Bass Amp Duders Peavey Mark IV ???s

[zeravla]

Looking for my first real bass amp (always just used a Peavey Minx 110 for home use) and looking for advice for the low and the heavy. I've got a chance to pick up a Peavey Mark IV for $165. 2 questions:

1. Is this a good price?
2. Will I be happy with it for a while at least?

I was thinking I'd try to pick up a 2x15 to go with it. Right now I've got a Squier Bass VI and a VM Jaguar Bass to play through it but I'll probably upgrade there too if I feel I need to.
Seems there's some mixed feelings about the Mark IV so thought I'd get some opinions from duders who know what's up and aren't corksniffers.

[Strange Tales]

I've always heard that the Mark Bass amps were pretty sterile sounding. That's only things I've heard from people though, I've never heard one in real life.

I'd recommend trying to find an old 70s Acoustic on the cheap, or a horizontal switch Gallien-Krueger

[tremolo3]

I regularly use a Mark IV + SVT 4x10 HE with a VM Jaguar too.

1. $165 is not bad if everything is working.
2. I don't know. Compared to a 70s SVT or a 400+ it sounds pretty meh (sterile is the word). But I only use it for fun at the rehearsal space so I don't care that much.

Something weird happens after playing it for more than 1 hour that an annoying noticeable noise comes out of the transformer I think. I haven't looked at it yet, but any ideas?

[misterstomach]

you probably won't find a better amp for $165. if you're budget is more like $3-400, i'd look for an old acoustic 370 or 350 and you'll be fucking set. it's a much better amp and still pretty cheap for a "real" amp.

[D.o.S.]

I'd agree with everything here. They are bombproof, and don't compare well to amps that cost, well, significantly more than $165, but they're more than capable for what they do go for. I used to gig a Mark VI. I still have it. It still works. If I ever needed to gig it I'd use it without much hesitation.

[PeteeBee]

I play a jazz bass someone have me through a mark iv and a 8x8 cab. Sounds plenty decent for what I'm doing, especially because it's not my main instrument. I normally play guitar through the same amp set up. Definitely a little sterile, but if you go through a pedal you love, set a little lower than you normally use it, you are good to go.

[sonidero]

There are different versions... If it's this one the YES get it... It's an excellent pedal platform and has a ton of toanal options...

1982kvltmarkiv.jpg (43.47 KiB) Viewed 3211 times

[Achtane]

Something weird happens after playing it for more than 1 hour that an annoying noticeable noise comes out of the transformer I think. I haven't looked at it yet, but any ideas?

My Bass 400 does a thing where, after a certain period of time, there'll be a gradual buildup of white noise followed by a pop and BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, then it'll pop again and the normal signal will come through.
So, uh, there's...that.

[daseb]

Solid amps, reasonably loud, incredibly reliable, nice and clean so they really need a pedal of two to give them personality. Great for that price IMO. I have one I've kept as a spare.

[Strange Tales]

Something weird happens after playing it for more than 1 hour that an annoying noticeable noise comes out of the transformer I think. I haven't looked at it yet, but any ideas?

My Bass 400 does a thing where, after a certain period of time, there'll be a gradual buildup of white noise followed by a pop and BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, then it'll pop again and the normal signal will come through.
So, uh, there's...that.

Might just be how old the head is. My Acoustic 370 has a lot of fizzling when I turn it on or off, and it takes an extra 10-15 seconds for the amp to shut off when I flip the power. My amp tech told me that it's just because everything inside is all original, so it's just gonna do that now. As long as it works normally though you should be good.

[zeravla]

Thanks for all the replies. I went ahead and picked it up and I'm actually pretty happy with it. I plugged it into my guitar cab to test it and almost had a heart attack when I hit a note and the whole room shook, so getting a bass cab is definitely next on my list. Getting the eq right is going to take some experimenting but I actually got an awesome sound with my Jaguar guitar out of the thing to my surprise. I've been moving the last week so I haven't had much chance to mess with it but I'm really looking forward to putting some pedals in front of it and seeing what it can do (at low volume until I get a cab )

Sonidero, mine looks just like yours and that 2x15 is exactly what I've been on the lookout for. The only one I could find around here is going for $450!

[kbit]

$450 is way too steep for those cabs, but if you find one for $250 or under snatch it up in a heartbeat. They're heavy as fuck but sound really nice.

[fever606]

Shame you're not on the right coast, I've got a buddy selling one of those Peavey 2x15 cabs for $200...

Glad you're digging the Mark IV... that whole generatiom of amps - the Marks, Centurys and Centurions, especially - are some of my favorite solid staters...

[zeravla]

UGH, I wish one of those 2x15s would show up somewhere here at a reasonable price. Every time I see that dude's ad at $450 I get irritated. But then I guess I could buy it and buy this and have the most overpriced Peavey rig around

[D.o.S.]

LOLOLOLOOLOLOLOL