Mesa Boogie MkIII - whatever stripe

Bork

ICBM said:

If you want a Mesa (not Boogie) which gets closer to a Marshall sound, you need something from the Rectifier series.

Yeah, I'm definitely not interested in that. Some claim the DC has Marshally tendencies.  Note I didn't say they sound like Marshalls.  

ICBM

Bork said:

Some claim the DC has Marshally tendencies.  Note I didn't say they sound like Marshalls.  

Having used a DC as my gigging amp for several years I would say that it’s quite hard to think of anything that sounds less like a Marshall, other than being a guitar amp capable of an overdriven sound .

welshboyo

ICBM said:

Bork said:

Some claim the DC has Marshally tendencies.  Note I didn't say they sound like Marshalls.  

Having used a DC as my gigging amp for several years I would say that it’s quite hard to think of anything that sounds less like a Marshall, other than being a guitar amp capable of an overdriven sound .

I think the III's and the C.50's and DC's have been branded as being a bit more Marshally as some of them sound a little different to other MK's - but I agree, nothing Marshall in them except for the fact that the OD sound can sound a little bit more raw than the usual Boogie sound. Perhaps there are Marshalls out there that have been modded in some way to give extra gain stages and the like but the 2 will never be in the same ball park really

spirit7

I have a Mark IVB H and it's about as far from a Marshall as I can imagine!

Bork

spirit7 said:

I have a Mark IVB H and it's about as far from a Marshall as I can imagine!

Well.. .it's not an organic sounding DC, after all. 

Bork

Right...update:  This week I had a choice between Studio 22+ combo and the Studio preamp.  I went with the preamp because the format is  both more practical and more flexible for my needs and gives me probably 80% of what I've been looking for with almost no disadvantages.   If I'd gone with the 22+, it would have needed servicing with every valve change and I don't have access to an amp tech where I am.

It'll sit nicely in the switchable preamp loop of a Lexicon MPXG2.  So I can have both the richness of searing leads and crispy, solid state cleans...depending on what the power/speaker set up is.  (ATM - 5w Princeton Tweed combos)

So now the question is...IIC+ mods or not...?

ICBM

Bork said:

If I'd gone with the 22+, it would have needed servicing with every valve change

Why?

They don’t.

Bork

ICBM said:

Bork said:

If I'd gone with the 22+, it would have needed servicing with every valve change

Why?

They don’t.

Quite right, I'd forgotten but Mesa valves might as well be solid gold for what they would cost to import.   If I'd had a bias mod fitted I could use locally made valves but there's still the lack of amp tech to deal with.  At least I can carry a preamp on a plane in hand luggage if it needs attention. 

ICBM

Bork said:

Quite right, I'd forgotten but Mesa valves might as well be solid gold for what they would cost to import.   If I'd had a bias mod fitted I could use locally made valves but there's still the lack of amp tech to deal with.  At least I can carry a preamp on a plane in hand luggage if it needs attention. 

I've never found any Mesa amp needs a bias adjustment when fitted with any decent valves - they're biased quite conservatively. They don't need changing often anyway - unless you're thrashing it they last years, even the power valves.

Before the internet no-one gave two thoughts to this sort of thing!

NelsonP

My mesa has the original valves in it. From the late 80s. Sounds as good as new, but it's had an easy life. 

Bork

NelsonP said:

My mesa has the original valves in it. From the late 80s. Sounds as good as new, but it's had an easy life. 

ICBM said:

Bork said:

Quite right, I'd forgotten but Mesa valves might as well be solid gold for what they would cost to import.   If I'd had a bias mod fitted I could use locally made valves but there's still the lack of amp tech to deal with.  At least I can carry a preamp on a plane in hand luggage if it needs attention. 

I've never found any Mesa amp needs a bias adjustment when fitted with any decent valves - they're biased quite conservatively. They don't need changing often anyway - unless you're thrashing it they last years, even the power valves.

Before the internet no-one gave two thoughts to this sort of thing!

Well, maybe next year I'll be in the market again for a Mk3 or 4, or a Studio 22+, if the market hasn't become overheated by the Gibson takeover. 

ICBM

NelsonP said:

My mesa has the original valves in it. From the late 80s. Sounds as good as new, but it's had an easy life. 

To be fair, the valves then were far higher quality than anything available now - both the 6L6s and the 6BQ5s. I also know someone who has a Studio .22 which was previously owned by another friend and still has the original valves. He doesn't use it a huge amount - and never at high volume - but they're fine.

Stratavarious

Bork said:

ICBM said:

Bork said:

If I'd gone with the 22+, it would have needed servicing with every valve change

Why?

They don’t.

Quite right, I'd forgotten but Mesa valves might as well be solid gold for what they would cost to import.   If I'd had a bias mod fitted I could use locally made valves but there's still the lack of amp tech to deal with.  At least I can carry a preamp on a plane in hand luggage if it needs attention. 

Loads of suppliers will give you mesa bias range pairs. I get mine from Watford Valves.  Winged =C= 6L6.   Preamp wont be a worry though. Any tube will do.

Bork

Stratavarious said:

Bork said:

ICBM said:

Bork said:

If I'd gone with the 22+, it would have needed servicing with every valve change

Why?

They don’t.

Quite right, I'd forgotten but Mesa valves might as well be solid gold for what they would cost to import.   If I'd had a bias mod fitted I could use locally made valves but there's still the lack of amp tech to deal with.  At least I can carry a preamp on a plane in hand luggage if it needs attention. 

Loads of suppliers will give you mesa bias range pairs. I get mine from Watford Valves.  Winged =C= 6L6.   Preamp wont be a worry though. Any tube will do.

Yeah, but where I live, they attract 80% import duty. Hint: It's not the UK. 

Bork

Zombie thread resurrection: 
I ended up getting a Triaxis, JMP-1 AND a Studio pre.  Love the Triaxis but it needs a new vol pot and power switch. I'm struggling to get a sound I like from the Studio pre even though it was the most expensive by far, and I may end up replacing some of the valves as it's sounding a bit spongy and woofy.  I also nabbed a Carvin Quad X pre but I'm going to let that go at some point because it needs a lot of dialling in to get even vaguely attractive tones.  

Power amp is an old Marshall 20/20 for 175 quid which sounds alright but it needs a new vol pot also.  The Mesa 2:90 power amp prices are a little insane these days but I can get my hands on a VHT G2502 power amp for less.  After tweaking, I can get the Triaxis within spitting distance of the JMP-1 and was surprised at how much I had to dial up the treble and mids.  It sits in the insert loop of a lovely old Lexicon MPX-G2 so has the full on programmability of a rack.  Just have to find the time to map it properly and set up the patches. 

All of the above were wheeled through the Green Channel at my local airport in a single large suitcase in late summer!  

Also nabbed a mint condition Fender Princeton Reverb II - the Rivera point to point ones which was shipped over with some other personal effects.  It's a lovely amp and, perhaps contraversially, I like the overdrive on it.  But the cleans aren't scooped enough to be those classic Fender cleans we're all familiar with.  Still the Amptweaker Tight Rock sounds fabulous through it.