Mesa MarkIV

[Guitardude86]

Hey markD, how's those Rivera heads working out for you?
I have a Rivera cab and I'd like to have a head to go with it.. Those things are built like tanks! Pm me if you're gonna get rid of one aiight? Can't seem to find 'em used over here

[markD]

guitardude, i have been using those heads since 1990. they are MY sound all the way!! i can play almost any guitar but i don't have my "voice" unless it is with those amps.

i love them, but if i ever go to sell, i'll let you know!!!

[Guitardude86]

Hehe, that's cool dude, I can't find any right now, but if something pops up and I can afford it I will definitely go for it.. After reading what some of the guys who's been in the amp building business for several decades say about them I'm kind of in awe about Rivera's.. And since I have a Rivera cab already, it would be a perfect match!

[markD]

they are built tough!!! i am surprised they don't get much love. good luck in finding one. you will be pleased when you do!!!!

[Wayniac]

Farty bass = open back cabinets.

I'm going to keep in mind what you guys are saying here but it doesn't sound like its the amp you had problems with, but the cab.

It was the cab that was designed & made FOR the head by Boogie. I also had the same problems with a closed back Celestion loaded 4x12 with that amp... just couldn't get my tone, and get the amp to respond how i wanted it to, without the low end being farty
Not saying it's a bad amp, just not the amp for me. Never had that problem with Marshalls, 5150's, or ENGL's. Just my 2 cents

[sworn_enemy]

I used to want the balls out kind of metal sound that every band has got, but I really got tired off how loose a Rectifier sounds. I want something way tighter, but still pretty high gain, with a good clean channel because that's a big part of the music my new band is playing.
I've had the Recto for awhile now and have run every dial through the full sweep, flipped all the switches, messed with all the gain stages, played it with EL34s and 6L6s and have come to the conclusion its just how the rectifier will sound. Its always got this undefineable bagginess to it. I've tried it on my rectifier standard cab and a friend's marshall cab and another buddy's Fender Metalhead cab but still haven't gotten a sound that really is just right.

And even if I could get the gain channel to sound like I want it to, I'm still left with a really shitty clean channel.

Its the clips this guy has got... SoundClick MP3: Zorran (vulvacure has the sound I am talking about)
That are really selling me on the MarkIV. All he has is a guitar with EMGs and a clean boost and he is getting that tone... and I got something pretty close playing one in the store without a boost through a EMGs in a crappy basswood guitar.

I don't know what to tell you then, because I get a really tight aggressive rhythm sound no problem with my Dual Rec through either my Mesa Traditional cab or my Marshall 1960b. I run the bass at 9:00 or below and the gain around 12:30-1:00 and I can't make it sound loose if I tried. If I boost it, it gets even tighter...like a Killswitch Engage type tone. I really don't use the clean channel much but it sounds good to me....even with EMG's. I just have to roll the volume on the guitar back a little.

[sakeido]

I tried out the MarkIV again and I kind of saw what you guys are talking about. I brought my 7 string with me this time and it highlighted a .. well problem with the bottom end.

Now a Framus Cobra is #1 in the running...

[sakeido]

http://erock503.dmusic.com/music/

These A/B clips towards the bottom between a MarkIV and a Framus Cobra definitely seal the deal... its a cobra all the freakin way!!

[jgcable]

You are not going to get all the balls out metal sounds that every band has with a Mark IV. You are also not going to get that super tight palm muted super chunk you are looking for. The Mark IV is a tone machine but I have a feeling you aren't looking for what the Mark IV delivers.

Sounds to me like you should be looking at:
Ubershall
Maybe a 5150
SLO100
Pitbull
Fireball
Splawn
Cobra
Actually, for what you describe you are looking for in tone your Rectifier is a great choice. There are a ton of great tones locked inside of a Rectifier. Everything from blues to all out metal mayhem and everything inbetween.

[sakeido]

I've messed around with my rectifier for a long time. Its no dice. The tone is good but its not tight, its just kind of baggy. I want the tightness of a MarkIV with the low end of a rectifier, and the Cobra sounds like just that... plus a nice clean channel.

[jgcable]

After listening to those clips.. I think the GNX4 sounds the best. The Cobra sounds great too.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

My friend just got a Cobra with the matching cab, I tried it with three different guitars (Les Paul Smartwood w/EMGs, Ibanez Prestige RG, and a Schecter Tempest) and I wasnt that impressed with it....the sound isn't as tight as i expected and the sound kind of seemed to get lost pretty easy. I'm thinking it needs a Tube Screamer in the front as a clean boost or something, but I wasnt that impressed wtih it for the money that he paid.

[Endrik]

dude why don't you just try it out for yourself, clips or other people's opinions doesn't really matter

[Robotechnology]

dude why don't you just try it out for yourself, clips or other people's opinions doesn't really matter

+ a quadrillion.

The Cobra is super tight but, also sounds like $8!T to me. Even though the Mark IV is not a tight amp it sounds WAY better. If you want super tight and good sounding:

ENGL Savage 120 (or Special Edition)
VHT Ultra-Lead

By the way if you could hang with its lower level of gain... a Framus Dragon is a good sounding amp.

[omwdc]

get a IIc+