Vintage Mesa 4x12 Question. For a Mark IV

[blackba]

I think you will be fine with your current cabs, though I have never tried my mark IVA through a 16ohm cab. I hope you will take the time to report back.

I run my mark IVA through a mesa metal grill cab with 2 MC90's on top and 2 EV's on bottom, both sections are closed. I find that I like R1 better with the top section open and R2 & Lead channels better with both sections closed, so I go with both sections closed. Currently with my music room torn up, I am running through a Closed back 112 with a Chinese V30 and it sounds great.

I will say speakers I have not had good luck with the mark IVA are G12T-75s, G12M70s, Weber Jensen style, Anniversary G12H30s.

 

[Racerxrated]

I think you will be fine with your current cabs, though I have never tried my mark IVA through a 16ohm cab. I hope you will take the time to report back.

I run my mark IVA through a mesa metal grill cab with 2 MC90's on top and 2 EV's on bottom, both sections are closed. I find that I like R1 better with the top section open and R2 & Lead channels better with both sections closed, so I go with both sections closed. Currently with my music room torn up, I am running through a Closed back 112 with a Chinese V30 and it sounds great.

I will say speakers I have not had good luck with the mark IVA are G12T-75s, G12M70s, Weber Jensen style, Anniversary G12H30s.

I’ve used my C+s through both 8ohm Mesa and 16 ohm Marshall cabs. Sounds great through both. You can mismatch low-out-high with no worries.

 

[Beyond Black]

I always play Mark series amps thru my old Mesa 4x12 with V30s.

One thing I didn't see mentioned is that Mark series amps do not have a 16ohm speaker out, only 4ohm and 8ohm. So 16ohm Marshall cabs would need to be rewired to 4ohms. I'm pretty sure you could run it mismatched and the amp would be fine but it wouldn't sound as good.

The power section of a Mk IV is really good ime.

wrong doesnt need to be rewired, use the 8 ohm jack...

Yeah, I bolded where I said that. But as I said, it won't sound as good.

What about two 16 ohm cabs? Is there two 8 ohm outputs?

You can just buy a $30 splitter box through Mesa, or on the net, to run two 16ohm cabs.

Having a hard time finding that. Can you please send a link?

 

[Beyond Black]

From my NAD post. Says it all.
Mark IVB with footswitch. Scored this locally for $1000! Not quite mint, but a strong excellent condition.
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos and taking notes, so I’m semi familiar with how to set it up. Played it all day yesterday and got some MONSTER high gain tones. I’m blown away by this amp. Don’t know what took me so long to get one. I’m not a Recto guy, and never knew much about the old Marks, so I never paid too much attention to Mesa. Well, the recent Mark IV love and clips around here made me take notice, so I watched every YT vid I could find and did some research, and the GAS fire was lit. Man am I glad I bought this amp. It’s a palm muting, chugging, triplet picking players wet dream. I hate post AJFA Metallica, but still love the MOP and Justice tones, and they’re in there. It’s got amazing rhythm AND lead tone, feel, and it’s quiet! It came with a pair of Mesa 440’s and a pair of JJ E34L’s. Pre’s are a mix of JJ, Phillips and GT. I swapped out the E34L’s for JJ 6L6’s and JJ KT77’s to see which I prefer, and I like it best with a quad of 6L6’s. They definitely sound the biggest, baddest, and tightest, with the most low mid grunt. I think the E34L’s were too loose on the lows with more upper mids than I necessarily want with this amp. The KT77’s were better than the 34’s, but still not as focused and menacing sounding as the 6L6’s. This amp also sounds great through both my cabs with Greenbacks and G12-65’s. Both together are massive. Thanks to all the RT dudes for their clips and posts that have recently opened my eyes to this great amp. I haven’t been blown away buy an amp like this since my Monomyth in December, and years before that one.

 

[Beyond Black]

I think you will be fine with your current cabs, though I have never tried my mark IVA through a 16ohm cab. I hope you will take the time to report back.

I run my mark IVA through a mesa metal grill cab with 2 MC90's on top and 2 EV's on bottom, both sections are closed. I find that I like R1 better with the top section open and R2 & Lead channels better with both sections closed, so I go with both sections closed. Currently with my music room torn up, I am running through a Closed back 112 with a Chinese V30 and it sounds great.

I will say speakers I have not had good luck with the mark IVA are G12T-75s, G12M70s, Weber Jensen style, Anniversary G12H30s.

I’ve used my C+s through both 8ohm Mesa and 16 ohm Marshall cabs. Sounds great through both. You can mismatch low-out-high with no worries.

I’ve been running two 16ohm cabs into the 4ohm outputs. I know it’s safe, but am losing tone or volume like this?

 

[SpiderWars]

Nice score! I also preferred all 6L6 in mine...but they were 415s so that's almost like cheating.

RxR, you'll lose some volume and punch. Almost like plugging into a resistive (Airbrake) attenuator and turning it a click or half-click down. Not super noticeable but side-by-side it would be.

 

[LP Freak]

I always play Mark series amps thru my old Mesa 4x12 with V30s.

One thing I didn't see mentioned is that Mark series amps do not have a 16ohm speaker out, only 4ohm and 8ohm. So 16ohm Marshall cabs would need to be rewired to 4ohms. I'm pretty sure you could run it mismatched and the amp would be fine but it wouldn't sound as good.

The power section of a Mk IV is really good ime.

wrong doesnt need to be rewired, use the 8 ohm jack...

Yeah, I bolded where I said that. But as I said, it won't sound as good.

What about two 16 ohm cabs? Is there two 8 ohm outputs?

You can just buy a $30 splitter box through Mesa, or on the net, to run two 16ohm cabs.

Having a hard time finding that. Can you please send a link?

You can easily make one yourself for next to nothing. I did.

 

[LP Freak]

You can also use it with your Monomyth since it’s only got one speaker jack.

 

[reilly]

From my NAD post. Says it all.
Mark IVB with footswitch. Scored this locally for $1000! Not quite mint, but a strong excellent condition.
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos and taking notes, so I’m semi familiar with how to set it up. Played it all day yesterday and got some MONSTER high gain tones. I’m blown away by this amp. Don’t know what took me so long to get one. I’m not a Recto guy, and never knew much about the old Marks, so I never paid too much attention to Mesa. Well, the recent Mark IV love and clips around here made me take notice, so I watched every YT vid I could find and did some research, and the GAS fire was lit. Man am I glad I bought this amp. It’s a palm muting, chugging, triplet picking players wet dream. I hate post AJFA Metallica, but still love the MOP and Justice tones, and they’re in there. It’s got amazing rhythm AND lead tone, feel, and it’s quiet! It came with a pair of Mesa 440’s and a pair of JJ E34L’s. Pre’s are a mix of JJ, Phillips and GT. I swapped out the E34L’s for JJ 6L6’s and JJ KT77’s to see which I prefer, and I like it best with a quad of 6L6’s. They definitely sound the biggest, baddest, and tightest, with the most low mid grunt. I think the E34L’s were too loose on the lows with more upper mids than I necessarily want with this amp. The KT77’s were better than the 34’s, but still not as focused and menacing sounding as the 6L6’s. This amp also sounds great through both my cabs with Greenbacks and G12-65’s. Both together are massive. Thanks to all the RT dudes for their clips and posts that have recently opened my eyes to this great amp. I haven’t been blown away buy an amp like this since my Monomyth in December, and years before that one.

I am 99% sure this was my amp and my favorite of the four Mark ivs i had. This was originally a combo that i put in a head shell and re-did the tolex. Also i think this amp maybe around a 2001-2003.

 

[skullfxr]

I like my mark better with English V30's than I do C90's FWIW. I liked the E34L's better than the 6L6's too. But all ears are different. JAN preamp tubes make it sparkle IMO.

 

[Beyond Black]

From my NAD post. Says it all.
Mark IVB with footswitch. Scored this locally for $1000! Not quite mint, but a strong excellent condition.
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos and taking notes, so I’m semi familiar with how to set it up. Played it all day yesterday and got some MONSTER high gain tones. I’m blown away by this amp. Don’t know what took me so long to get one. I’m not a Recto guy, and never knew much about the old Marks, so I never paid too much attention to Mesa. Well, the recent Mark IV love and clips around here made me take notice, so I watched every YT vid I could find and did some research, and the GAS fire was lit. Man am I glad I bought this amp. It’s a palm muting, chugging, triplet picking players wet dream. I hate post AJFA Metallica, but still love the MOP and Justice tones, and they’re in there. It’s got amazing rhythm AND lead tone, feel, and it’s quiet! It came with a pair of Mesa 440’s and a pair of JJ E34L’s. Pre’s are a mix of JJ, Phillips and GT. I swapped out the E34L’s for JJ 6L6’s and JJ KT77’s to see which I prefer, and I like it best with a quad of 6L6’s. They definitely sound the biggest, baddest, and tightest, with the most low mid grunt. I think the E34L’s were too loose on the lows with more upper mids than I necessarily want with this amp. The KT77’s were better than the 34’s, but still not as focused and menacing sounding as the 6L6’s. This amp also sounds great through both my cabs with Greenbacks and G12-65’s. Both together are massive. Thanks to all the RT dudes for their clips and posts that have recently opened my eyes to this great amp. I haven’t been blown away buy an amp like this since my Monomyth in December, and years before that one.

I am 99% sure this was my amp and my favorite of the four Mark ivs i had. This was originally a combo that i put in a head shell and re-did the tolex. Also i think this amp maybe around a 2001-2003.

I’d say you’re 100% sure! Mine has the exact same small imperfections in the tolex. Nice job as a whole though! Do they all have fans or was that your doing? And yes, this one is a killer. Did you sell it on Reverb three years ago and list it as “Custom”? I ask because I found that listing today searching sold Reverb listings. Small world!

 

[reilly]

I traded it for a guitar probably 7 years ago maybe more. They all come with a fan installed. I did see the reverb listing around 3 years ago. I had it loaded with jjs all around. It wax a great amp enjoy!

 

[Beyond Black]

I traded it for a guitar probably 7 years ago maybe more. They all come with a fan installed. I did see the reverb listing around 3 years ago. I had it loaded with jjs all around. It wax a great amp enjoy!

I bought it from a guy in Geneva, IL, about 40 minutes west of Chicago. He bought it a few years ago on Reverb. Funny how gear travels like that. I don’t see it going anywhere for a long, long time, if ever.

 

[glassjaw7]

Your fine with what you have. I think it sounds best with the small Rectifier 4x12. But that's just subjective.

This. The Traditional/Stiletto 412 is the best for the IV.

 

[Beyond Black]

Your fine with what you have. I think it sounds best with the small Rectifier 4x12. But that's just subjective.

This. The Traditional/Stiletto 412 is the best for the IV.

It’s killing with my Splawn and Marshall 4x12’s, but I would love to hear it through the Mesa T cab.

 

[skullfxr]

Your fine with what you have. I think it sounds best with the small Rectifier 4x12. But that's just subjective.

This. The Traditional/Stiletto 412 is the best for the IV.

It’s killing with my Splawn and Marshall 4x12’s, but I would love to hear it through the Mesa T cab.

I can see it doing well with Splawn Smallblock. Doesn't like T75's at all for me. It's nice with K85's/K100's.

 

[Beyond Black]

Your fine with what you have. I think it sounds best with the small Rectifier 4x12. But that's just subjective.

This. The Traditional/Stiletto 412 is the best for the IV.

It’s killing with my Splawn and Marshall 4x12’s, but I would love to hear it through the Mesa T cab.

I can see it doing well with Splawn Smallblock. Doesn't like T75's at all for me. It's nice with K85's/K100's.

It loves the Greenbacks in my Splawn, I can’t see it, with it’s low mids, pairing very well with a scooped speaker like the 75.

 

[ultimatemetalguitartones]

From my NAD post. Says it all.
Mark IVB with footswitch. Scored this locally for $1000! Not quite mint, but a strong excellent condition.
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos and taking notes, so I’m semi familiar with how to set it up. Played it all day yesterday and got some MONSTER high gain tones. I’m blown away by this amp. Don’t know what took me so long to get one. I’m not a Recto guy, and never knew much about the old Marks, so I never paid too much attention to Mesa. Well, the recent Mark IV love and clips around here made me take notice, so I watched every YT vid I could find and did some research, and the GAS fire was lit. Man am I glad I bought this amp. It’s a palm muting, chugging, triplet picking players wet dream. I hate post AJFA Metallica, but still love the MOP and Justice tones, and they’re in there. It’s got amazing rhythm AND lead tone, feel, and it’s quiet! It came with a pair of Mesa 440’s and a pair of JJ E34L’s. Pre’s are a mix of JJ, Phillips and GT. I swapped out the E34L’s for JJ 6L6’s and JJ KT77’s to see which I prefer, and I like it best with a quad of 6L6’s. They definitely sound the biggest, baddest, and tightest, with the most low mid grunt. I think the E34L’s were too loose on the lows with more upper mids than I necessarily want with this amp. The KT77’s were better than the 34’s, but still not as focused and menacing sounding as the 6L6’s. This amp also sounds great through both my cabs with Greenbacks and G12-65’s. Both together are massive. Thanks to all the RT dudes for their clips and posts that have recently opened my eyes to this great amp. I haven’t been blown away buy an amp like this since my Monomyth in December, and years before that one.

Congrats! I told you, it's a beast of an amp! Lately I ve been running tweed power class A triode and harmonics for a more vintage tone - lower volume. But pentode mid gain simul is really where this amp is!

 

[Beyond Black]

From my NAD post. Says it all.
Mark IVB with footswitch. Scored this locally for $1000! Not quite mint, but a strong excellent condition.
Been watching a lot of YouTube videos and taking notes, so I’m semi familiar with how to set it up. Played it all day yesterday and got some MONSTER high gain tones. I’m blown away by this amp. Don’t know what took me so long to get one. I’m not a Recto guy, and never knew much about the old Marks, so I never paid too much attention to Mesa. Well, the recent Mark IV love and clips around here made me take notice, so I watched every YT vid I could find and did some research, and the GAS fire was lit. Man am I glad I bought this amp. It’s a palm muting, chugging, triplet picking players wet dream. I hate post AJFA Metallica, but still love the MOP and Justice tones, and they’re in there. It’s got amazing rhythm AND lead tone, feel, and it’s quiet! It came with a pair of Mesa 440’s and a pair of JJ E34L’s. Pre’s are a mix of JJ, Phillips and GT. I swapped out the E34L’s for JJ 6L6’s and JJ KT77’s to see which I prefer, and I like it best with a quad of 6L6’s. They definitely sound the biggest, baddest, and tightest, with the most low mid grunt. I think the E34L’s were too loose on the lows with more upper mids than I necessarily want with this amp. The KT77’s were better than the 34’s, but still not as focused and menacing sounding as the 6L6’s. This amp also sounds great through both my cabs with Greenbacks and G12-65’s. Both together are massive. Thanks to all the RT dudes for their clips and posts that have recently opened my eyes to this great amp. I haven’t been blown away buy an amp like this since my Monomyth in December, and years before that one.

Congrats! I told you, it's a beast of an amp! Lately I ve been running tweed power class A triode and harmonics for a more vintage tone - lower volume. But pentode mid gain simul is really where this amp is!

Dude, I’m completely blown away by this amp. I’m talking in awe. For heavy tones, it is by far the most brutal amp I’ve ever played, or probably heard for that matter. It’s a fucking beast. And when you turn it up to band levels? OMG it’s otherworldly. I’ve been living on full power, Pentode, mid gain, and simul class. It’s also fun to use class A to hear the KT77’s at work. Changes it quite a bit. The loop is really good and the master volume is excellent. Still kills at whisper volumes. This is such a fun amp to own. You can mimic so many classic brutal guitar tones, as well as sculpt your own. It also kills with the lead drive dialed back to around 4, and boosted with an OD. I’ll bump the far left slider up a tad, and drop the mids a tad, and it gets this unholy grind to it. It’s an extremely inspiring amp to play.
I believe that this and my Monomyth Marshall are my two favorite amps that I’ve owned. This IV has made me very curious about the Mark III. I’ve heard many rave about them, and guys saying they dig them as much as the IV. Well, I listened to a ton of YT clips of the III and in my opinion 90% of them are shit. I understand clips are misleading , but I found many, many killer Mark IV clips in comparison. I’d have to hear one in person I guess.

 

[ultimatemetalguitartones]

From my NAD post. Says it all.
This IV has made me very curious about the Mark III. I’ve heard many rave about them, and guys saying they dig them as much as the IV. Well, I listened to a ton of YT clips of the III and in my opinion 90% of them are shit. I understand clips are misleading , but I found many, many killer Mark IV clips in comparison. I’d have to hear one in person I guess.

nah man my mark III blue stripe rips ! They have a more vintage raw in your face sounding voicing. You do need to play one in person to compare it to the mark IV. I'm sure you will love it . It's more aggressive but not as refined