Mesa Mark IV and pedals/stompboxes

[zerotolerance]

Lately I've been searching for a new amp and I found Mesa Mark IV rev B. I'm playing different kinds of music, but for now, stoner/doom mainly. I know MK IV can do almost anything and this the kind of an amp that I'm looking for, the one that can do anything from blues to metal. I want some info about how it takes different kind of fuzz pedals(Big Muff and pedals that are based on Big Muff, FuzzFace and pedals that are based on it), ODs, etc. Does it have a big headroom on clean channel? Any info welcomed.

 

[Badronald]

I have a MKIVb.

The loop is great. I only use a boost pedal for leads on the crunch channel. BB Preamp, Keeley TS-9. They sound fantastic.

I've never used a boost for gain on the clean channel. There are so many great crunch tones available on the amp so I'm not interested in boost pedals for main tones. I've never used a fuzz on the amp either.

Chorus, flange and TC compressor sound great either in front or in the loop. Delay sounds crystal clear in the loop. Cantrell Wah sounds killer in front.

Great amp. Hope this helps.

 

[zerotolerance]

I have a MKIVb.

The loop is great. I only use a boost pedal for leads on the crunch channel. BB Preamp, Keeley TS-9. They sound fantastic.

I've never used a boost for gain on the clean channel. There are so many great crunch tones available on the amp so I'm not interested in boost pedals for main tones. I've never used a fuzz on the amp either.

Chorus, flange and TC compressor sound great either in front or in the loop. Delay sounds crystal clear in the loop. Cantrell Wah sounds killer in front.

Great amp. Hope this helps.

Hey, thanks! But I also need info about fuzzes though... I am using Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh fuzz and I want info how different fuzzes works "in front" of the amp.

 

[stephen sawall]

I have used various fuzz and it seemed OK to me.

 

[blackba]

I have a mark IVA. The loop is a bit different than the B. I found on mine that the switchable loop changes the tone in a way I don't like when turned on, even with a patch cable just connecting the jacks. Thankfully I don't find this with the normal loop, so that is what I use.

As for fuzzes, I use a blackout effectors musket fuzz (big muff type) and a BYOC Leeds fuzz (Univox SuperFuzz type). Both work very well. As you probably know big muffs are scooped in the mids, but the mark IV has plenty of mids.

As for headroom, its not a problem, plenty of headroom. The mark IVA even works very well as a bass amp into a bass cab. Great amp.

 

[stephen sawall]

I have also used the IV for bass.... I like it better than most guitar amps for bass.

 

[zerotolerance]

I have also used the IV for bass.... I like it better than most guitar amps for bass.

It goes to 30hz?

 

[blackba]

I have also used the IV for bass.... I like it better than most guitar amps for bass.

It goes to 30hz?

No idea as I didn't try my active MM Sterling 5 string with the mark IVA, but I did try my passive Fender Jazz bass with good results.

So 41Hz (low E) verified. 31Hz (low B), still TBD.

 

[stompboxfreak72]

I really like the Mesa Flux Overdrive pedal. I have stopped using my BB, TS9 and all other dirt pedals since getting the Mesa pedal. I have a JP2C, Nitro and 5153 Stealth and love the pedal with all of them.

 

[stephen sawall]

I had my bass tuned to drop D. We were just trying various amps with my Warwick and a few Mesa and Ampeg cabs with the band.
I thought it was the speakers that roll off the bottom usually..., not the amps ? Just a assumption.

 

[zerotolerance]

I had my bass tuned to drop D. We were just trying various amps with my Warwick and a few Mesa and Ampeg cabs with the band.
I thought it was the speakers that roll off the bottom usually..., not the amps ? Just a assumption.

It actually depends on the transformers and amp design/circiut. So it isn't just speakers.

Btw, which version of MKIV you have?

 

[stephen sawall]

ÎVA

 

[zerotolerance]

ÎVA

Hmm... Another A. I heard that rev B doesn't take pedals up front that well. That's why I am asking.

 

[stephen sawall]

I can tell you using the GEQ with fuzz can be useful.

 

[blackba]

ÎVA

Hmm... Another A. I heard that rev B doesn't take pedals up front that well. That's why I am asking.

I thought on the B that only R2 and the effects loop were tweaked as well as being able to footswitch the reverb on and off. R1 I don't believe was affected.

 

[glassjaw7]

I have a Mark IVB head/horizontal recto 212. That amp takes pedal better than almost any other I've played and hangs with my 70s Fender Super Reverb (The Fender has an edge here but it's not a night and day difference).

Something I stumbled across that I've never seen anyone else do is to set RHY2 as a second clean channel with just a hint of grit and then run a fuzz through it. It sounds amazing. The clean channel takes pedals very well too but something about RHY2 and an overdrive or fuzz..it sounds more natural, almost like another dirty channel. When I run the Bogner Red through RHY2 it sounds as good as the Lead ch in the Mark but fatter. The loop is fantastic on this amp.

FWIW, the fuzzes I use or have used with it are a Russian Muff, Bazz Fuss that I built, OxFuzz silicon (awesome FF on par with Analogman stuff), big box Fulltone Octafuzz, Catalinbread Antichthon, Shift Line Termofuzz, etc. All sound great. The Mark is a perfect pedal platform.

 

[jlb32]

The Mark IV's are killer IMO and take all pedals great. It is my favorite of all the Mesa Marks I have tried. Just super clear and articulate with a grinding tone non of the other Mesa Marks can do exactly the same.