Mesa MkIIC+ in Town

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Genghis

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I found out that a friend who is very active in the local folk community has a MkIIC+ and he is going to bring it over to my studio the week after next to show it off. Yes, I'm a bit concerned that my GAS will take over, but I look forward to playing through it in person. While I can't afford to actually buy it, I am thinking about asking him if I can rent it to record some tracks on the project I'm in the middle of. I have a Kruse modded Marshall DSL and a nice Mather 4x12, and I have three tracks down now with middle, left, and right, and I am thinking using the Mesa for at least one of those on the sides would sound pretty killer.

Prayers that GAS doesn't kick in! Lol
 
have fun, i read the hype about the mythical feel for literally decades before getting mine, and i can tell you the hype is real and there is a reason they go for what they do. the only gripe i have is they are not easy to dial in, and the slightest adjustments can completely change things, id say watch some videos on youtube first to get an idea for settings
 
RaceU4her said:
have fun, i read the hype about the mythical feel for literally decades before getting mine, and i can tell you the hype is real and there is a reason they go for what they do. the only gripe i have is they are not easy to dial in, and the slightest adjustments can completely change things, id say watch some videos on youtube first to get an idea for settings
Click to expand...
I know the basics, but will take experimentation. I had a MkIIb from 88 until the early 2000s, so that helps, and I have played with the Axe-FX version and it was my favorite Mk series model in Fractal land. Still gonna be different, but I know where to start.

I don't really think I'll buy it from.him, but pretty sure he would rent it to me for a fair price for recording some tracks. A mutual friend suggested that when he told me about the amp a few months ago.
 
Genghis said:
I found out that a friend who is very active in the local folk community has a MkIIC+ and he is going to bring it over to my studio the week after next to show it off. Yes, I'm a bit concerned that my GAS will take over, but I look forward to playing through it in person. While I can't afford to actually buy it, I am thinking about asking him if I can rent it to record some tracks on the project I'm in the middle of. I have a Kruse modded Marshall DSL and a nice Mather 4x12, and I have three tracks down now with middle, left, and right, and I am thinking using the Mesa for at least one of those on the sides would sound pretty killer.

Prayers that GAS doesn't kick in! Lol
Click to expand...
Just a thought, if you really like the IIC+ sound and don’t want to put up the $ to get the original authentic amp, there are other options.

The easiest IMO is the Mark III. All the variants are closer to each other than you’d think from comments made online, and out of the box they sound absolutely amazing. You can also pay about $400 or so to send it into Mesa and have them mod it to a + or ++ model, which will get you right there with the IIC+ sound, minus the massive transformer of course.

Then there’s the JP2C and the VII, which are IMO superior amps because of their feature sets, but that’s debatable for sure and not everyone will agree with me.
 
Desertdweller said:
Just a thought, if you really like the IIC+ sound and don’t want to put up the $ to get the original authentic amp, there are other options.

The easiest IMO is the Mark III. All the variants are closer to each other than you’d think from comments made online, and out of the box they sound absolutely amazing. You can also pay about $400 or so to send it into Mesa and have them mod it to a + or ++ model, which will get you right there with the IIC+ sound, minus the massive transformer of course.

Then there’s the JP2C and the VII, which are IMO superior amps because of their feature sets, but that’s debatable for sure and not everyone will agree with me.
Click to expand...
Not really looking to buy, but I'm just a little shocked that a guy in this little town has one that I can check out and play on. Hoping maybe to rent it, but it's cool that I actually get to hear one in person.

While I haven't played a JP2C, I've read many posts that say they don't sound the same, and in the Axe-FX they aren't even close. Love the feature set on the JP2C, but they have a bit of an odd character that doesn't do it for me. That's from clips I have heard as well as experience with the models. Hard to put into words, but it has kind of a metallic comb filtered type of sound.

If I add another amp I'd probably pick up some flavor of 5150. I'm a little weird though. I use my Axe-FX live due to portability and the range of sounds I can get and that Marshall for recording because it just sounds killer and I'm fortunate enough to have a studio where I can crank it up and record it properly.
 
Desertdweller said:
The easiest IMO is the Mark III. All the variants are closer to each other than you’d think from comments made online, and out of the box they sound absolutely amazing. You can also pay about $400 or so to send it into Mesa and have them mod it to a + or ++ model, which will get you right there with the IIC+ sound, minus the massive transformer of course.
Click to expand...
The largest differentiator I’ve found between the Mark III variants is the value of the capacitor in the C30 position on the board. There are other differences but that cap is king.

IIRC red stripes typically use 500pf. Blue stripe models leave C30 empty which is why they are so toppy. I’ve used my Blue Stripe with stock, 500pf, and 1000uf. IMO if you are aiming for the C+, the 1000pf is the best option. 500pf is what I’m using now and I’m on the fence about migrating back to 1000pf.
 
The 2C+ has a particular feel to it that you don’t get with other Marks. I always thought the III had a bit more sizzle
 
I find it very, very hard to believe a JP2C is any different than a IIC+, all things being correct in both amps:

Dialed in right
No worn components/out-of-tolerance/bad caps/etc.
tubes

For the simple fact that the man himself has his name on it, and as we all know, no one else does. He wouldn't have signed off on it until it was right. And when it comes to tone, he's pretty damn discernible!

I mean, how do we know that someone making a comparison on YT, isn't aware that something's not right on the IIC+ they're using, (they're what, 40 years old?) and confirmation bias is making them say the OG sounds better?
 
TSJMajesty said:
I find it very, very hard to believe a JP2C is any different than a IIC+, all things being correct in both amps:

Dialed in right
No worn components/out-of-tolerance/bad caps/etc.
tubes

For the simple fact that the man himself has his name on it, and as we all know, no one else does. He wouldn't have signed off on it until it was right. And when it comes to tone, he's pretty damn discernible!

I mean, how do we know that someone making a comparison on YT, isn't aware that something's not right on the IIC+ they're using, (they're what, 40 years old?) and confirmation bias is making them say the OG sounds better?
Click to expand...
I’d argue that the lack of the dual drive controls on the JP2C is a significant difference when comparing to an OG 2C+. The interaction between those stages allows for textures that might not be achievable with the single gain knob - particularly if you aren’t using Petrucci amounts of gain.

That’s not a knock against the JP2C. I don’t think it was ever intended to be a 2C+ reissue, and it’s not.
 
EOengineer said:
I’d argue that the lack of the dual drive controls on the JP2C is a significant difference when comparing to an OG 2C+. The interaction between those stages allows for textures that might not be achievable with the single gain knob - particularly if you aren’t using Petrucci amounts of gain.

That’s not a knock against the JP2C. I don’t think it was ever intended to be a 2C+ reissue, and it’s not.
Click to expand...
Makes sense. I guess I was thinking of it in terms of how Petrucci dials his in. (I.e., is there any other way? :rofl )
 
GreatGreen said:
Ola makes the JP2C and IIC+ sound pretty similar. They are different, but they're honestly about as close as two amps can be without being actually identical.

Click to expand...

For a VERY specific application. I’d be interested in hearing comparisons for other types of tones. The 2C+ mid gain and cleans are awesome too.
 
EOengineer said:
I’d argue that the lack of the dual drive controls on the JP2C is a significant difference when comparing to an OG 2C+. The interaction between those stages allows for textures that might not be achievable with the single gain knob - particularly if you aren’t using Petrucci amounts of gain.

That’s not a knock against the JP2C. I don’t think it was ever intended to be a 2C+ reissue, and it’s not.
Click to expand...
They compensate for this on the jp2c with the pull gain. Most people that play metal on a IIc or III set the input volume at 7 or 8. So these are the two fixed values on the gain knob on the jp2c for pushed / pulled. Petrucci says it's a bona-fide 2c in his demo video and it's based on his favorite IIc he owns.

My preference would have been a 90w simulclass variant instead of the 100w jp2c, but that's also probably why I get along better with the VII than I did with the JP2C.
 
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