NAD: MESA/Boogie Mark VII

[TubeStack]

Your running Crunch on the 45watt or 90watt setting, TS?

Everything is 90W, gotta have that Simul-Class…

 

[EOengineer]

Yes! I have always been hooked on the Keeley Fuzz Head and certain Mesas, used much like you describe, just a small amount of fuzz and a slight level boost. Makes for a great, mid-heavy and round noodling tone at home, and a nice, thick, almost Sabbath-y fuzzy tone turned up loud with the band. Also very responsive to rolling off the volume for a nice Dickie Betts/early Clapton/ZZ kind of sweetness.

Loved it with the Dyne and a Rectoverb 25 I had, not so much with the Stiletto. I was a bit worried it wouldn’t gel with the VII, but it does, in a big way.

I bet the fuzz ends up fighting the bright cap on the Stiletto. I have to bypass my input bright cap on my 2204 to get fuzz to work. Same with the Deluxe Reverb. Dirt just hates bright caps.

 

[TubeStack]

I bet the fuzz ends up fighting the bright cap on the Stiletto. I have to bypass my input bright cap on my 2204 to get fuzz to work. Same with the Deluxe Reverb. Dirt just hates bright caps.

Yes, I think you’re right, I wondered the same.

 

[TubeStack]

Okay, it's official, the VII has completely usurped the mighty Electra Dyne.
Had an AMAZING second band practice with the VII and it was just one of those "tone heaven" nights on all three channels.

So great to get a huge, sparkling clean, an insanely great crunch + boosted crunch, and an amazing pushed-clean/edge of breakup, all with total eq/reverb/level control, and all being seamlessly switched in/out with the Fractal VP4 via midi. And the size and weight of the VII is so easy to deal with, just very, very happy with the amp in all areas. Add in using Cab Clone at the next gig and it's just massively meeting all needs, for me.

Special mention to the return of the Keeley Fuzz Head, what a great pedal, as well as my MXR CBMOD, sounding killer boosting Mesa Crunch.

Now just deciding whether to stick with my Recto 2x12 for gigs, or get a second 1x12 and try the @JiveTurkey OldManStack™...

 

[EOengineer]

Okay, it's official, the VII has completely usurped the mighty Electra Dyne.
Had an AMAZING second band practice with the VII and it was just one of those "tone heaven" nights on all three channels.

So great to get a huge, sparkling clean, an insanely great crunch + boosted crunch, and an amazing pushed-clean/edge of breakup, all with total eq/reverb/level control, and all being seamlessly switched in/out with the Fractal VP4 via midi. And the size and weight of the VII is so easy to deal with, just very, very happy with the amp in all areas. Add in using Cab Clone at the next gig and it's just massively meeting all needs, for me.

Special mention to the return of the Keeley Fuzz Head, what a great pedal, as well as my MXR CBMOD, sounding killer boosting Mesa Crunch.

Now just deciding whether to stick with my Recto 2x12 for gigs, or get a second 1x12 and try the @JiveTurkey OldManStack™...

Stoked this is working out so well for you! Marks rule.

 

[TubeStack]

Stoked this is working out so well for you! Marks rule.

Thanks! Yes, I'm really feeling the Mark magic, with this one.

Biggest success is how much I love Crunch/boosted-Crunch compared to the Dyne, as that is 70-80% of my usage, and it's fantastic, totally happy with it. (I daresay, I may even like it better...)

Also, a huge added plus is this IIB pushed-clean sound, which I didn't expect and was a total surprise. I love it. It's a very cool mix of twang and VOX, to my ears, on the bridge pickup, and a nice fat but clear, Hendrix/SRV/Stones sort of thing on the neck pickup, to give a ballpark description. This is with the T-Tops in my LP Custom, haven't tried any other guitar, yet. (And damn, they are GREAT pickups, wow.)

Interesting to be using a Mark and not getting any high gain out of it: no IV, IIC, or even VII chug-age... just all clean to mid-gain/boosted, classic rock type tones, however it's a good example of Marks being good for MoreThanMetal,™as @la szum has steadfastly pointed out.

 

[Mongillo19]

La szum recently

 

[la szum]

 

[TubeStack]

Also, gotta add: setting up midi switching on the VII is extremely easy. I forgot to set up the switching for a preset and did it on the spot at practice, no problem. You basically just put the VP4 (or whatever you're using) on the preset (or scene with PC midi assigned), get the VII set how you want it (channel, on/off status of GEQ, FX loop, reverb) and then flick the VII midi switch at the back. Done.

 

[greatmutah]

Honestly I still kinda want a VII. Well out of my price range currently but there’s things it does that I like. I’m really intrigued by the IIB mode more than anything else on it. Mainly because I played a fully loaded hardwood IIB combo years ago and was floored by it and wonder how close that mode gets. At the same time, there’s also the IIC+ RI and that’s up my alley, and I wouldn’t kick a III, IV or V out either… I just need a Mark.

 

[Deadpan]

Okay, it's official, the VII has completely usurped the mighty Electra Dyne.
Had an AMAZING second band practice with the VII and it was just one of those "tone heaven" nights on all three channels.

So great to get a huge, sparkling clean, an insanely great crunch + boosted crunch, and an amazing pushed-clean/edge of breakup, all with total eq/reverb/level control, and all being seamlessly switched in/out with the Fractal VP4 via midi. And the size and weight of the VII is so easy to deal with, just very, very happy with the amp in all areas. Add in using Cab Clone at the next gig and it's just massively meeting all needs, for me.

Special mention to the return of the Keeley Fuzz Head, what a great pedal, as well as my MXR CBMOD, sounding killer boosting Mesa Crunch.

Now just deciding whether to stick with my Recto 2x12 for gigs, or get a second 1x12 and try the @JiveTurkey OldManStack™...

The 2x12 is best IMO. I may have a Recto 1x12 to sell though.

 

[Deadpan]

Honestly I still kinda want a VII. Well out of my price range currently but there’s things it does that I like. I’m really intrigued by the IIB mode more than anything else on it. Mainly because I played a fully loaded hardwood IIB combo years ago and was floored by it and wonder how close that mode gets. At the same time, there’s also the IIC+ RI and that’s up my alley, and I wouldn’t kick a III, IV or V out either… I just need a Mark.

The VII for me is on a different level with versatility.

 

[EOengineer]

Also, gotta add: setting up midi switching on the VII is extremely easy. I forgot to set up the switching for a preset and did it on the spot at practice, no problem. You basically just put the VP4 (or whatever you're using) on the preset (or scene with PC midi assigned), get the VII set how you want it (channel, on/off status of GEQ, FX loop, reverb) and then flick the VII midi switch at the back. Done.

The MIDI aspect of the VII is IMO one of the coolest features of that amp. That amp with an HXFX or your VP4 covers basically all the ground that exists and virtually eliminates tap dancing.

That’s pretty kick ass.

 

[laxu]

FYI, EM Custom sells MIDI switchers compatible with various older Mesas. No idea how well they work but should be pretty solid.

 

[TubeStack]

Honestly I still kinda want a VII. Well out of my price range currently but there’s things it does that I like. I’m really intrigued by the IIB mode more than anything else on it. Mainly because I played a fully loaded hardwood IIB combo years ago and was floored by it and wonder how close that mode gets. At the same time, there’s also the IIC+ RI and that’s up my alley, and I wouldn’t kick a III, IV or V out either… I just need a Mark.

Yes, the VII was pricey, for sure, especially as all my Mesas to this point have been great used deals and this was new. But if I get a lot of use out of it, for a good amount of time, I'm okay with that. (And my Dyne had a 7-year run at #1, as did my Marshall Vintage Modern 2466, before that.) Also, it's filling dual roles as both a band/live amp and home use, so that helps. Also sold the PRS Core to fund it (but took a big hit on that, ouch, new PRS sure lose their value fast, yikes.)

And yes, the IIB is sooooo good for pushed/gritty clean stuff, it's one of my favourite things about the VII, at this point.

The MIDI aspect of the VII is IMO one of the coolest features of that amp. That amp with an HXFX or your VP4 covers basically all the ground that exists and virtually eliminates tap dancing.

That’s pretty kick ass.

Yes, it's so killer to have the VP4 controlling everything, including reverb/GEQ/FX loop on/off status on the VII, love it. And just the one midi cable, no extra boxes needed, midi matrix, etc.

 

[TubeStack]

Here's a list of what has gone up against the Dyne and lost, haha:

Royal Atlantic 100 (2x12 combo)
Stiletto Deuce
Stiletto Ace (1x12 combo)
Badlander 100
Mark V 90
Fillmore 100

... and I think that's it.

 

[laxu]

Here's a list of what has gone up against the Dyne and lost, haha:

Royal Atlantic 100 (2x12 combo)
Stiletto Deuce
Stiletto Ace (1x12 combo)
Badlander 100
Mark V 90
Fillmore 100

... and I think that's it.

What makes the VII different enough from the V for you to prefer it over your Electradyne?

 

[Orvillain]

FYI, EM Custom sells MIDI switchers compatible with various older Mesas. No idea how well they work but should be pretty solid.

I've got one. They work really well. I bought one for my Dual Rectifier, but it works with my Mark V too; at least for changing channels. Haven't checked the other functions.

 

[TubeStack]

What makes the VII different enough from the V for you to prefer it over your Electradyne?

I like VII Crunch and overall sound/feel way better than the V. It seems more raw, punchy, and immediate, like an old Marshall, or maybe an old Mark? (Have never played the latter, though). That being said, I have not made a side to side, A/B comparison between the V and VII. Also, this is with a different guitar (still an LP, though), cab, and in a different room. But I loved VII Crunch instantly, whereas with the V, I went straight into "maybe I can tweak it" mode and was never happy. And, the new VII features are more appealing to me than anything they took away from the V, as mentioned. I love the easy midi switching and Cab Clone. I have no use for global level control or solo output level, or even tube rectification on the V.

 

[Stratzrus]

I've been seriously considering getting a Mark VII.

Some other side notes, while the tubes are warming up:

- the size and weight is really appealing, love it, super easy to grab and move around...however, with that, comes the ridiculously difficult to install IEC cable; it honestly took me 10-15 frustrating minutes to get the damn thing plugged in, it's a comically tight space and you can't maneuver or push the cable; thankfully it only needs to happen once

I had the same experience. I went from super excited to unbox a new amp to angry and annoyed that it took an hour to figure out how to get the IEC connected before I could even play it!

What is causing the IEC cable to be so difficult to plug in? Is there a trick to getting it done?