I've seen this video 6 times now, from start to finish. I can't help but get excited at this dudes enthusiasm. I actually learn something new about my amp every time I see it, so there's that.
Hello Boogie Heads, I received my Mark V 90 watt head a week ago. Hands down the mostly amazingly amp in the world. Some amps produce 1 or 2 tones that are good, but these "instruments " produce tone of every color. Boogie is like a tonal pallet of any color imaginable, and your guitar is the brush. My main gitfiddles are a 92' G&L Legacy, 2000 Standard Paul "Gibby", and a 03 PRS ARTIST 22 all American made like my Boogie. Thank you Randall Smith for doing what you do and have done for the world of guitar.
Just want to say that your responses to the comments in all the videos I've seen of yours has been a major factor in my purchasing decision. The fact you are dedicated toward your customer service along with providing a beyond high quality product is a rare package and one I am happy investing in. To tonality heaven!
Thank you SO MUCH, +ThunderousTruth ! It's our pleasure to help people find the tone they are seeking to express themselves musically - what a great thing. We are proud to say, "thank you for trusting us with your tone". Please let us know what you end up with and if there's anything we can help with, please let us know. :)
I just bought one of these and I am blown away, I couldn't have imagined an amp could be so versatile. I was expecting to enjoy channel 1 and 2 most but you can get some incredible tones out of the 3rd channel with lower gain too. Genuinely an incredible piece of equipment! Thank you Mesa!
The Mark 5 90 Watt is differently in my sights. I have been the proud owner of a 50 Caliber Plus Combo, Mark 4 Head and a Subway Blues. I don't miss the Subway as much as the other two, but I need a Boogie in my life because it delivers the sound that been in my head since I was a teen going to sleep with guitars playing me to sleep. Dang I love Boogies. Thank you Doug for being such a humble player.
I love the clean channel of this amp so much I'd buy a version that just had 3 channels that were all channel 1 ! If you guys ever make the voicings footswitchable and level adjustable it would be absolutely killer. This demo is really helpful to just begin to scratch the surface of all the possibilities, showing one or two demos of each voice. Thanks!
I remember this video when it first came out many years ago. I bookmarked it, and always came back to it occasionally. Something about this MKV always stayed with me. Along with Tien Lawrence and Doug West. Two very fine people. Wow!!................so much has changed. I've come full circle. I've still got (and plan on keeping all of them) all my Wizards, Matchlesses, pre B.A.D. SLO100, Friedman Small Box, Carr Merc V, Kemper Power Rack, and 1992 Mesa MKIV A combo w/EV12L. I love all my amps, and again....don't plan to part with any of them. They all bring their special magic! But, I recently broke out the MKIV for a new band I just joined. Wow!!! The Mesa still just sounds so good to my ears!! Like meeting up with an old friend that's been absent for years. The recent acquisition of Mesa by Gibson pushed me to order a new MKV 90W combo. With all the production shortages across so many industries, if I didn't act now, I may not ever have a new one. Mesa has been great all these years. Not only great products, but some of the greatest people as a company. They are still "the original boutique amp company" in my book. Simply some of the very best. In several ways!!
I'm loving what I hear with this amp and Doug's joyous facial expressions could probably convince a deaf person to buy this amp. Not sure if I need all this power, or if I'd be satisfied with the lower power (and volume) that comes with the smaller and lighter Mark V 25/10 "mini". I currently use a Fender Mustang 3 and when playing to 100 or so people in a club, I may have the volume at 5.
Thanks for the awesome comment, Dave Philpott - The Mark Five: 25 is surprisingly loud and many gigs are covered by it's 25 watts. The Mark V is a library of great Boogie sounds and beyond... so those seeking the ultimate amp layout and options are well served by everything the Mark V can do... Thanks for watching! :)
MESA/Boogie Dave Philpott ***** I have the V:25. Fantastic amp, versatile. I only miss the Edge (I think it is the best for Classic Rock). But the Mark IV and Crunch modes can active a great tone for Classic Rock too. It is VERY loud. And a small and easy head to carry around.
This for me is THE definitive amp to own! I have the mini Mark V 25 and love it to death......... But every time I get the chance to play a FULL Mark V, I realize there is just no substitute. Someday she will be mine!.......oh yes..... ... she will be mine! 😃🤘
Awesome, Jonathan - glad the Mark V:25 is working well for you and yeah - 100 watt power is also a thing. :D Good luck in the hunt for your Mark V and thanks for the kind words.
I actually weirdly prefer the softer attack and rounder overall sound of the Mark V 25. The full Mark V is sweet, but the mini has a unique sound and is ultra portable with a nice 2x12.
I just got one of these... for those who think the guy is looking dopey... I guarantee he has it cranked and though it only sounds ok on the video, in real life when at a good volume it is punching you in the chest and this guy can't help feeling the energy... the amp is making him feel like a rock star.... he just hasn't worked on his moves yet.... but engineers don't really have rhythm so it tough. That is from 2011 damn...
Tasty tone! & Super awesome playing! Love the sound of this awesome amp! Although i may never afford one, I’m so grateful Choptones captured this as a rig in Overloud THU! Awesome amplifier!
the mark v sounds awesome!! i recently acquired a dual rectifier that also sounds incredible, it restored my faith in mesa products after having nothing but trouble & failures with a triaxis preamp.
This dude looks like an animated cartoon character that I cannot stop laughing my ass off in fact my wife keeps coming in the room to see what the hell so funny
I purchased this amp a few years ago and really liked it. Once I re-tubed it with EL-34's I like it even better. The 6L6's were nice but EL-34's just do it for me.
Just bought the Mark V with a 2x12 Mesa cab...it’s a versatile amp with a lot of sounds and possibilities in which you easily can get lost...easiest way is to focus at one channel at a time...Be patient, don’t get frustrated and just leave it be if your starting to get tired and don’t seem to “hear” it anymore...the sounds you dig are def in there...
Bought one in 2014 winter. This is probably the best compact tube amp that money can buy. It's like 6 amps (or more depending on the settings/tube selection) all in one with so many controls both front & back. Different power settings, different tube config (6L6/EL34), many toggle switches. The tones are phenomenal. The worst part, however, is the instruction. It talks more about the heritage than actual usage (how to set different tones, etc...). You gotta figure it out on your own. I am not a pro or even close to experts in playing (I suck), but bought one because I am fascinated by all types of engineering, and Mesa still insists in hand-crafted in the USA. All I need now is a descent guitar made in the USA or Japan, but a good one can cost $600 minimum, so I'm stuck with the original Kramer with FR.....need one with solid bridge.
There are some good guitars that are made in other countries depending on your style of playing. For instance, I have an Ibanez and a Schecter that were made in South Korea that sound amazing. Hell, I even have a Dean guitar that was made in China, and that guitar kicks ass aswell. Those are just a few recommendations. Also, I recommend looking at used instruments/gear. Often times, you can find quality stuff in good condition for a considerably reduced price.
You guys all have a lot to do with the design and character of these amazing amplifiers, but I personally know about these amps, and I'm a huge fan. To sell these wonderful amplifiers on to new customers you need to let different players , with differentiating musical focus, show what these beasts can sweetly convey to new audiences. I think Mr. West is an important part of the Mesa Boogie team, and is able to translate what musicians want to hear extremely well in the design and voicing phases of individual amplifiers. He is also a accomplished player in his own right. But times have changed, and new younger players in genres I can't even fathom, are best for selling product to a new market of players. Certainly more than one or two players should be running through these amps in these videos, to really demonstrate the full plethora of this amps palette. I love Mesa Boogie, and I hope you can take my suggestions with the degree of humility and pride that I wish to come come across with. The company means so much to so many of us. Thank you, Sean Hovington.
Really informative video of a great amp. I must say that some people get there vibrato from the wrist, others from the elbow, but you are the first guitarist that I have seen who gets vibrato through the head and bum (respectfully speaking). Its kind of funny in a good way. Great playing and thanks again for the wonderful in-depth look at the Mark V.
This is a great demo showing several possible tones. And it is awesome that all the settings are very clearly displayed -- very helpful to me as a new Mark V owner, because the settings in the manual are not really very helpful. Having replicated several settings from here, I am also now keenly aware now of how much of a difference the guitar pickups make too...those single coil sounds are sweet but with humbuckers you really have to back off the gain quite a bit to match it or get in the same ballpark. It also makes me appreciate the coil splitting on one of my guitars. Speakers matter too. I'm also finding my Mark V is more responsive to different pickups and to the tone and volume than any of my prior amps. It's very versatile...but gonna take a while to get used to it in the context of sets I've been playing with other gear! Now if they would just put a 25W mode on this 3 channel amp. Seems like 10W isn't quite enough and 45 is almost too much.. It definitely sounds better when you get the master and the output up beyond 11am....but it starts getting pretty damn loud in those higher power modes, especially with multi-speaker cabs. You can go to the V25 or V35 but lose channels, modes and versatility in switching...I had a V35 and sent it back because with clean and crunch ont he same channel it was almost useless to me. Anyway wow it's gonna take some time to figure out how to get great tones from the full V AND tame the beast for playing the venues us mere mortals get to play. But it's a cool amp. Love the versatility, just wish there was a 25 or 30W mode on there.
Great stuff, Superreverbius! What you have just shared with us regarding your experience is what the Mark V is ALL about! It's an amp that will deliver sounds for YEARS and something that you will find your favorite sounds with just a little bit of work, but still have other modes and setttings and sweet spots to explore and grow with as your playing grows and changes. For people who enjoy finding new sounds and dialing in tone, the Mark V is on of the most versatile amps out there. Thanks for the kind words, keep up the tone search and let us know if we can help with anything. Cheers!
I can bet you Mr. Doug West sure enjoys his work. As you can see, the smooth and groove young him came out while jammin. Now, if only he can send me a free Mark V to couple with my two Mark IVs, lol. Rock on Mesa Engineer.
Great demo! I remember the first time I played a Mark V, I was mortified. It was the worst sound I have ever heard. I, of course, have played Dual Rec's and similar "type" amps for 20 years. I ended up meeting Cory from World Music Nashville who told me that if I ever 'Learned' how to dial in a Mark Series amp that, based on what I told him I wanted, I would be hooked. Well, I rolled my eyes and said "Yea whatever" and he proceeded to teach me about the Mark amps and how to dial them in. Well, needless to say, it's a year later and I own a Black Dot Mark iii with the Red Stripe upgrade, another Red Stripe Mark iii AND this awesome amp, the Mighty Mark V. Once, you know how to dial them in and spend the time to do it, there is just NOT a better amp on the planet. Although, the new JP-2C+ may have something to say about that but I haven't heard one in Person yet. Now, I have heard the Mark V:25 and that little guy is ridiculous! Mesa is just the Bees Knees. We have a Youth focused Church and the ENTIRE Praise Team uses Mesas, they are just perfect. I recommend spending time with the Mark V, I am fully confident you will fall in love! I am now putting the finances together to get a JP-2C+! Also, is there anyone better at Customer Service than Kris? No! No there is not!
Man thanks, +Randy Williams - it's very true. Mark amps are very unique and in many cases, very revealing of one's playing technique (good or bad). Once you recognize this and begin to find some of the sweet spots and hints to getting great tone and adjusting your playing, the tones can truly be unreal. Lots of people have a hard time playing other amps when they figure it out with Mark amps. Thanks again for the kind words and keep on rockin! :D
I just bought this amp and what I see is that it sounds very different if you switch the 10Watt/45watt/90watt mode even if the settings stay the same. So the opportunities insound are endless acctually......I love it
I have a 1988 mark III , I am the original owner love it, it's been with me on many gigs. The mark III is simple to use, mark V is more versatile, has great tone, but seems complicated to use. Anyway, I have been toying with the idea of getting a new amp. Love boogie...
Wow. I had no idea the Mark V was this versatile. I've always wanted the JP-2C, but now I'm wondering if I should get this instead? And, btw, who are the 75 people that could possibly give this demo video a thumbs down?
I gave it a second look just to make sure. I didn't see the long held sustaining notes that show the sustain capabilities of the amp. Nothing worse than a note in high gain mode that dissipates to quickly. The second thing was Mr West has a heavy hand. This doesn't show the amps ability to play effortless legato that fits my style of playing. Nothing worse than an amp you have to force your fingers on to hear a legato solo. Any suggestions? The amp sounds awesome. I had a duel recto once and a tremo verb. I hate to say it but those were the 2 worst amps I owned but the c+ and the mark series amps sound completely awesome. I am currently using the axe fx xl for all my needs at the moment but still in love with the real deal.
The best demo of this amp yet. Its nice they didnt just do some stupid scooped metal as the amp has a clean channel that equals a Blackface....and then you still have a IIc+ in the same amp.
It is amazing the sounds I have in my mark v. I dont understand why people will pay 20g for a dumble, when you have the mark 1 and mark 2 settings here. Unlimited tones and pick attack clarity at max gain.
I absolutely love your amps, although I am not fortunate enough to own one yet. What are you working on in comparison to the Fractal Audio Axe FX II? Without a doubt, the Mark V is a masterpiece! A true piece of art and a marvel of sound engineering. They are both in the same price range, however, the Axe FX has an insane amount of capability. I would love to own both, but when I can buy an amp in two months, I will be leaning toward Axe FX. I would Love to see Mesa take out the competition with a similar product!
Looking at the schematics for both, they both use full-wave rectifier tubes, but the dual-rec uses 2x 5U4 in parallel, whereas the Mark V uses a single unlabelled tube. I assume it has to do with power handling, and perhaps size constraints. I can't see any other reasons for the difference based on the schematics.
