Mesa Boogie Mark V too smooth?

[Seamus McFlanery]

I am A/Bing my amps right now, thinking of selling a few. My Mark V might be on the chopping block for the main reason that it is too smooth and lacks that aggressive character that both my Mark IV and JP-2C have. It can approximate their tones, but lacks the feeling of those two.

Is this a common issue people have with this amp, and is there anything I can do to add some nastiness to the Mark V? I love how versatile this amp is but it comes off as a jack of all trades, master of none type amp.

Can a tube swap add some meanness to it or is it by design a smooth amp? How about different speakers? I am using a 2x12 KSR cab with 75H creambacks in it.

 

[Shoeless_jose]

I am most likely zero help but creamback based on name alone sounds smooth. I found g12t75 speakers were pretty grindy at least compared to v30s sadly no creamback experience

 

[Seamus McFlanery]

I am most likely zero help but creamback based on name alone sounds smooth. I found g12t75 speakers were pretty grindy at least compared to v30s sadly no creamback experience

The 75H creambacks are basically V30s on steroids. Every other amp I have can get nasty sounding. You know the kind of tone that gives you an instant stank face when you play. There's just a smoothness to my Mark V for whatever reason. GREAT tone for leads and cleans, but not that great for more gritty rock and metal. I'm just curious if this is an issue with all Mark Vs or just mine haha.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

what are your settings?

 

[protest]

Try channel 2, crunch, max gain, Treble at at 1:30-2:00. Turn the mids, bass, and presence off. Use the preset knob to add a little of the V eq. Then put an OD in front, dial in your bass, then your mids, then bring the presence up. Fine tune the other settings.

Generally I think the IV should be smoother than the V

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I've seen some IV lovers who can't gel with the V. I know Pete from Chevelle was in that boat. The V Just has an absolute shit-ton of midrange that seems a bit harder to dial out compared to the other Mesas, so I guess it gives it that feeling of being very smooth.

 

[Seamus McFlanery]

I've seen some IV lovers who can't gel with the V. I know Pete from Chevelle was in that boat. The V Just has an absolute shit-ton of midrange that seems a bit harder to dial out compared to the other Mesas, so I guess it gives it that feeling of being very smooth.

Seriously, I feel like I need a rack eq just to remove some of those mids. I've noticed the amp needs a decent amount of volume to open up as well.

 

[Seamus McFlanery]

what are your settings?

Channel 1 - Usually in Fat mode, Gain at 11 o'clock, Master at 1, Presence at 11, Treble 1, Mids 10, Bass 11; Bold Switch on
Channel 2 - Usually Crunch, but I am playing with the Mark I mod at the moment (too dark and fat) - Gain at 11, Master at 2, Presence at 2, Treble at 3, Mids at 12, Bass at 7; Mark I thick is off
Channel 3 - Testing the Extreme mode - Gain at 1, Master at 1, Presence at 1, Treble at 1, Mids at 11, Bass at 9; Bright switch on.

All channels at 90 watts, pentode, silicon diode, classic Frowny face eq. Output at about 1 and the depth knobs are about noon.
Using a Mesa Grid Slammer to boost as a clean boost.

 

[Deadpool_25]

Isn’t the classic EQ more of a smiley face?

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Isn’t the classic EQ more of a smiley face?

yes. deep v is the go to normally.

 

[Seamus McFlanery]

Isn’t the classic EQ more of a smiley face?

My bad. I use the smiley face on the amp eq and I have a frowny face in the loop for leads.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

I found mark iv mode better (more aggressive) with presence way up and mid knob at around 9oclock and bass at 7 oclock. Treble to taste but above noon to get more saturation. And tone down the low mids on the slider and scoop the mids.

Instant Death Angel tone.

 

[Seamus McFlanery]

I found mark iv mode better (more aggressive) with presence way up and mid knob at around 9oclock and bass at 7 oclock. Treble to taste but above noon to get more saturation. And tone down the low mids on the slider and scoop the mids.

Instant Death Angel tone.

Seems like the tone stack is a lot more sensitive on the Mark V than on the others.

 

[Jon Pearson]

My Mark V 25 had a smoothness that I liked for what I was doing at the time, but I sold it when I got into a heavier band. I really liked that amp, but it is not as mean as the III, IV, Studio Pre or Triaxis that I've owned. If you have the JP2C and a IV, I'd say the V would be a good contender to get sold off if you are going to sell anyways.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

My Mark V 25 had a smoothness that I liked for what I was doing at the time, but I sold it when I got into a heavier band. I really liked that amp, but it is not as mean as the III, IV, Studio Pre or Triaxis that I've owned. If you have the JP2C and a IV, I'd say the V would be a good contender to get sold off if you are going to sell anyways.

Yep, given you already can cover the ground of the Mark-series cleans, Mark IIC+ crunch/rhythm and lead, and even the Mark IV lead, you're better off just getting rid of the V. It's kinda redundant in your case.

 

[c7spheres]

Turn that frown upside down : )

 

[Drew]

Seems like the tone stack is a lot more sensitive on the Mark V than on the others.

In that it actually does stuff?

I mostly kid here, but while it's been ages since I've played a IV, the tone stack does seem to get overwhelmed by the preamp a bit less on the V in IV mode, than I recall on an IV.

I happen to like smooth lead sounds so for me this isn't really a problem, but for whatever it's worth, I've found the Extreme mode to be louder but less gainy than IV, and that the Bright switch adds both some edge, and some added saturation, when engaged. If you're not using this already give it a try, and maybe spend some time experimenting in IV mode rather than Extreme mode.

All that said, it sounds like you're looking to use the amp primarily for heavy sounds, and while it CAN do those, to my ears where it really excels (aside from smooth leads) relative to the two other amps you have is some of the lower gain settings. Edge with a Strat is ungodly.

 

[Seamus McFlanery]

In that it actually does stuff?

I mostly kid here, but while it's been ages since I've played a IV, the tone stack does seem to get overwhelmed by the preamp a bit less on the V in IV mode, than I recall on an IV.

I happen to like smooth lead sounds so for me this isn't really a problem, but for whatever it's worth, I've found the Extreme mode to be louder but less gainy than IV, and that the Bright switch adds both some edge, and some added saturation, when engaged. If you're not using this already give it a try, and maybe spend some time experimenting in IV mode rather than Extreme mode.

All that said, it sounds like you're looking to use the amp primarily for heavy sounds, and while it CAN do those, to my ears where it really excels (aside from smooth leads) relative to the two other amps you have is some of the lower gain settings. Edge with a Strat is ungodly.

That's what I've noticed as well. The Mark V's strengths are it's first two channels. The problem I have is that any tone those channels can do, my KSR Colossus does better lol. So yeah it looks like my Mark V is getting sold. I had a feeling that would be the case when I got my JP-2C months ago.

 

[Drew]

That's what I've noticed as well. The Mark V's strengths are it's first two channels. The problem I have is that any tone those channels can do, my KSR Colossus does better lol. So yeah it looks like my Mark V is getting sold. I had a feeling that would be the case when I got my JP-2C months ago.

I mean, you and I (i suspect) are going for very different sounds... but if I wanted a Mark for pure brutality, I'd probably play the 2C as well. I personally love my V, but I don't know if I can fault you here.

 

[wakjob]

I understand what the OP is talking about...
I've played the 90w & 25w Mark V's nearly back to back, and I expected them to be both voiced more aggressively, and for the gain texture to be "grittier".



Still great amps. But SMOOTH.