Thinking of doing it again... Street price for Mark-IV

Drew · #1 07-05-2003, 01:16 PM

Well, I'm really digging the TSL-100 head I picked up a few months back. Incredible rhythm sounds (the Crunch mode is just gorgeous), decent clean for a marshall, and when you really crank that lead mode, well... this is the best sounding marshall I've ever played through, anywhere. That's the problem, though- like most marshalls, it needs to be run pretty hard to get really great tones out of it, and while the VPR switch cuts it enough for gigging purposes, for practicing and home-studio recording, i just can't get a tone I'm 100% happy with.

That, and I'm beginning to really miss the smoother Mesa lead sound, particularly the scooped lower-mid, "dark" tone that Petrucci dials up (yeah, it's usually a IIC+, but still, the IV ought to get me close, and while the Marshall clean tone is great, even with the Dimarzios in my 7620 i can only barely push it into overdrive, and i'd like something i could break up a little more... I guess I'm just deciding that the Marshall sound, as much as i love the crunch channel, just isn't really "me." So, I was wondering what the typical market value for a new or used Mark-IV long chassis head is. I've contacted the only local Mesa dealership, but i have yet to hear back from them...

Thing is, I just graduated from college, so unless it's reasonable to hope for an even trade. From what I've seen of used prices for TSL's and Mark-IV's, this might not be too far off... Has anyone bought or sold one recently? Thanks for any feedback you can give me,

-D

Drew · #2 07-07-2003, 08:02 PM

Update: after surfing Harmony Central and E-bay a bit, I've seen these things mentioned everywhere from $750 to nearly $2000. What gives??

-D

bduersch · #3 07-07-2003, 11:51 PM

I've been watching the Mark IV 1x12's more than the heads, and they seem to be catching $1000-$1300 lately (which is up a little bit). If memory serves me correctly, heads usually catch $100-$200 less than the combos, so you should be able to get a decent one in the $900-$1100 range.

Good luck!

--B

bammbamm · #4 07-09-2003, 02:36 PM

and if you'd rather make a head from a combo, there are chassis mounts that you can buy aftermarket from Boogie, one is a rackmount and the other a standard head style cabinet.
I have the rack and don't use it much anymore, but its a great unit.

Bamm

ATDVSBL · #5 07-09-2003, 02:45 PM

Hey Drew, A MarkIV head just popped up on HC classifieds for $800

Drew · #6 07-10-2003, 11:34 AM

Thanks for the info, guys, and the heads up on the available head. I'd much rather deal with someone from here, all things considered, but I'll give it a look.

-D

Biaxident82 · #7 07-11-2003, 01:47 AM

Drew,

If your interested, I just posted my Mark IV head for sale in the classified section.

Thanks,

Mike

Drew · #8 07-11-2003, 02:40 PM

Mike, dropped you a PM. Get back to me when you get a moment.

So I played my weekly blues-rock barband gig last night with the TSL... And I hate to say it, but it really IS a great sounding amp at gigable levels (5 and above). The crunch tone is great, and the lead sounds I was dialing up were compressed enough to have some decent body even when I backed off my volume knob a bit. Problem is, we were definately too loud for the bar we were in, and at the lower levels we'd be playing at for the more acoustic-driven "resteraunt" version of thge group, the TSL just won't be cutting it...

I'll make a few phone calls when I get off work to see if any of the area shops have a Mark-IV in stock, to see if i can dial up some decently smooth/compressed lead tones at living-room volumes.

Ahh, G.A.S...

-D