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DonA

Member
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
15
Last spring, I traded my Mesa/Boogie Mark Five:25 1x10" combo for a Music Man Cutlass RS HSS.

I didn't regret the trade- I really like the guitar, but I thought the Cutlass would sound really great with the Mark Five:25 and wished that I still had it. I finally found a used one at a great price and bought it.

I was right! They sound really great together!

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racerx

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Mar 10, 2021
Messages
367
Congrats and enjoy! The Mark V:25 (and most Mesa stuff) warrants some time with the manuals and the preset junky forums. Mesas don't behave like other amps where "set it to noon-ish and adjust to taste" is the best starting point. I like your style!


cutlassV.jpg
 

DonA

Member
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
15
I have been wanting one of those Mesa Mark V 25s...you're not helping. :) :) :)
This amp and this guitar are both really versatile. You can cover almost anything with them. The only issues with the amp are that you can't really get its best edge of dirt sounds while retaining its best clean sounds- they're both in there, but they're both on the same channel. Also, the amp can sound a little small, but it only weighs 24 pounds and works really well as a head on a larger cabinet.
I've said elsewhere that buying the 1x10" combo over the head was kind of a no-brainer for me. It only weighs 8 pounds more and cost about $100 more. Use the combo for practice, rehearsals and small jams, and use a larger cabinet when needed.
 

xjbebop

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Jan 8, 2013
Messages
2,791
Location
AZ High Country
Even though they come in different 'flavors', it's hard to beat a Mesa! I've had a few, but kept 3 - an original 1978 Boogie Mk1, which is a frikkin' tank! A mini Rec head, and my favorite, a TA30 head. TNjzGMh.jpg
 

DonA

Member
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
15
Even though they come in different 'flavors', it's hard to beat a Mesa! I've had a few, but kept 3 - an original 1978 Boogie Mk1, which is a frikkin' tank! A mini Rec head, and my favorite, a TA30 head. View attachment 38776

That's an awesome looking Mark 1! You've got 3 very different flavors of Mesa amps.

I've had 12 Mesa amps over the years (if I counted correctly). I currently have the Mark Five:25 combo and a Fillmore 25 combo. Like your TA30, the Fillmore is kind of the anti Boogie. I love it, but still felt the need for a Mark series amp. This little "Mini Mark" or "Baby Boogie" is just right for a player like me who's not a hard core Mark player or not even a hard rocker, but likes to enjoy the fluid Boogie OD sound at times.
 

mikeller

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Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Messages
2,759
Location
Central Ohio
Good story DonA !! Congrats on the Cutlass & Mesa!!!!

I have had a good handful of Mesa's over the years and currently have two: a Fillmore 25 Combo, and an Electra-dyne head I pair with a Royal Atlantic 27" 1x12 cabinet. The Royal Atlantic cabinet is/was very similar to the original Electra-Dyne cab
 

kingdoublecut

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Joined
Jun 7, 2019
Messages
145
Location
Cape Coral, FL
"Hey Mr. King... what's going on with the pups on that AL?? Is it just a reflection, or do I see a single coil in the middle??"
Yep...HSH. I rout a swimming pool to allow for any pickup configuration...this is a later iteration, and again after refinish in white showing rout. I have another Trans Walnut due in tomorrow that will get the same treatment. I'll use the Virtual PAFs and SC from an EBMM Silhouette, black guard.
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xjbebop

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Jan 8, 2013
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2,791
Location
AZ High Country
Outstanding... nicely done!
fwiw, the AL is by far my favorite gittar! I've swapped pups in a couple, but this was my most extensive mod -

6f7uOiL.jpg
 

daneford

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 8, 2009
Messages
167
I've got the same combo. It's a great little amp that I've started running into a 1x12 avatar cab with a creamback. Sounds great.
 

DonA

Member
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
15
I've got the same combo. It's a great little amp that I've started running into a 1x12 avatar cab with a creamback. Sounds great.

I've experimented with the speakers in some of my other amps and cabs- the Mesa C90 in my Fillmore 25, the Eminence 10" Allesandro in my Princeton Reverb, Greenbacks in my oversized Avatar 2x12" cab, Scumback alnicos in a smaller open back Mojotone 2x12" cab, and a Scumnico in a Nerby 1x12" cab, and it made a pretty big difference. I used to have a Thiele cab with an EVM12L in it. I'd love to try that with this amp!
 

Mace13

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Joined
Apr 22, 2019
Messages
147
This is also a nice pairing! I really like the versatility of the JP 20th and also the little mini Mark. Good times.

I also have an old Mesa Thiele 1x12 cab with the old EVM12L monster speaker. I use that cab for gigs in smaller places just for size reasons. It prolly isn’t the best cab for small rooms due to the somewhat ‘beaming’ effect… but when it is placed to side-wash the stage it does well for rock and old school metal
 

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