Mesa Mark VII - newly announced

[tallcoolone]

That Marshall only costs $4,899.99 CDN where I live. Plus an extra $636.87 gift to Justin Trudeau (taxe$). Luckily I already have enough equipment to play all the songs I'm interested in.

Canada is a nice place to live...if you have VERY deep pockets! I am a guy of average means, so I just get by.

I’ve had a 1959hw and while it’s a nice amp, there are definitely cheaper alternatives. My Royal MSG100 seems better built, def sounds better IMO and cost me less than $2k used. New Marshall prices in North America are a joke and until that changes they are going to lose a ton of market share over here.

 

[Old Punker]

I’ve had a 1959hw and while it’s a nice amp, there are definitely cheaper alternatives. My Royal MSG100 seems better built, def sounds better IMO and cost me less than $2k used. New Marshall prices in North America are a joke and until that changes they are going to lose a ton of market share over here.

 

[FleshOnGear]

I’ve had a 1959hw and while it’s a nice amp, there are definitely cheaper alternatives. My Royal MSG100 seems better built, def sounds better IMO and cost me less than $2k used. New Marshall prices in North America are a joke and until that changes they are going to lose a ton of market share over here.

Absolutely. Why buy a 1959HW when you can get a vintage Marshall for the same or less? Or another reasonably priced clone? It’s frickin ridiculous.

As far as Mesa Marks go, I’ve owned a MkIV combo, and have played a friend’s MkIII head (don’t know which stripe). I loved my friend’s MkIII, but I had a hard time getting the raw tone I wanted out of the MkIV. I was fairly inexperienced back then, so it might be user error. Basically, I see a MkIII in my future, and I’m not so sure a MkVII can easily give the sound I want. BTW, I harbor no real skepticism about Gibson’s handling of the Mesa brand.

 

[tallcoolone]

Basically, I see a MkIII in my future, and I’m not so sure a MkVII can easily give the sound I want.

After spending a few years with the MV I say give it a shot. SOOOO many tones in those amps. You really need to think of them as three separate three channel amps, each with TMBP, Master and Gain. Makes all the knobs much less intimidating once you figure it out. And they aren't just 'flavors' of the same amp--they really have completely different characters. It's a cool rig, well I assume the VII is better than the V, sure sounds like it

I also remember people claiming the Mark series amps were stiff and difficult to play. I found the MV to be the exact opposite--a smoooth caddy compared to a spitting Marshall. I'm so talking myself into getting this amp lol

 

[Deftone]

I have the Single Rec Solo 50 too and I'm really happy with it. I prefer the Vintage mode to all others. Gain doesn't need to go past 1:00 or 2:00, even at low volume and it sounds killer.

Hey @Deftone I've got a question for you. I just retubed mine and when I took out the old preamp tubes they were all 'Russian 2'. I replaced them with 12AX7EH (same as Russian 2 AFAIK) in V1, and Mesa 12AX7's in all the other slots. Following the retube my Rectifier is probably the quietest amp I have while sitting idle.

What are you running for pre tubes?

Sorry, I just caught this. I bought a new set of tubes when I bought the amp: "Tung-Sol Tube Upgrade Kit For Mesa Boogie Single Rectifier & Solo 50 Amps w/6L6GCSTR 12AX7"

https://reverb.com/item/1637899-tun...ingle-rectifier-solo-50-amps-w-6l6gcstr-12ax7

I like "Modern" on channel 2. Definitely nothing but great tones to be had with this amp though.

Question for you: Have you tried yours with EL34's ? Mesa recommends 6L6's.....

 

[Matthews Guitars]

Just going to point out that the advantage of having a permanently attached power cord is, you won't forget to bring your power cord unless you forget to bring your amp. And let's face it...we've probably all forgotten to bring a power cord for SOMETHING at some point in our lives. That's probably why Fender doesn't equip their amps with detachable power cords. Save you THAT annoyance.

 

[Deftone]

I see Ola got his hands on an Mark VII....

 

[SonVolt]

I see Ola got his hands on an Mark VII....

Now that's more like it... much better demo of the high-gain tones.

 

[FleshOnGear]

I see Ola got his hands on an Mark VII....

I appreciate his candor. His preferred tone is not my bag, though. I liked what I heard from the MkIIB and MkVII modes, which he had dialed in as thicker, lower gain crunch sounds.

When I owned my MkIV I didn’t understand that the BMT controls were before the distortion, so I had trouble dialing in my tones. I’d love a chance to try a MkV or VII to see if I could do better now.

 

[67mike]

I've never had to take a Mesa in for service. Can't say that about my Marshalls.

My Mk V has had to be sent away twice, plus the footswitch board went!

It doesn't leave my fricken jam room?!?

 

[Neptical]

As far as Mesa Marks go, I’ve owned a MkIV combo, and have played a friend’s MkIII head (don’t know which stripe). I loved my friend’s MkIII, but I had a hard time getting the raw tone I wanted out of the MkIV.

Speaking as a long, long owner of two Simulclass Mark III heads ( red/purple stripes), trust your ears! That's because they are better than the Mark IV. 😅 More open and raw but can still get in the IIC+ territory no problem ( especially my red stripe). So many tonal options in those amps. Believe it or not, I played many shows in smaller clubs with Class A ( 15w) and it slayed. One of the ONLY amps I've never needed a boost to tighten the front end ( and I love my Boss SD-1 for ALL my amps). It's that tight. Beautiful amps!

 

[Deftone]

My Mk V has had to be sent away twice, plus the footswitch board went!

It doesn't leave my fricken jam room?!?

FWIW, my Single Rec. sits at home as well, and doesn't get as much play time as my Marshall's.

 

[Markedman]

Looks like an updated version of the V. I guess the JPIIC is considered the "Mark VI"

Looks like the power cord input is like on the JP2C......impossible to reach

ive never heard of that being a complaint on any amp ever.
why would that be a issue? plug it in and leave it pluged
in.

There was about 20 mark VI’s, there’s one visible in a recent video with James Hetfield.

As far as this being a redundant Mark five, I can’t imagine that it would sound that different because most of the Mark amps nowadays sound similar, but this particular amp has enough different to get me interested in picking one up.
I made a short 6 inch extension for the electrical cord on my JP2C so that when I put it in its travel case, I can unplug the power cord. At first, I kept a pair of long nose pliers to attach the power cord. If you play out often and keep your equipment in cases, it is a major pain in the ass.

JP2C IEC cord extension by John Bazzano, on Flickr

 

[67mike]

FWIW, my Single Rec. sits at home as well, and doesn't get as much play time as my Marshall's.

I like the Mk V. Beast of an amp, but I have so many great Marshalls around. I really need to fire it up and play through it again soon.

 

[SonVolt]

I sold my Mark V b/c I didn't think it was agressive enough.... too compressed and hi-fi sounding. If they fixed that with the VII, and made the lead channel more like the III/IV then I'm excited.

 

[Deftone]

I like the Mk V. Beast of an amp, but I have so many great Marshalls around. I really need to fire it up and play through it again soon.

My 2555 absolutely kills.

 

[67mike]

My 2555 absolutely kills.

Yes, the 2555x is perhaps the best Marshall made, ever. Perhaps.

It is also the most Mesa like Marshall and can get that darker, fuller, gainer zone.

 

[Deftone]

Yes, the 2555x is perhaps the best Marshall made, ever. Perhaps.

It is also the most Mesa like Marshall and can get that darker, fuller, gainer zone.

2nd only to the 2555 Black tolex version. lol.

In stereo with my '79 JMP 2204? Through some greenbacks? Tone Orgasm.

 

[Neptical]

I sold my Mark V b/c I didn't think it was agressive enough.... too compressed and hi-fi sounding. If they fixed that with the VII, and made the lead channel more like the III/IV then I'm excited.

I'm still baffled on the dismissal of the Mark III over the years. Just as good as the IIC+, no doubt about it. Although a rare discussion, some have loved their Mark IIIs more. The amp has such a raw,chewy, liquidity nature ( pending on your settings), BUT, it does THAT thing like no other amp out there. Five different variations of the Mark III to-boot and still treated as an underdog. However, I know alot of that had to do with early internet days of Petrucci and Metallica fans loathing the IIC+.

 

[SonVolt]

Wasn't the III the production version of the IIC+ mod?