Mesas take patience because they are so flexible to tweak. Definitely not plug and play. One thing though...Mesas love overdrive/clean boost pedals! I just got a Maxon OD820 and holy smokes....it really opened up my Road King and made the fretboard come to life in a big way, even on clean stuff. Another thing....they like to be cranked up in volume. An attenuator is helpful.

One criticism I have of Mesa amps is that there fx loops suck big time. Tone suck. Luckily I just record in the studio and do all my fx itb and use Redwirez cab impuilses with the Road King's line out, and I just turn the fx loop off. Sounds way better.

[kafka]

I think I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I'll say it here again. With a Boogie, the tone knobs have a much more significant effect on preamp drive than with other amps. It's a lot easier to start with the tone knobs all the way down, and then bring them up, so your basic tone is more like a traditional amp. Bring the drive up slowly by either turning the gain knob, or increasing the tone knobs. Otherwise, you start with more fizz than most people would want.

[Shreds]

Originally Posted by alexamk

I recently got one of these heads and have to say that I am extremely disappointed with the quality of sounds. Personally I think that my Mark IV is a much better amp.

Wow.........really? I wonder what you're doing wrong, my Mark V is immense. Versatile, high quality on every channel, just sublime. Seriously spend more time with it.

[j-madd]

Got to play through on of these on Sunday. My drummer (also plays guitar) bought one and spent several hours setting up the channels. I was practicing with my LP traditional on channel 2 through a 4 x 12 loaded with v30's. All I can say is WOW. Best sounding amp I've ever played. Like I said he read through the manual the night before and tweaked setting for hours to set this thing up.

Justin

[WarrenBeat]

Originally Posted by barryjohns

This kind of Childish Behavior on this forum that drives me crazy. I can say this my friend, if you could not get an amazing tone from a Mark V, then it was operator error. I have owned (own) just about every amp under the sun, including several Bogner amps, which are very good amps, and I own a Mark V. This operator can get some of the most amazing tones I've ever heard in my life from the amp.

The only "Shmuck" around here is you.

Oh and before you chime back in and say it, No I Am Not Defending My Purchase, I'm willing to bet I've got more amps in my studio than you've owned in your life.

I'm guessing you are under the age of 25, do I dare see in the teens?


Auggggggggggghj

YOU can get those amazing tones that YOU like, but get over it, some people don't like Marks, some people don't like Cocacola and some people would rather eat KFC instead of iranian caviar...

[Joe Cole]

Originally Posted by rockstar_josh

I haven't played a Mesa that didn't require a lot of careful tweaking to get pleasing tones out of.... the Mark V is no exception, especially with it's loads of voicings.

I thought that would be the case too...but, not every Mesa is a Mark series.

I tried a Lonestar Special 1x12 combo and it was heaven from the time I plugged in. With a off the rack strat, I could not get a bad tone. Each note felt like it was floating on a marshmallow cloud.

If it wasn't over $2300, I would have brought it home with me. For a non-boutique 30 watt amp... that is a lot of coin.

[Bob Rock]

I own a Mark V and all I can say is it is one hell of an amp. A lot has been said out it on this thread but what has not been mentioned is how responsive this amp is to the guitar. Your playing dynamics, volume changes and tone changes. Hey if you want an amp with that one great sound, buy a Marshall our some other amp like it. if you want an amp that will help define who are as a guitar player, consider the Mark V.

[mu6gr8]

Agreed. I used the Mark V alone, 5 or 6 different modes with completely different tones, on a Morcheeba remix I did. Sounded like half a dozen different amps, all great. Tones ranged from vibey ambient Trip Hop, to Motown, to classic rock saturation. Played with fingers, with a pick, Tele, Strat & LP...the amp was totally responsive to my dynamic touch. It went from a purr to a growl on demand, effortlessly, based on how I worked the strings.

I also agree with some earlier posts that mention the amp reacting differently to different speaker cabinets. It comes to life with a closed-back 4x12, but I also dig it with a 2x12 open-back Lonestar cab with Celestion Gold alnico speakers for a warmer tone.

[HMR_Wylde]

if you're having trouble getting any nice tones out of your new mark V check out a youtube video with long time mesa boogie user john petrucci on the mark v...shows you how to crank out some great sounds.

[kennybro]

Originally Posted by alexamk

I recently got one of these heads and have to say that I am extremely disappointed with the quality of sounds. Personally I think that my Mark IV is a much better amp.

I've had a few Boogies in my days, starting way back with Mark IIA in '80. Never could connect with any of them.

[Nobzey]

I just received my brand new Mark V last night! I had rented a combo and fell in love with it so I ordered the head and 4x12 cab. I set everything up and... the head is a lemon. Took it back to the shop and the thing is a giant bust. They have to re order me a new head and my gig for Monday seems far less special now. I know Mesa is a great company and it may not have been their fault but this sure is a bummer.

[DerekJ]

Originally Posted by kennybro

I've had a few Boogies in my days, starting way back with Mark IIA in '80. Never could connect with any of them.

Got a studio caliber 22 and Mark IIC+ head. The caliber 22 has decent EL84 jangle. Both have eq, I love the IIC+ (circa '84) into a Marshall 1960A 300 watt cab, everything on 10. Sounds good at all SPL actually.

However, not a fan of Boogie's sound after the Mark II. Mark III, IV, V - dry, hissy, tinny, sterile.

[onceagain]

It's a bit worrying if the IV is better than the V, as the IV was poor compared to the early mark III's

[DerekJ]

Originally Posted by onceagain

It's a bit worrying if the IV is better than the V, as the IV was poor compared to the early mark III's

And the III was a disapointment after the IIC+. The Mark I was really good, II even better, IIC+ was probably the best Boogie sound ever...

then...

[onceagain]

i don't know about the IIc, but my mate has an amazing early III. The sound comes out before you play the notes.... amazing!.... and i have a quad preamp setup, and that's good, but not as balls out as that early III.

[DerekJ]

Mesa/Boogie Mark Series History

Great stuff about Boogie amps, the Mark III is mentioned and discussed.

I've never owned this amp, but I agree with the comments on the IIC+, the thing kills it.

[pan60]

Originally Posted by kennybro

I've had a few Boogies in my days, starting way back with Mark IIA in '80. Never could connect with any of them.

same here.
the only Boogie i really like a lot and still and use is the BLUE ANGLE.
but my old Princeton's still get more love here.

[Leonardo_007]

i own a modified Mark IV in a nice vintage look.
as already has been said, i guess suitability / acceptability / degree of satisfaction will depend on your personal approach to get things done.
from my viewpoint, a Mesa Mark is an excellent value-for money amp in terms of an all-in-one-solution.
as already has been said, i would like to having an amp where i will get results fast and easy in a natural way.
On the other hand, i wouldn't want to spend $7000 dollars on an amp-arsenal consisting of twin reverbs, bass mans, marshalls etc. (i spent $2k for the Mark IV).

[baoboa]

[Syncamorea]

Originally Posted by kafka

On Boogies, it's better to start with all of them all the way down, and then turn them up.

I'd start with the gain at 1:00 and go from there.

Having owned a bunch of Boogies, I can agree with the finicky comment. I have noticed that as the tubes age, Boogies tend to have a peakiness in the 2.5 to 3KHz area and there is limited EQ range to deal with it, although the Mk4 & V types with the graphic EQ have more range.

Originally Posted by guitardom

channel 1 is great on 10w, channels 2-3 dont bother, start at 45w.

Bingo!