Mark V Question

Genome

Genome

Inspired
Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere.

I'm just interested to know what version of the Mark IV amps (with variations of Mid Gain On/Off Pull Bright On/Off etc) would replicate the Mark V's voicing of the IV. I loved my Mark V's IV Mode and would love to replicate it as closely as I can. I've never actually played a real Mark IV!

A similar question would be, as the Mark V only has one gain knob, where would the appropriate settings between the separate drive controls be? I remember Cliff stating that replicating the Mark V's IIC+ mode's gain, you would leave Overdrive at 8 and you use the Input Drive to model the Gain (if I understood correctly), I'm wondering if that's the same for the Mark IV mode.

I understand it may not be possible to nail it exactly as the Mark V is essentially a different amp, but if anyone could point me in the right direction that'd be great. Thanks in advance.
 
I'm interested in this as well. I've read through the wiki multiple times and tried everything to get the IIc+ and Mark IV models to work for me with limited success.

Sent from Moto X
 
I'm my opinion, the Mark V only covers one slice of the Mark IV tone. If you added the 2c+ and extreme modes to the regular MkIV mode it would be closer to the real tone.
 
Well having done a bit of research, I had a read of the Mark V manual and a couple of bits of info popped out at me:

"MK IV is a faithful re-creation of the MARK IV’s Lead Channel. Because of the vast options in configuring this channel on the MARK IV –
combined with the fact that the MK II C+ Mode covers a wide range of brighter sounds, we have configured this Mode for a slightly warmer
sound. The MK IV Mode has a substantial increase in midrange gain that creates the impression of a roll-off in the upper harmonics resulting
in a huge, wide sound."

Which implies that "Mid Gain" being ON would be the way to go. It also goes onto give you guidelines on how to set each amp up if you were going to do a shootout between the Mark IV and Mark V's IV mode.

"SET MARK IV As Follows:
Channel 3 (LEAD)
LEAD GAIN (FAR LEFT) Pulled and set to 7 ¾
LEAD DRIVE Pulled and set as desired
Channel 3 (LEAD) Tone Controls set as desired.
Pull All Controls (unless comparing EXTREME - then leave LEAD PRESENCE Pushed In = EXTREME)
PRESENCE set as desired (0 or 10 is most fair and removes pot variance)
Rear Panel TRIODE / PENTODE switch set to PENTODE

Set MARK V As Follows:
Channel 3 set to MK IV or EXTREME Mode (Make sure set the same as MARK IV)
GAIN set to match relative “clock face” setting of numeric LEAD DRIVE setting on MARK IV.
Channel 3 Tone Controls set to match relative “clock face” settings on Mark IV.
Channel 3 BRIGHT / NORMAL switch set to BRIGHT (switch down).
Channel 3 PRESENCE set to relative setting on MARK IV.
Rear Panel TRIODE / PENTODE switch set to PENTODE (switch up).
Rear Panel EFX LOOP switch set to ACTIVE (switch up)."

So to me the closest you're going to get is the USA Lead Brt+ model, set the Input Drive at around 7.75 and use the Overdrive as the "Gain" control found on the V.

... I could be completely wrong though! :lol
 
hi

I have a Mark V and used to play CII+,III and IV in the past.On the real Mark V the Ch 3 Mid is the mark IV and believe me its really close.

BUT

1.)Point is also which speaker you use.EVM's are very different to V30 and C30
2.)Be happy to have the AXE FX-->real Marks are bitches to dial in (7,75 to 7.9 makes a HUGE difference) and chnage tone on almost daily base

What I can say ( tried it out) Mark V with a bit of EQ can do Mark IV very well (although Mark IV is more rough,more wild, a bit undefined).Just to real Mark IIC+ there is a gap

my 2 cents

Roland
 
I just replied in another thread a few days ago. I have a MK IV and have a/b'd it in 4cm w the Axe's MK IV w power amp off. It was identical in every way with every setting. I don't know the year of my IV (I just bought it in April and have to check w Mesa) but it is a B version.

I don't know how it translates w the V. I have played a few but not next to my IV. I know they are REALLY close.

One thing to remember also is that even 2 iv's or 2 v's will never sound ABSOLUTELY IDENTICAL. Mesa just posted a video last week of John Petrucci comparing one of his IIc+'s to the mode on the v. So close you almost can't tell the difference, but he even says that there are slight differences between 2 of the same amps.
 
For me, all the Mark models benefit from doing two simple tweaks: Engaging the "fat" switch, and increasing the input trip to 2. Doing these two things got me much closer to the videos that Pretrucci and others have out there.
 
the IIc+ models sounds closer to my Mark IV, but I have an early A model. Input gain about 6, Overdrive at about 7 to 8, Bass at 2, Mids at 6, Treble at 7.5, Presence at 3, Master at 5, Fat ON and Bright OFF. That works for me and sounds just like my Mark IV at nearly exactly the same settings on the real amp. The cab IR and graphic EQ settings make a huge difference too. Just like the real Marks, they sound very mid-range heavy and even honky with some guitars without the 5 band graphic EQ scooped a little, but this too depends on the cabs. Never played a Mark V, so I'm no help there.
 
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On the IV and IIC+ amps, there are lots of pull switches like pull bass, mid etc. I really would like to know which are in each amp and which switch in Axe FX 2 models which one.
For example, is the 'Fat' switch modeled in the real IIC+? If it is, which pull-push setting is it? Detailed info would be so valuable, since it is hard to know what is what when it comes to these beasts.
 
Amp: all models - Axe-Fx II Wiki


ertan said:
On the IV and IIC+ amps, there are lots of pull switches like pull bass, mid etc. I really would like to know which are in each amp and which switch in Axe FX 2 models which one.
For example, is the 'Fat' switch modeled in the real IIC+? If it is, which pull-push setting is it? Detailed info would be so valuable, since it is hard to know what is what when it comes to these beasts.
Click to expand...
 
thunder100 said:
Be happy to have the AXE FX-->real Marks are bitches to dial in (7,75 to 7.9 makes a HUGE difference) and chnage tone on almost daily base
Click to expand...

This x 1000. One of the huge benefits to the Axe: once you dial in a tone you like, it's instantly and consistently recallable. On a real Mark (and to some degree with most tube amps), the tone changes whenever you change tubes, and can seem to fluctuate from day-to-day, even if you haven't touched the controls. For that matter, even in the same sitting your tone can change as the tubes warm up.

So the question of "fidelity" really has a pretty wide margin of error. While MIMIC surely nailed Cliff's amp when it was modeled, the variables of what tubes were in it, how old they were, how long the amp was turned on, etc. will all come into play in the tone produced. I wonder to what degree MIMIC could even factor these variables in (or even if it would be desirable to... why lose the consistency?).
 
This all very interesting. I've never owned a Mark series amp - my experience with them is limited to the models in the Axe - but I've known a number of musicians that have who all say pretty much the same things. Makes me wonder why they're as popular as they are if they're such a pain in the shorts.
 
Because the end-result is worth it. :)

In fairness, you hear similar comments about the Axe, as in "Why is it so popular when it requires so much tweaking?" And the response would be pretty much the same.
 
I used to have a Mark V, the only time I had to tweak it once I had my "ballpark settings" were to compensate for different rooms and cabs. Naturally, I'm finding I have to do that with Axe/Matrix into a cab as I'm running now.

There are several combinations of settings and switches in the IIC+ and IV, the V seemed to condense all those options down into an "idealised" version of each amp. Just wondered what combination of settings would get me closest to a Mark V, if that's possible.
 
Genome said:
I used to have a Mark V, the only time I had to tweak it once I had my "ballpark settings" were to compensate for different rooms and cabs.
Click to expand...

I guess that's the complaint I've heard most often - that there is no "ballpark" settings. Small adjustments can make big differences.

I don't know - as I said, I've never owned one. Just an observation. I suppose it is as SeasonOfPain said - the results are worth it.
 
ALL Mesa amps are a labor of love, they all require tweaking to find that sweet spot. PITA if you ask me, but the sounds are great if you get there. Not the same beast, but I had an early Tremoverb head that sounded different everytime I powered it up. Makes you question your sanity LOL
 
I own a Mark V for about 2 years and I'm still discovering a lot of different tones every time I plug my guitar in.
I mainly use channel 1 Clean, channel 2 Mark I and channel 3 Mark IV modes. For each of these modes the are several possible combinations of different tones and feel. Imagine the other 6 modes that I barely touched...
Maybe one day I'll can tell to my grandsons that I did master this amp :lol

Regarding the amp model, when trying to replicate the V's IV mode, I've been using the USA Lead + / BRIGHT ON / Input Gain around 8.5 / Drive, tone controls and 5 band EQ to taste.
 
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