Setting up a Mesa

Jethro Rocker

Jethro Rocker

Ambassador of Live & Loud Action
Country flag
Trying out a Mesa Mark V head today. I really like the little mark V 35.
This one just seems to have a half cocked wah sound unless the standard Mesa V EQ curve is applied. I have read manuals amd am aware of how the EQ is different from a Marshall. Even with EQ still kinda sounds like that. Without EQ it is thick but not brightbat all. Through a V30 cab yet too.
Just wondered if anyone had any tricks.
It is not unpleasant, just sounds so different from the Marshalls and from the Mark V 35, oddly.
 
I have experienced the opposite,,i use greenbacks, mc90's, swamp things, v30/t75,& can get them do do anything. That is MK3, 50 Cal+, DC series, f100, Rectos.. do not he mark V..dont like the mark V at all.

DS 22.jpg
 
BFT Gibson said:
My personnel experience on the mark V & it is a great amp..is that it is so versatile that if you move the settings...just a hair..its a radical eq shift..those other mesa's act very simple..even the rectos . The mark V can be very finicky..am a player not a fiddler..plug n play type
Click to expand...
Ah I get it . So very mjnute setting changes. I may go back to the Triple Crown. Depending. I will fiddle till I have some stuff, again, I like what I got for the most part. I will AB it with the TC
 
Jethro Rocker said:
So it is unique in some fashion? The little 35 seems to do it all real easily.
Click to expand...
Jethro Rocker said:
So it is unique in some fashion? The little 35 seems to do it all real easily.
Click to expand...
Its a personal thing..i like a mesa with marshall on top in mix but yet working together. I like it..just everyone i played..seem toalways be distracted by adjusting..but when on they killer..those EQ interaction is so keyed off the treble set up first & presence working in tandem with the gain..
 
Jethro Rocker said:
Ah I get it . So very mjnute setting changes. I may go back to the Triple Crown. Depending. I will fiddle till I have some stuff, again, I like what I got for the most part. I will AB it with the TC
Click to expand...
You a Marshall guy..the triple crown is so much more up our alleys..lol..but if you are thinking band..wow mesa 1 side-marshall other..so complimentary in the mix naturally without much EQ work
 
BFT Gibson said:
Its a personal thing..i like a mesa with marshall on top in mix but yet working together. I like it..just everyone i played..seem toalways be distracted by adjusting..but when on they killer..those EQ interaction is so keyed off the treble set up first & presence working in tandem with the gain..
Click to expand...
Yeah I paid attention to that treble thing. Almost dull sounding at times regardless where the high end was set.
 
BFT Gibson said:
You a Marshall guy..the triple crown is so much more up our alleys..lol..but if you are thinking band..wow mesa 1 side-marshall other..so complimentary in the mix naturally without much EQ work
Click to expand...

I have a plethora of Marshalls, I just wanted something versatile and a bit different. I love the little 35 so much that I thought the big 5 would be the same. I will AB them.
I did have a TC for a few days, but after the lil 35 decided on the mark V.
 
Jethro Rocker said:
I have a plethora of Marshalls, I just wanted something versatile and a bit different. I love the little 35 so much that I thought the big 5 would be the same. I will AB them.
I did have a TC for a few days, but after the lil 35 decided on the mark V.
Click to expand...
Hey what speakers? My Mesa's love an american speaker that handles deep & clear(emi swamp thing)& a greenback..most dont go that way & it sure does move that EQ away from the norm. Oh man you have a great amp..they just touchy..that gain so much in tandem with the treble is such a picky thing..but once you learn..they dial in better than almost anything cause they are precise !!
 
BFT Gibson said:
Hey what speakers? My Mesa's love an american speaker that handles deep & clear(emi swamp thing)& a greenback..most dont go that way & it sure does move that EQ away from the norm. Oh man you have a great amp..they just touchy..that gain so much in tandem with the treble is such a picky thing..but once you learn..they dial in better than almost anything cause they are precise !!
Click to expand...
I just ran it to a V30 loaded cab. I have a greenie, T75, there is a creamback 65 to try as well. Plus the V series from the Marshall 2x12 Studio. Creamback might be the ticket
 
BFT Gibson said:
Yeah man, report back, when i got on the celestions other than v30, wow
Click to expand...
Well yes I now see! The greenie sounded better right off. So of course so did the Cream as it is 65 watts a better fit. Slight treble up from like 5 to 5.5 and I could hear a diff in the hiss frequency from the high gain. Wow! I need to relax on the EQ. Also i will rent the used TC they have so I can AB. The little 35 sounds awesome right off. Raw, has that open back 1x12 sound granted but I wanted a grab and go. It's perfect and saves wear n tear on the Marshall 30th Anniversary.
So possibly need a couple creambacks for the Mojo tone angled 2x12 I have coming.
 
Jethro Rocker said:
Well yes I now see! The greenie sounded better right off. So of course so did the Cream as it is 65 watts a better fit. Slight treble up from like 5 to 5.5 and I could hear a diff in the hiss frequency from the high gain. Wow! I need to relax on the EQ. Also i will rent the used TC they have so I can AB. The little 35 sounds awesome right off. Raw, has that open back 1x12 sound granted but I wanted a grab and go. It's perfect and saves wear n tear on the Marshall 30th Anniversary.
So possibly need a couple creambacks for the Mojo tone angled 2x12 I have coming.
Click to expand...
Love it ! Those speakers really lite up the mesa's ..great to hear this !!
 
Congrats on your Mesa JR, I can’t help you in the slightest, I have only briefly played a Mesa, and I really couldn’t get it to sound the way I like my tone, be patient and it will come around, so many have dialed them in for greatness...
Cheers
 
Mitch Pearrow SJMP said:
Congrats on your Mesa JR, I can’t help you in the slightest, I have only briefly played a Mesa, and I really couldn’t get it to sound the way I like my tone, be patient and it will come around, so many have dialed them in for greatness...
Cheers
Click to expand...
Cheers, Mitch. I will rent the TC tmrw and play. Get the right thing! That little 35 rips!! If the 25 had a solo knob, I swear, I would get one as a mini head.
 
UPDATE. I tried the TC100 amd Mk 5 thru the v30 and GM again. It is an amp, not rocket science so i did watch a couple videos amd played. Mark V sounded really good. I found ch 2 to be at times not gainy enough on Crunch so switched to MkII mode but now lots of changes. Very dull, needs like no bass but way more high end, even used graphic to gain highs.

I got it sounded good for me in all channels, but one does have to fiddle around if changjng modes, a bit of an issue for live use. That said, I figured I could work around it.

Sold.

Then just to be safe, tried the TC one more time from the day before. As soon as i heard it I thought That's what I am after!!
So the TC100 won out. Easier to set live, more gain in ch 2, just sounded overall more to my liking. Can always run a graphic in loop. I am keeping the TC instead of Mark V.

I also embarassingly found out why Mk 5 sounded honky in V30... I.. um... was using the L6 which has tone and midrange. When tone is turned down normally on most guitars it's muffled and very obvious. In this case the mid control still being up made it aound honky and lime a wah...
:noplease:

Oops...
:(

Lesson learned to pay attention to all the parts. Including guitar tone controls.
:nono:

The End.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top