Mesa/Boogie MARK 5 THIRTY-FIVE Owner's Manual page 19

Hints For The Best Results With The MK IIC+ Mode
• Use the Graphic EQ if you need extreme low end with high GAIN settings - this comes later in the circuit and will have less tendency
to get loose and tubby than that of the rotary BASS control.
• Work with the GAIN, TREBLE and PRESENCE in fine increments when searching for your ideal lead voice as these interact greatly
and have a big effect on pick attack sensitivity and focus.
• The PRESENCE compresses things in its lower regions creating a more voice-like character and opens up the upper harmonic
region in higher settings creating a more cutting, blade-like attack.
• For lead sounds; roll in the amount of BASS you want after fine-tuning the attack signature with the GAIN, TREBLE and PRES-
ENCE. Fill things in just enough but don't create flub. The MARK Series BASS control brings in beautiful rich low end, but can also
overtake the balance set by the other controls quickly and degrade or "slow" the attack characteristic.
• Don't overlook this Mode for lower gain sounds! Because of the harmonic content and instant attack properties, the C+ Mode
excels at low gain Blues sounds—both rhythm and single note—and can even produce some great threshold of clip, almost-clean
sounds. It's open and dynamic and responds great to plucking techniques as well.
• Traditionalists have commented on how well the "guitar volume knob" or "old-school channel switching" approach works with this
sound. With the GAIN set low enough, and the right guitar and low to medium output pickups, the IIC+ Mode works great just back-
ing off for clean and cranking up for lead on the guitars' Volume pot. When the GAIN is this low you can also dial in more BASS on
the rotary control to add warmth and three-dimensionality without the tubbiness created at higher GAIN settings.
This is an addicting mode to play and one of—if not the—most expressive of the 6 Modes in your MARK FIVE: 35. Do yourself a favor
and spend some quality time exploring how the controls interact... once you dial it in for your individual style, we all but guarantee
magic will happen.
MK IV
This Mode revitalizes another MARK Series amplifier and brings its iconic sound forward for this—and future—genera-
tions to enjoy with a whole new attitude, voice and degree of portability. The big MARK FIVE's predecessor, the MARK IV, was built
continually for eighteen years, all that time winning new fans around the globe, proving that the MARK Series sound can't be outdated
by changing styles, trends or advances in technology. It's a classic and seems here to stay.
In comparison to the MARK II-C+ Mode, the MARK IV Mode is infused with more low mid and has an attack characteristic that is
wider, less pointed and perhaps a bit less focused in the upper midrange. The bottom end goes down lower and it has more gain as
well, giving the sound thickness and girth that produces huge, ominous crunch chords and smooth vocal single note sounds.
These circuit differences create a different feel as well, and the MARK IV Mode feels creamier and gives the impression of less resis-
tance on the strings—making it easier to play for many guitarists. The slightly less-instantaneous attack created by the addition of low
end makes the MK IV Mode feel a little "slower" and less like your picking technique is "under the microscope" which can be either
freedom or lack of definition, depending on your point of view and stylistic needs. Either way, it's a nice contrast to the mid-focused,
jabbing attack of the MK IIC+ Mode and will undoubtedly find its place in your musical needs.
For lower gain sounds the MARK IV Mode will have more air and three-dimensionality than its IIC+ counterpart. Some nice purring
threshold-of-clip sounds can be found with the GAIN set very low (9:00–10:00) and the TREBLE around 12:30. With the GAIN this
low you can again, like the IIC+, dial in quite a bit of BASS (11:00–1:30) before things get too tubby, letting you really move some air.
This is a great region to explore the Multi-Watt Power Modes. The 35 Watt setting will produce a bold, punchy sound that will let you
stab with authority. The 25 and 10 Watt settings will give you a more laid back attack characteristic and a more harmonically complex
voice filled with low power nuance and an easy to play feel.
High gain sounds in the MK IV Mode are fat! The lower bass frequencies combined with the added gain in the low mids makes for
the biggest crunch chording sounds in the entire amp. In these applications you will have to watch the setting of the BASS control
more carefully as the lower frequency bottom end can get bloated much faster. If you are looking for huge bottom end with high gain
settings, it is wise to turn to the 80Hz and 240Hz Graphic EQ SLIDERS. The BASS control dumps too much sub-low into the signal
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