Mesa Mk IV ,can it get into recto territory?

[P I K A]

I have been doing some reading on the mkiv and it seems to be a very versatile amp. If I used say a boss sd-1 to overdrive it ,would it get into the gain territory of a recto? Thats the only thing keeping me from buying one ,I heard the gain is there but not that modern.

[markD]

it has a TON of gain, but not that fizzy tone of a recto. in my opinion, it will never come close. it has its own sound.....

[chrisolson]

The gain is SOOOO much better than "modern". Very much a "classic" Boogie sound. NOT recto - you'll be disappointed is you're expecting that. But gain-o-plenty to be sure with a TON more character IMHO. I haven't heard one I haven't liked - I just wish I had one of my own.

[Misanthrope189]

Has anyone compared the Triaxis Mark IV (Lead 2 Green) channel to the real thing?

Cheers,
Nick

[Inearthed]

Quite honestly, I saw a death metal band a while back where the guitarist/vocalist was using a Mark IV and he easily had the best tone of the night. He had an effects processor running some delay and his leads sounded excellent as well... It cut like a knife, was heavy, and was nice and tight as well.

[jgcable]

Sounds nothing like a Rectifier. No, if you want a Rectifier sound... buy a Rectifier.
For death metal, I think a Rectifier is the better choice.
For EVERYTHING else... Mark IV. Its one of the greatest amps ever made.

[P I K A]

Ok thanks ,thats good info. How much are there heads used?

[horns666]

Yes, if you want a Recto..buy a Recto.

I owned a Mrk III for some time...great amp, but not great enough I guess..I traded it off long ago.

Lamb of God sure likes Mrk IVs... they sure make 'em work!!!

[chrisolson]

Ok thanks ,thats good info. How much are there heads used?

Ebay is you untimate guide for what things go for in the "real world". Check and see what the finished auctions have been ending at. I would think you should be able to pick one up for less than $1000 if you play your cards right. Maybe around $800 if you're lucky.

[Danacus]

I own/owned LOTS of Mark series and Rectifer amps. Mark IV is a great amp. Very versatile. Very good for tight, punchy and articulate metal tones, but it does not sound like a Rectifier (like all Mark series). The Mark series amps knocks you out with precise punches, the Rectifier series chucks friggin' boulders at you.

[Spivonious]

I own/owned LOTS of Mark series and Rectifer amps. Mark IV is a great amp. Very versatile. Very good for tight, punchy and articulate metal tones, but it does not sound like a Rectifier (like all Mark series). The Mark series amps knocks you out with precise punches, the Rectifier series chucks friggin' boulders at you.

Would you say that the F-series has a similar sound to the Marks?

[Danacus]

Would you say that the F-series has a similar sound to the Marks?

I can't comment on the F-Series; I have not played one. I still own a couple Mark IIC+ heads and 4 Dual Rectifiers from varoius eras, but I have since started collecting other high gainers other than Boogies (Engl, 5150, Cobra, etc).

[Spivonious]

I can't comment on the F-Series; I have not played one. I still own a couple Mark IIC+ heads and 4 Dual Rectifiers from varoius eras, but I have since started collecting other high gainers other than Boogies (Engl, 5150, Cobra, etc).

Okay. I was just wondering because having tried out the F-series they are also very punchy but not that compressed recto sound.

[srommes]

I have a Recto Rackmount and a Mark IV Rackmount in one of my rigs. The two amps are completely different but compliment each other very well. I pretty much use the Recto for my heavy rhythms and the Mark IV for my leads, occassional rhythms and all my cleans. You can't go wrong with either but I would say the Mark IV is more versatile.

[Rupe]

Mark IV is hands down more versatile.
The Dual Recto is a rhythm amp in my mind and does a decent job of it. I don't care for the lead tones as they tend to lack the mid punch necessary to properly cut through a live mix (which is why they came out with the Stiletto).
The Mark IV does everything well, although you may not like it if you're into nu-metal. For classic metal tones and a nice clean tone, the Mark IV is a great choice.