Amplitudes: The Mesa Boogie Blog

Mark Series amps have always been known for offering a wide variety of sounds from sparkling, pristine clean sounds to massive high gain for alternative rock and metal sounds. The Mark Five: 35™ continues the tradition and picks up where the Mark Five: 25™ left off by offering more power to the EL-84 based mini-Mark amps.

Since the release of the Mark Five™ in 2009, a new range of mid gain was designed into the Mark Series legacy and that tone is labeled CRUNCH. This video showcases the CRUNCH mode in Ch. 1 for Rock rhythm that can easily bridge the gap between classic, vintage rock sounds and modern rock grind. Bridge position humbuckers deliver tight, mid-focused punch with just the right harmonic spread on top. Here’s the settings for the Rhythm Sound in Ch. 1 CRUNCH:

For clean sounds, the FAT mode of the Mark Five: 35 is a go-to for crisp & detailed, yet warm & round sounds similar to the MESA® Lone Star® and Lone Star® Special™ amps, but with the renowned accuracy and tightness of the Mark Series power section. Single coil pickups bounce and chime while a Strymon Lex adds vintage rotary goodness in the second half of the clean section. The Mark Five: 35 Reverb was set at 35% and the wattage set to 35 watts for the full punch and headroom on offer:

And the Ch. 1 FAT mode settings:

For the solo over the clean section, a neck position Lollar single coil drove the fabled Mark IIC+™ Mode in Ch. 2 in 10 watt mode with a Love Pedal Echophonic Jr. and the Graphic EQ set to a mid-boost:

For the outro solo, the Ch. 2 Mark IV™ Mode was used in the 25 watt setting with a slight scoop in the midrange with the bridge humbucker on the Gibson Flying V:

Notice that the Bass control was turned down from the previous Mark IIC+ mode solo to keep the low end controlled and tight for single note solo sounds and the thick output of the Flying V’s humbucking pickup.

All of these sounds were played through the Mark Five: 35 into a Rectifier® 2x12 COMPACT cab. This cab offers the best of the 2x12 Rectifier in a slightly more compact and smaller footprint. Bass is slightly tighter in this cabinet on a direct comparison but any amount of bass you need is easily provided through the rotary bass controls or the lower sliders on the 5-Band Graphic EQ.

Mic’d with a Shure KSM 313 and the CabClone™. Mixed with 66% KSM and 33% CabClone & Mastered.

Official Mark Five: 35 Features Overview Video:

For Pricing and Availability, please contact your nearest Authorized Mesa Dealer or Distributor by clicking HERE.

If you have any questions, feel free to CONTACT US via email, phone or message us through social media. 

Written, Performed, Recorded & Mixed by Michael Phillip Taylor at S.P.A.C.E. Records, Sebastopol, CA.