The gig footage says it all. The tone sits perfectly. That’s the thing about Mark amps in general; they can come across ‘barky’ as you say, but they land exactly where they’re supposed to in a band mix.
And this why I find most patches and tones folks share online to be basically meh! Too many sculpt their tones for the bedroom, then when they get in the mix, it’s mush…or worse- step on the vocalists toes (look at any of the American Idol performances over the last few seasons…guitar player is far better than me, and has what seems up front as a great tone…until he burys the singer). People love to bash Mesa and Marshall as being barks, bright etc, but there is a reason those amps are on so much: they sit well in the mix!
Sounded great. Mesa Mark series amps are not for people who don’t like to take time dialing in and getting an understanding of how every dial interacts. It’s worth every bit of time you spend understanding how the amp works. The Mesa manuals are great and really give you a good understanding of what their thinking is. I’ve had a few different Mesas over the years, and they are some of the most well-thought-out tone generators ever.
I own a Mark V:35 with a slant 1x12 cab. My favorite sounding amp, but after a few gigs i retired it to home use. I play rhythm/lead in a Classic Rock cover band which means there are 5-6 types of specific sounds necessary to replicate the tones. The Mark amps can do all of them, but not easily in a live setting. It’s basically a great 2 channel amp with multiple voicings but making changes on the fly in a gig setting is a non-starter. Solution was a Hughes/Kettner Deluxe 40 with about 8 presets and now I switched to a Friedman JEL20 and a small pedalboard with a few key pedals (delay,chorus/flange, OD, EQ). Simple and easy to manipulate on stage. The Mark would be a perfect studio amp.
Sounded great. It is the same set up I use. The MK5/25, a 1x 12 Boogie cab and a Fractal Audio FX8 in place of the HX Effects. Been using this set up for years and has always worked well and never run out of head room.
I use my MkV 25 1x10 combo with an external 1x12 cab loaded with a Greenback...the combination of those 2 speakers seem to cover everything I'd ever need tonally as well as volume. I also like to have a modded Boss SD-1 going into the front end of the amp and will also generally use the 'fat' mode on the clean channel as well as the MkIV mode in the OD channel. Using the SD-1 helps to give me even more of a range than I would normally get out of this little beast if I want to boost either of the modes, and the weight of the small combo even when using the external cab that I built saves my back during the load in and load out. Great clip, John...as usual. Awesome playing!
I had a V:25 a long time ago. The only thing I didn’t like was that the fat and crunch modes were on the same channel. Those were my two favorite modes and I couldn’t easily switch between them. Great little amp though.
@@TorvickZeBerzerk Cant you counter this by using the graphic eq as a boost/limiter? Like if you dont use the g-eq for cleans, and then switch to crunch+eq on with the eq set to horizontal, and halfway below mid?
My two favorite tube amps I have owned are the Mesa Lonestar and Roadster. There was just something special about both of those amps. Still to this day they are the only amps I have regretted selling. Always enjoy every one of your videos John. 👍👍👍
@@johnnathancordy the Lonestar was the 2x12 combo with 2x12 extension but the roadster was the head and 4 x 12. Talk about overkill for home playing but I didn't care. It was fun. And I think the fun factor is what I miss. That was years ago though. But now I just sold my entire pedalboard and both victory amps a month ago and bought the helix and powercab 212. And that fun factor is back. Really loving the helix. I don't even watch that pedal show anymore after buying it 🤣🤣🤣. True story.
Very helpful video! I had one in the past but did not use it to it's fullest. Seeing your gig videos have pushed me over the edge and I bought another one. The cleans are GREAT, the crunch is also great and I feel I can use either with pedals for my gigs. I also use the FM3 into the FX loop return and I believe that will be a great use as well. For the Cab clone I feel like using the clean channel (or crunch) will be fine, but could also see using a simple GEQ in line before the board (or just take time with judicious EQ at the board).
Thank you for this vid. Yup I use this amp daily & it’s quite remarkable. The variety of tones is nearly infinite. I use it with a Lonestar 1x12 cab. And Holy crap the amount of bass is insane. I tried demonstrating this in one of my vids, but honestly you have to experience it. Seriously, my room was rattling because there’s so much bass. But you can easily dial that back to taste. Keep the amp Johnathan, there’s more useful tones in there than one can imagine 🎸👍🎶
I have one now, I am mostly doing 4CM with a helix LT and I think it's awesome. I almost always put a boost in front of it (Kinky Boost) but use the reverb from the amp. I think that's just because it's my first "real" reverb tank. I think it's incredible especially if one will allow themselves to try other things besides the "V" with the eq.
It sounds amazing. I know what you mean small amp and a little cab looks good without being too showy. My Bassbreaker 15 head with a little Marshall Cab is a similar vibe size wise albeit not much of a clean tone! I find getting it up off the floor really helps. Nearer my ears!
I used to own one and it was fantastic. But in the end I moved away from using gain in amps to high headroom clean amps with pedals so own a Morgan PR36 which is amazing. But a great little amp. I always loved the Mesa F50. It had a clean channel to die for loads of headroom, a massive sounding gain channel with foot switchable EQ curve. Regret letting that one go.
You have been busting your ass practicing good Sir! Your fluidity over the last year has taken a logarithmic jump up. It's quite amazing to be able to watch old videos and compare to you now. Very cool to see and we all wish you the best!! Best Wishes and Regards!
My best friend Collin gigs with one and they’re amazing. He also has a Filmore. You should check out one of those as well. No where near the bells and whistles, but so nice
I hate to say it, but a cheaper alternative to this is an H&K grandmeister 40 deluxe. They sit perfectly in a mix too. The only h&k I actually like is the Triamp mk1 but the 40 does sing.
My friend got one. It sounded really boxy with the matching cab. We put it side by side with my Fender and he sold the Mesa a week later and bought a Princeton reverb.
Great tones but I’m curious why you didn’t run the HX in 4CM so you could run some compression and overdrive in front of the amp. That would have given you the option for a few more types of tones, overdrive into a clean channel is a very different sound compared to the lead channel with the gain rolled back for example. Plus then you have that extra gain boost for leads if needed.
Nice one. I have a Mark IV, (Combo) which i bought brand new in 1990. Great amp, but heavy, even though it has a small foot print. I bought a Red Plate Black Loop model about 8-10 years ago for smaller venues and jamming, (It's smaller then the Boogie Combo and only 38 pounds) and it's also a great amp and really nice sustain of notes in the clean channel ala Larry Carlton, Dumble... I still own them both and coincidentally was considering the Mark V 25 for it's really small size and lite weight for the Combo model...... I am also on the Fractal FM9 wait list (2.5 months now) so it's always tough navigating these decisions...Well done video John... Phil NYC Area
Just getting used to mine certainly a big learning curve Haven’t played out with it yet…. But I love the headroom as well…. One thing that I’ve noticed maybe it’s just me but I love running a clean boost through the front end of it….. throws the clean over the top… Makes it super Touch Sensitive with my single coil’s…I also think running a 212 cabinet would be better for it…. Nothing wrong with the sound of your gig I think a two 12 would make it sound a little fuller though…. Or maybe I’m wrong? Just thinking out loud I love your videos…..
i got the mark 5 35, for low volumes great clean/bluesrock/hardrock I use it in 10 watt mode on the fat clean (settings bit similar compared to this video), then a boss bluesdriver pedal (this pedal works so well with this amp, you can go to a very overdriven sound to a cleanish sound just by rolling down the volume on the guitar), a compressor, delay reverb, I do use a mxr 10 band eq on the floor to shape the sound aa bit. After that I still have the eq of the mesa to mess with if i want a boost or something. It does sounds great. I didn't take time to work with the second channel of the mark 5 but I'm sure it can be dialed to achieve great usable sounds.
The Crunch channel or the 2C+ channel with a Boss SD-1 or TS in front sounds amazing…..the Marks with the tone stack being pre gain,you have to dial the bass low,and the mid control actually adds gain…Then use the EQ with the smiley face curve..Marks are very mid heavy,hence the smiley EQ curve…..Great sounding amps though once you dial it in….
Really enjoyed this, I’ve been running a Kemper for ages now but man part of me still wants a Boogie like the V 25 so bad even though the Kemper is generally convenient as hell for recording or live. Also nice to see someone speaking positively of the Cab Clone for a change
I've always wanted a small Mesa either the 25 or 35 given me not wanting to destroy any more of my back. Though I'm liking what I've seen of the new Orange supercrush 100.
How do you feel about this amp since playing more gigs since the recording of this video? I am looking to downsize my rig as far as weight goes and am heavily considering the 1x10" combo version of this amp. for the majority of random gigs I play, I am confident that will be enough power. I do, however, have a prog (not metal, more fusion) rock band that I play with and I am worried that if I make the switch, the 1x10" will not be powerful enough. Its a dual guitar band that gets relatively loud and I'm afraid a 10" speaker wont cut it. I played one at my local guitar center and it seemed more than loud/powerful enough, and seemed very comparable to the 35w 12" version. Curious on how you feel about this amp since playing more gigs on it and if you feel as though you get the proper head room on it
Hey Greg, the kind of gigs I'm doing I think this would be powerful enough, but it's hard to say without knowing your drummer etc - I guess also you could pair it with an additional cab for those occasional prog gigs that might need some extra oomph?
This is one of my go to amps especially with an extended 112 to mostly get it off the ground a little. But with outside gigs and really loud drummers it starts struggling, but every time it struggled the band was too loud anyhow 😂
man - honestly all your real amp tones sound miles better than the Line 6 stuff/modeller stuff you put out. That clean tone is just jaw-droppingly good.
I own one, i play in a band with horns, this amp cuts thru the mix without turning up volume, i think this amp very versatile, beautiful cleans and nice overdrive tones. I am just having issues with volume drops thru the FX loop when engaged, it may be the valve in the fx loop.
I sold my Mark V: 25 head because I just wasn't making enough use of it, but I thought it was a stellar amp (and I thought the cab clone out was fine: couldn't understand what all the bad-mouthing was all about.) I think you may be the first person in history who has asked "will it be loud enough?" about a MESA amp ;-) You were rocking that gig, though.
I have always the same trouble. Sometimes at gig I think my rig sounds bad and then i hear recordings and I really like the sound. It's gotta be volume thing.
I’ve got one. Used it with a Thiele cab for quite a while And didn’t like it much. Now I use a vertical 2x12 with V30’s and it’s much better. I should try the cab clone more. It’s plenty loud enough for playing live if you aren’t intending to use it for high gain as it will probably squeal. These days, I think no matter what amp I have I’ll pretty much be trying to make it sound a certain way that I like. In saying that, if you like lots of knobs it’s a bit of fun. I actually use another EQ pedal in the loop aswell. I just find MKV25 has a prominent mid that I take out with the eq pedal along with a touch of high end.
@@johnnathancordy yea as someone said below 1x12 was very boxy sounding even with the front port in the Thiele. I had the 1x12 mini recto cab too tried both together but I guess going from big amps it wasn’t something I enjoyed just playing at home, an open back might be better. 1x12 mic’d up to record or gig is fine Though.
We were hearing the camera mic? The sound I hear doesn't have enough clarity and cut, but maybe that's a punter friendly sound. In an original music situation with the venue providing the speaker cab, the amp could give enough chunky low end for rocking out. Whenever I have seen lineups with Kempers, Axe FX, and amp, the amp is always full and engaging at FOH in ways the modelers cannot achieve -- at least without powered speakers on stage. You said your perception at the gig was of the amp being too barky, but you enjoyed the clean sound. Is that to do with amp gain? If you interact with a modeled and studio-ized capture of amp gain, then perhaps you need to take that approach with the amp, massaging the sound with a boost or overdrive for your taste in compression and gain. What did your bandmates think of the amp?
Nah you're hearing the direct audio, but yeh when I say barky, I think that was my sense on stage, whereas from the camera audio of the gig recording, I was happy with that, if that makes sense?
Great video, awesome sound, you should start recording samples of your shows, and the travel, setup etc, people will be very interested, I know I am, weather it’s a amp or modellers
I thought it sounded great. Maybe this has occurred to you already but you could use the "Cali Q graphic" EQ block on the HX in the loop to shape the tones differently when the Boogies EQ is Off for your Rhythm setting. Assuming your are running 4CM. Just a thought but it kinda makes your MK:25 into a JPC:25 :) Love your tone, playing, and videos. Cheers.
I have had one of those with 35 watts but it was too modern to my taste I tried it with pedals/cab clone channels I was having hard times to find my sound which I feel I'm having hard times except the audience... I sold it and got a mini rec I am very very happy .... It is very versatile than anybody thinks(mini rec ) ....
@@johnnathancordy I cant recommend enough .... for pop blues rock hard, rock it is the best with its seize :P and loudness and if you can hire 4x 12 it would be stadium teritory 😁😁 I realized after I bought it but some of the pop singers' guitarists also uses it ... for example first gutarist come to my mind is one and onyl Daryl Stuermer 😊😊
This looks like a really good all rounder amp. I was thinking of maybe buying a Matchless Lightning or Nighthawk but this looks like a little bit more value for your money. Multi channel, still EL84 and on the lower wattage end of the spectrum. I don't know. Bit torn.
Amp was sounding good mate .....but your skils sounded even better such a flowless playing sooo smooth brother \-/ love it Cheers ....from the time perspective what your thoughts are on these MINI heads anything good recent to reccomend?...CHeers
Using mine( rehearsals atm) with an alt rock lineup into a rectifier 1x12 - crunch n mk2c+ ... no concerns re volume at all .. using graphic primarily as switchable boost with some mid focus . Delay n verb in loop and trying out various overdrives for different textures n solos .. some front end modulation n possibly wah to follow .. I would suggest you get your cab off the floor for a better personal monitoring solution - particularly as you are using cab clone - no issues with stands etc .. As always your tone n chops are on point ..
@@johnnathancordy - Im using a suhr aldrich equipped lp n a usa tremonti and not got volume past noon .. stupid loud .. I will look at cab clone in more detail as like many - read various reviews n thought its not worth the effort ..
Hey John - in this video is the audio we're hearing from the cab clone direct out or did you have that stage cab mic'd? Kind if hard to tell in the quick shots of the stage
Speaking of saving your back, is your cab the Mesa Thiele 1x12? I picked one of those up last week (with EVM speaker) to pair with my Mark V:35 combo. Not the lightest 1x12 cab but sounds great from what I've heard so far.
I’ve been gigging one of these for years as my half stack gave me a ruptured disc! Always get compliments on how it sounds. Also, I constantly get told to turn down on 10 watt mode :-/
@@johnnathancordy Yes please! Would definitely be interested in a video on this. I had to play around with Command Center with a Suhr PT-15 last year but still haven't got my head around Command Center. Lol. Cheers!
Hi John, Do you still have and use The Mark V 25 in live situations?. I have been using one with my function band for some time now, and I just wandered if you have continued to use it.
I'f been having issues using my Helix to switch channels on my V25. How did you go about setting it up? All the resources I've searched say there's issue with it because of the type of switching? Latching vs Momentary etc
Cool. Do we need an attenuator for the bedroom level? Does it still sound good when we lower the volume or need to crank the volume knob then use an attenuator? That's my only concern as a home player
I'm thinking about purchasing one of these. Play smaller gigs. Would probably take care of my needs. A little concerned about the channel switching and not being able to select between clean, fat and crunch on channel 1. Running my effects through an HX effects also
@@johnnathancordy obviously you can work around. Dial in channel 2 for a lower gain setting but maybe I’m wrong. Your thoughts on this ? Thx for the reply
@@chadwaller6072 yeh you could definitely have some lower gain sounds on channel 2, or like I'm using the EQ as a boost and shaping for solo tones, eq off for rhythm and clean
Like your vids very much, thanks for all that stuff!! You mentioned in this vid that you can switch the V25 Channels with your HX fx. I too own a V25 and a Neural QC. Do you know if theres an option to switch the channels of the V25 with the QC? Thanks in advance - Axel
I can vouge for the full boat Mark V. It just gets bigger, fatter, and more pro the more watts you give it. If you have a decent sized music room, get the 90 watt. It's loud enough for a band at 10 watts, but that extra just gives you the nutz. Sounded great on the video. 25 doesn't have all that Mark V has to offer. IMO, modeling solutions make things easier for everyone, but you lose some of the girth that makes live music so breathtaking. It's like getting a perfect 2d picture instead of a slightly imperfect, but volume dynamic masterpiece. I'll add that in terms of volume and gain dynamics, the Mark series amps I own steamroll the JCM900 I have as well. It's a special amp if you have gobs of technique.
Sounded pretty darn good live! But if y’all want to save a little bit more, I’d recommend considering a PRS MT15. They’re VERY loud for being a 15watt tube amp and come loaded with 6L6s! Very Mesa like sound and Gig friendly!
The fact remains that no modeler will replace the experience of a tube amp. It sounds great in the video. But the bands I've played with lately and the places I've played, stage volume is a huge issue.
Sounds great! I’m interested to know how often you are expected to go direct with a modeller vs taking an amp these days? It seems the days of amps at those kinds of gigs is numbered…
Blows my mind how people cry because they can’t carry a 30lbs amp even though it might sound better. They’d rather carry a 15lbs amp that’s worse because it’s lighter. We should be great full that the old school players like EvH and SRV did whine about their Marshall Plexi was too heavy
Okay perfect! Now i just need that little mesa ❤.
The gig footage says it all. The tone sits perfectly. That’s the thing about Mark amps in general; they can come across ‘barky’ as you say, but they land exactly where they’re supposed to in a band mix.
And this why I find most patches and tones folks share online to be basically meh! Too many sculpt their tones for the bedroom, then when they get in the mix, it’s mush…or worse- step on the vocalists toes (look at any of the American Idol performances over the last few seasons…guitar player is far better than me, and has what seems up front as a great tone…until he burys the singer). People love to bash Mesa and Marshall as being barks, bright etc, but there is a reason those amps are on so much: they sit well in the mix!
Sounded great. Mesa Mark series amps are not for people who don’t like to take time dialing in and getting an understanding of how every dial interacts. It’s worth every bit of time you spend understanding how the amp works. The Mesa manuals are great and really give you a good understanding of what their thinking is. I’ve had a few different Mesas over the years, and they are some of the most well-thought-out tone generators ever.
Sounds fantastic man and your playing is very tasty. The amp fits you well! :)
I have one myself and couldn't be happier for studio use.
I own a Mark V:35 with a slant 1x12 cab. My favorite sounding amp, but after a few gigs i retired it to home use. I play rhythm/lead in a Classic Rock cover band which means there are 5-6 types of specific sounds necessary to replicate the tones. The Mark amps can do all of them, but not easily in a live setting. It’s basically a great 2 channel amp with multiple voicings but making changes on the fly in a gig setting is a non-starter. Solution was a Hughes/Kettner Deluxe 40 with about 8 presets and now I switched to a Friedman JEL20 and a small pedalboard with a few key pedals (delay,chorus/flange, OD, EQ). Simple and easy to manipulate on stage. The Mark would be a perfect studio amp.
Sounded great. It is the same set up I use. The MK5/25, a 1x 12 Boogie cab and a Fractal Audio FX8 in place of the HX Effects. Been using this set up for years and has always worked well and never run out of head room.
Fabulous tone, and stellar playing! This vid helped me make my decision. Thanks so much!
Love it dude! Amazing lines at the gig too, you’re a really tasteful player. I just pulled the trigger on a Mark V 25 and can’t wait to hear/play it
Enjoy!!
I use my MkV 25 1x10 combo with an external 1x12 cab loaded with a Greenback...the combination of those 2 speakers seem to cover everything I'd ever need tonally as well as volume. I also like to have a modded Boss SD-1 going into the front end of the amp and will also generally use the 'fat' mode on the clean channel as well as the MkIV mode in the OD channel. Using the SD-1 helps to give me even more of a range than I would normally get out of this little beast if I want to boost either of the modes, and the weight of the small combo even when using the external cab that I built saves my back during the load in and load out. Great clip, John...as usual. Awesome playing!
This is why I like your review the most :)
I saw the combo at a store this weekend and was surprised as to how small it is. Very cool
He understands sound and creates music that's listenable and makes sense.
I had a V:25 a long time ago. The only thing I didn’t like was that the fat and crunch modes were on the same channel. Those were my two favorite modes and I couldn’t easily switch between them. Great little amp though.
i agree, the crunch channel is 2x louder than the fat clean so it's indeed not usable on the fly :/ it is the only real problem with this amp though
Agreed! I have the Mark V:35 and would have loved for the crunch mode to have been separate and switchable. But apart from that, love the amp!
@@TorvickZeBerzerk Cant you counter this by using the graphic eq as a boost/limiter? Like if you dont use the g-eq for cleans, and then switch to crunch+eq on with the eq set to horizontal, and halfway below mid?
My two favorite tube amps I have owned are the Mesa Lonestar and Roadster. There was just something special about both of those amps. Still to this day they are the only amps I have regretted selling. Always enjoy every one of your videos John. 👍👍👍
Ah cool! Were they both combos?
@@johnnathancordy the Lonestar was the 2x12 combo with 2x12 extension but the roadster was the head and 4 x 12. Talk about overkill for home playing but I didn't care. It was fun. And I think the fun factor is what I miss. That was years ago though. But now I just sold my entire pedalboard and both victory amps a month ago and bought the helix and powercab 212. And that fun factor is back. Really loving the helix. I don't even watch that pedal show anymore after buying it 🤣🤣🤣. True story.
I own a RoadKing2 Combo which is basically those two amps. Just purchased a Mark V 25 it's coming this week. Can't wait to put them both in the mix
Very helpful video! I had one in the past but did not use it to it's fullest. Seeing your gig videos have pushed me over the edge and I bought another one. The cleans are GREAT, the crunch is also great and I feel I can use either with pedals for my gigs. I also use the FM3 into the FX loop return and I believe that will be a great use as well. For the Cab clone I feel like using the clean channel (or crunch) will be fine, but could also see using a simple GEQ in line before the board (or just take time with judicious EQ at the board).
Thank you for this vid. Yup I use this amp daily & it’s quite remarkable. The variety of tones is nearly infinite. I use it with a Lonestar 1x12 cab. And Holy crap the amount of bass is insane. I tried demonstrating this in one of my vids, but honestly you have to experience it. Seriously, my room was rattling because there’s so much bass. But you can easily dial that back to taste. Keep the amp Johnathan, there’s more useful tones in there than one can imagine 🎸👍🎶
I have one now, I am mostly doing 4CM with a helix LT and I think it's awesome. I almost always put a boost in front of it (Kinky Boost) but use the reverb from the amp. I think that's just because it's my first "real" reverb tank. I think it's incredible especially if one will allow themselves to try other things besides the "V" with the eq.
I thought it sounded amazing, and thanks for posting up some live footage!
Man that intro lick was soooooo sweet!!!
It sounds amazing. I know what you mean small amp and a little cab looks good without being too showy. My Bassbreaker 15 head with a little Marshall Cab is a similar vibe size wise albeit not much of a clean tone! I find getting it up off the floor really helps. Nearer my ears!
Sounded great, John.
This is the best amp ever made.
Couldn't sound better to me.
I got mine last week. People saying it isn’t loud enough must be deaf, lol. Tone for days and I ran it through my 2x12 and it’s kills. Love this amp.
you sound great dude!!!!
Kaspar!!!!
I’ve had my Mk V 25 since they first came out….I’m still learning & dialling in new tones from it…
I used to own one and it was fantastic. But in the end I moved away from using gain in amps to high headroom clean amps with pedals so own a Morgan PR36 which is amazing. But a great little amp. I always loved the Mesa F50. It had a clean channel to die for loads of headroom, a massive sounding gain channel with foot switchable EQ curve. Regret letting that one go.
You have been busting your ass practicing good Sir! Your fluidity over the last year has taken a logarithmic jump up. It's quite amazing to be able to watch old videos and compare to you now. Very cool to see and we all wish you the best!! Best Wishes and Regards!
Logarithmic is the opposite of exponential (it means slow)
My best friend Collin gigs with one and they’re amazing. He also has a Filmore. You should check out one of those as well. No where near the bells and whistles, but so nice
With the bass knob at that setting and the lowest slider cranked, it's gonna sound woofy/barky.
The live tone was really good, the amazing playing makes it sounds that much better. I think you should keep it. ;-)
I hate to say it, but a cheaper alternative to this is an H&K grandmeister 40 deluxe. They sit perfectly in a mix too. The only h&k I actually like is the Triamp mk1 but the 40 does sing.
Above all, amazing playing and note choice.
Sounds great. Mind you, playing as well as you do, you’d make anything sound good. Really good playing! 👍🏻
Have you ever tried any of the Victory stuff?
Epic tunage at the start and end! Very Mike &The Mechanics…… in fact, that sounds just like the drum sound they used during the 90s! Lol
My friend got one. It sounded really boxy with the matching cab. We put it side by side with my Fender and he sold the Mesa a week later and bought a Princeton reverb.
This amp really cuts through the mix & sounded great.
Great tones but I’m curious why you didn’t run the HX in 4CM so you could run some compression and overdrive in front of the amp. That would have given you the option for a few more types of tones, overdrive into a clean channel is a very different sound compared to the lead channel with the gain rolled back for example.
Plus then you have that extra gain boost for leads if needed.
Nice one.
I have a Mark IV, (Combo) which i bought brand new in 1990. Great amp, but heavy, even though it has a small foot print.
I bought a Red Plate Black Loop model about 8-10 years ago for smaller venues and jamming, (It's smaller then the Boogie Combo and only 38 pounds) and it's also a great amp and really nice sustain of notes in the clean channel ala Larry Carlton, Dumble...
I still own them both and coincidentally was considering the Mark V 25 for it's really small size and lite weight for the Combo model......
I am also on the Fractal FM9 wait list (2.5 months now) so it's always tough navigating these decisions...Well done video John...
Phil
NYC Area
Just getting used to mine certainly a big learning curve Haven’t played out with it yet…. But I love the headroom as well…. One thing that I’ve noticed maybe it’s just me but I love running a clean boost through the front end of it….. throws the clean over the top… Makes it super Touch Sensitive with my single coil’s…I also think running a 212 cabinet would be better for it…. Nothing wrong with the sound of your gig I think a two 12 would make it sound a little fuller though…. Or maybe I’m wrong? Just thinking out loud I love your videos…..
Yeh a 2x12 would be a bit of a bigger sound, BUT it'd also be more to carry...So I'm not sure about trying it! Although, I could use two 1x12s?
The gig tones sounded great.
I thought the gig sounded great👍 I use a 2061x through the matching 2x12 cab and have my pedals. 20W or in your case 25W is good enough these days.
Sounded better than the modullers ....
i got the mark 5 35, for low volumes great clean/bluesrock/hardrock I use it in 10 watt mode on the fat clean (settings bit similar compared to this video), then a boss bluesdriver pedal (this pedal works so well with this amp, you can go to a very overdriven sound to a cleanish sound just by rolling down the volume on the guitar), a compressor, delay reverb, I do use a mxr 10 band eq on the floor to shape the sound aa bit. After that I still have the eq of the mesa to mess with if i want a boost or something. It does sounds great. I didn't take time to work with the second channel of the mark 5 but I'm sure it can be dialed to achieve great usable sounds.
The Crunch channel or the 2C+ channel with a Boss SD-1 or TS in front sounds amazing…..the Marks with the tone stack being pre gain,you have to dial the bass low,and the mid control actually adds gain…Then use the EQ with the smiley face curve..Marks are very mid heavy,hence the smiley EQ curve…..Great sounding amps though once you dial it in….
Really enjoyed this, I’ve been running a Kemper for ages now but man part of me still wants a Boogie like the V 25 so bad even though the Kemper is generally convenient as hell for recording or live.
Also nice to see someone speaking positively of the Cab Clone for a change
I have both and pretty much exclusively use the Kemper for home playing. Haven't jammed in a couple of years, maybe it's time to sell the amp :(
I've always wanted a small Mesa either the 25 or 35 given me not wanting to destroy any more of my back. Though I'm liking what I've seen of the new Orange supercrush 100.
How do you feel about this amp since playing more gigs since the recording of this video? I am looking to downsize my rig as far as weight goes and am heavily considering the 1x10" combo version of this amp. for the majority of random gigs I play, I am confident that will be enough power. I do, however, have a prog (not metal, more fusion) rock band that I play with and I am worried that if I make the switch, the 1x10" will not be powerful enough. Its a dual guitar band that gets relatively loud and I'm afraid a 10" speaker wont cut it. I played one at my local guitar center and it seemed more than loud/powerful enough, and seemed very comparable to the 35w 12" version. Curious on how you feel about this amp since playing more gigs on it and if you feel as though you get the proper head room on it
Hey Greg, the kind of gigs I'm doing I think this would be powerful enough, but it's hard to say without knowing your drummer etc - I guess also you could pair it with an additional cab for those occasional prog gigs that might need some extra oomph?
This is one of my go to amps especially with an extended 112 to mostly get it off the ground a little. But with outside gigs and really loud drummers it starts struggling, but every time it struggled the band was too loud anyhow 😂
man - honestly all your real amp tones sound miles better than the Line 6 stuff/modeller stuff you put out. That clean tone is just jaw-droppingly good.
I own one, i play in a band with horns, this amp cuts thru the mix without turning up volume, i think this amp very versatile, beautiful cleans and nice overdrive tones. I am just having issues with volume drops thru the FX loop when engaged, it may be the valve in the fx loop.
wow, you certainly got that amp singing.
I sold my Mark V: 25 head because I just wasn't making enough use of it, but I thought it was a stellar amp (and I thought the cab clone out was fine: couldn't understand what all the bad-mouthing was all about.) I think you may be the first person in history who has asked "will it be loud enough?" about a MESA amp ;-) You were rocking that gig, though.
I have always the same trouble.
Sometimes at gig I think my rig sounds bad and then i hear recordings and I really like the sound.
It's gotta be volume thing.
Strange isn't it? Next to the amp I was thinking hmm....this is a bit barky and kind of thin? Then on the recordings, absolutely not?
I’ve got one. Used it with a Thiele cab for quite a while And didn’t like it much.
Now I use a vertical 2x12 with V30’s and it’s much better.
I should try the cab clone more. It’s plenty loud enough for playing live if you aren’t intending to use it for high gain as it will probably squeal.
These days, I think no matter what amp I have I’ll pretty much be trying to make it sound a certain way that I like. In saying that, if you like lots of knobs it’s a bit of fun.
I actually use another EQ pedal in the loop aswell. I just find MKV25 has a prominent mid that I take out with the eq pedal along with a touch of high end.
Hmm yeh that vertical cab is probably quite handy for hearing yourself?
@@johnnathancordy yea as someone said below 1x12 was very boxy sounding even with the front port in the Thiele. I had the 1x12 mini recto cab too tried both together but I guess going from big amps it wasn’t something I enjoyed just playing at home, an open back might be better.
1x12 mic’d up to record or gig is fine Though.
Sounded good at the gig. It's interesting that you didnt hear that at the tme.
We were hearing the camera mic? The sound I hear doesn't have enough clarity and cut, but maybe that's a punter friendly sound.
In an original music situation with the venue providing the speaker cab, the amp could give enough chunky low end for rocking out.
Whenever I have seen lineups with Kempers, Axe FX, and amp, the amp is always full and engaging at FOH in ways the modelers cannot achieve -- at least without powered speakers on stage.
You said your perception at the gig was of the amp being too barky, but you enjoyed the clean sound. Is that to do with amp gain? If you interact with a modeled and studio-ized capture of amp gain, then perhaps you need to take that approach with the amp, massaging the sound with a boost or overdrive for your taste in compression and gain.
What did your bandmates think of the amp?
Nah you're hearing the direct audio, but yeh when I say barky, I think that was my sense on stage, whereas from the camera audio of the gig recording, I was happy with that, if that makes sense?
The mark V 35 has an extra set of master volumes (boost) so you can leave the Graphic EQ on
Great video, awesome sound, you should start recording samples of your shows, and the travel, setup etc, people will be very interested, I know I am, weather it’s a amp or modellers
I thought it sounded great. Maybe this has occurred to you already but you could use the "Cali Q graphic" EQ block on the HX in the loop to shape the tones differently when the Boogies EQ is Off for your Rhythm setting. Assuming your are running 4CM. Just a thought but it kinda makes your MK:25 into a JPC:25 :) Love your tone, playing, and videos. Cheers.
Mesa’s are hard to dial in but I would still use the Mesa
This is one of my dream amps... I really want a Soldano 30w but i would settle for the mkV 25 haha...
I want both lol
I have had one of those with 35 watts but it was too modern to my taste I tried it with pedals/cab clone channels I was having hard times to find my sound which I feel I'm having hard times except the audience... I sold it and got a mini rec I am very very happy .... It is very versatile than anybody thinks(mini rec ) ....
Very interesting - so you'd recommend the mini rec?
@@johnnathancordy I cant recommend enough .... for pop blues rock hard, rock it is the best with its seize :P and loudness and if you can hire 4x 12 it would be stadium teritory 😁😁 I realized after I bought it but some of the pop singers' guitarists also uses it ... for example first gutarist come to my mind is one and onyl Daryl Stuermer 😊😊
Consider a used mark IV. You will be amazed.
@@Art-zs6sl I've had/may have again soon a Mark 3!
@@johnnathancordy what stripe MKIII?
This looks like a really good all rounder amp. I was thinking of maybe buying a Matchless Lightning or Nighthawk but this looks like a little bit more value for your money. Multi channel, still EL84 and on the lower wattage end of the spectrum. I don't know. Bit torn.
Amp was sounding good mate .....but your skils sounded even better such a flowless playing sooo smooth brother \-/ love it Cheers ....from the time perspective what your thoughts are on these MINI heads anything good recent to reccomend?...CHeers
Using mine( rehearsals atm) with an alt rock lineup into a rectifier 1x12 - crunch n mk2c+ ... no concerns re volume at all .. using graphic primarily as switchable boost with some mid focus .
Delay n verb in loop and trying out various overdrives for different textures n solos .. some front end modulation n possibly wah to follow ..
I would suggest you get your cab off the floor for a better personal monitoring solution - particularly as you are using cab clone - no issues with stands etc ..
As always your tone n chops are on point ..
It really is insanely loud isn't it. I was keeping up with a drummer on the clean channel with the master on 2
@@johnnathancordy - Im using a suhr aldrich equipped lp n a usa tremonti and not got volume past noon .. stupid loud ..
I will look at cab clone in more detail as like many - read various reviews n thought its not worth the effort ..
Please... Do a review about DT25 Tube amp (Line6)
Apologies if I missed it in the video, but were you mic’d for the gig or were you using the Cab Clone to the PA?
Hey John - in this video is the audio we're hearing from the cab clone direct out or did you have that stage cab mic'd? Kind if hard to tell in the quick shots of the stage
Speaking of saving your back, is your cab the Mesa Thiele 1x12? I picked one of those up last week (with EVM speaker) to pair with my Mark V:35 combo. Not the lightest 1x12 cab but sounds great from what I've heard so far.
Trying to decide between the Mark V 25 Combo and the California Tweed for home use, I see you have both lol....
I've had a few Mesas and always struggled with ear fatigue. I'm wondering if it was a speaker issue, what speakers do you play thru live? Thanks
For what you do, you will like the Express better. I have both and prefer the Express.
🌄 mornin! .... why do we all have to play Superstitious🤔🥴
I thought it sounded 👍 👍.
I didn’t realize you were a homeless cat, respect level 100 - great guy, never meddum
When you add gain does it get hissy?
I’ve been gigging one of these for years as my half stack gave me a ruptured disc! Always get compliments on how it sounds. Also, I constantly get told to turn down on 10 watt mode :-/
How did you get the HX Effects to talk to the Mark V:25 for channel/EQ switching? Sounded great too!
I could do a vid on this? Basically just command center, a stereo jack lead, and then trial and error to get the switching behaviour I wanted
@@johnnathancordy Yes please! Would definitely be interested in a video on this. I had to play around with Command Center with a Suhr PT-15 last year but still haven't got my head around Command Center. Lol. Cheers!
Hi John,
Do you still have and use The Mark V 25 in live situations?. I have been using one with my function band for some time now, and I just wandered if you have continued to use it.
Have the 35 watt version not sure there is an amp I enjoy more
It's super useful isn't it!!
Looking at the 25 and 35; why should I choose the 35? Clean headroom would be important to me and I suspect the 35 will have a bit more.
@@deannitz3186 it does sound better on 35 watt than it does on 25
Oops, I see from the vid that you use a Mesa cab, probably with U.K. V30.
What do you think about mini mesa amp? Is it ready for professional recording?
I'f been having issues using my Helix to switch channels on my V25. How did you go about setting it up? All the resources I've searched say there's issue with it because of the type of switching? Latching vs Momentary etc
Sounds great! Did you end up keeping it?
What if you added an iron man ii attenuator so you could have even more control over the sound at any volume without tone loss ?
Cool. Do we need an attenuator for the bedroom level? Does it still sound good when we lower the volume or need to crank the volume knob then use an attenuator? That's my only concern as a home player
I use the -20db attenuation of the torpedo captor and find that it’s absolutely necessary for bedroom playing. The amp is just too loud without it.
Might want to get the frets sorted on that cheap Strat copy.
The frets are perfect. I think you might want to check you're commenting on the right video, Infowars is no longer at this address
I'm thinking about purchasing one of these. Play smaller gigs. Would probably take care of my needs. A little concerned about the channel switching and not
being able to select between clean, fat and crunch on channel 1. Running my effects through an HX effects also
Hey Chad! Agreed that being able to select between those modes would be the cherry on the cake
@@johnnathancordy obviously you can work around. Dial in channel 2 for a lower gain setting but maybe I’m wrong. Your thoughts on this ? Thx for the reply
@@chadwaller6072 yeh you could definitely have some lower gain sounds on channel 2, or like I'm using the EQ as a boost and shaping for solo tones, eq off for rhythm and clean
@@johnnathancordy Loved your tone on the live vid samples. I'll have to purchase your HX effects tones. Thanks again
Hello where is your video about the Helix Cali IV clean
Like your vids very much, thanks for all that stuff!! You mentioned in this vid that you can switch the V25 Channels with your HX fx. I too own a V25 and a Neural QC. Do you know if theres an option to switch the channels of the V25 with the QC? Thanks in advance - Axel
Btw: I too like the Clean Fat Mode much!!
Bess tones for the arts. I heard it bowlth ways b.
blogbusser
I can vouge for the full boat Mark V. It just gets bigger, fatter, and more pro the more watts you give it. If you have a decent sized music room, get the 90 watt. It's loud enough for a band at 10 watts, but that extra just gives you the nutz. Sounded great on the video. 25 doesn't have all that Mark V has to offer. IMO, modeling solutions make things easier for everyone, but you lose some of the girth that makes live music so breathtaking. It's like getting a perfect 2d picture instead of a slightly imperfect, but volume dynamic masterpiece. I'll add that in terms of volume and gain dynamics, the Mark series amps I own steamroll the JCM900 I have as well. It's a special amp if you have gobs of technique.
Sounded pretty darn good live! But if y’all want to save a little bit more, I’d recommend considering a PRS MT15. They’re VERY loud for being a 15watt tube amp and come loaded with 6L6s! Very Mesa like sound and Gig friendly!
what guitar brand and model is that? thanks
The fact remains that no modeler will replace the experience of a tube amp. It sounds great in the video. But the bands I've played with lately and the places I've played, stage volume is a huge issue.
Sounds great! I’m interested to know how often you are expected to go direct with a modeller vs taking an amp these days? It seems the days of amps at those kinds of gigs is numbered…
Hey hey! Which cab for live?!
Amp sounded great. Really very decent. Btw Rob Chapman can't get a good sound out of his voice either. He's a Muppet.
Can this amp safely be used without a cabinet plugged in at all?
No! You'll break your amp. You need a cabinet because the head alone cannot produce sound without a speaker.
Does your “assistant” have a name?
Blows my mind how people cry because they can’t carry a 30lbs amp even though it might sound better. They’d rather carry a 15lbs amp that’s worse because it’s lighter. We should be great full that the old school players like EvH and SRV did whine about their Marshall Plexi was too heavy