TGF Official Amp Mesa Boogie Mark series. Join the fun and get one today!

[maddnotez]

Honestly the Marks are all pretty close. The JP2C is fantastic. I have yet to play a Mark that didn’t give me the sound I was looking for.

Definitely more than usable. Wasnt the best tone in the world or anything but definitely great.

I will say it sat in a live mix in a spectrum better than any amp I've ever played in my life. Just very clear, cutting and very hard to explain but it was just in the perfect space of the audio spectrum if that makes any sense.

 

[Desertdweller]

Definitely more than usable. Wasnt the best tone in the world or anything but definitely great.

I will say it sat in a live mix in a spectrum better than any amp I've ever played in my life. Just very clear, cutting and very hard to explain but it was just in the perfect space of the audio spectrum if that makes any sense.

IDK the JP2C with shred mode engaged is pretty close to the best tone in the world in my book.

 

[maddnotez]

IDK the JP2C with shred mode engaged is pretty close to the best tone in the world in my book.

Have you played the Uber Ultra? It's one of those omfg amps for me.

The only other amp I've heard (not played) that sounded better was the unobtainable Tapp Marzain.

Would definitely put the JP2c in my top 5 though.

 

[Genghis]

I've had the JP2C and it was pretty badass.

I've played a few rectos and they were not my flavor at all but I have heard a buddy use a Single rectifier that sounded monstrous and also Killer tone made a couple vids of a dual and a maxon boost perhaps that sounded incredible.

Just couldn't ever get a recto to work for me but im interested in mark series amps. What would you say the best Mark is?

Based off random comments I've seen over the years it seems the masses like the Coliseum or the 2c++?

I’m have a JP2C and was fortunate enough to get an old school IIC+ from a friend locally for a great price. Any Mark will do well for you. I haven’t played any others, but I trust the lineage.

 

[nicolasrivera]

IDK the JP2C with shred mode engaged is pretty close to the best tone in the world in my book.

Yes, SHRED cust low end from the input into the first gain stage, also adding a bit of mid high freq. This can also and probably only be achieved in other MESAS with the MESA Flux Drive pedal.

 

[newholland]

Just got this Monday. Mark IIB SR with the MS-12 speaker, RP9C preamp board. It was listed as an 82, but looks like an 83 on the bottom of the chassis, plus the black knobs and 9C preamp lean late 82-early 83.

I played a Mark IVb wide combo with an EV for years, and traded it on a new Mark V 90 combo a couple years after they came out, that I stupidly sold a few years ago. I went to one of the Denver GCs that showed to have a used MkV in stock as well as a new VII. Got there and they sold the V, so I tried the VII, and this IIB was sitting next to it so I plugged in and WOW. I did like the IIB mode on the VII (liked other modes too, but would rather have the V for the tweed and MkI modes, wattage modes and solo volume). I quickly dialed in a nice clean tone. I left it though and after some research went back and made an offer the store manager accepted so I brought it home.

I have read on many forums that it's hard to get both a great clean and lead tone, and the lead mode gets pretty muddy. Not the case on this one, but I'm not a metal or chugga guy. I dialed the clean to sound exactly like my AN SSS. Even better when I ran it through the Hi-tone eclipse 2x12 with repro crescendos. I love this amp. It is in really great condition other than a bunch of dust that I cleaned up after I took those pics. I opened it up just to make sure there wasn't any funny business going on, and to see what rev the preamp was. Appears to have the original preamp tubes and it also has the sought after STR 454 power tubes. I have never owned a Mark w/o the GEQ, but not missing it at all on this one. And the reverb is great too.

Not sure if it has been serviced, but the caps appear to be in good shape with no bulging. I will check with MB to see if it has ever been sent in. I should get it checked out, anyone know of a good MB tech in the Denver area (had a great one in Dallas)? Also looking for recommendations on an after market head shell for down the road. I haven't gigged since I moved to Denver, so it's fine as a heavy ass combo for the house, but not sure I wasn't to lug it around when I finally get around to finding or starting a band.

i run my 81 iib through a fane and an ev- its a fantastic combo and dialed in right makes a great, but not less loud hiwatt-esque kranger.

im also in the camp that loves an eqless iib. meantime- you can absolutely get great cleans and dirt- use your volume knob, not the footswitch!

 

[spawnofthesith]

Just got my Mark III back from the amp tech with all new caps, a new screen resistor, and a few other cleanup items. The sound difference is less noise, more bottom end, and some of the fizzyness i was experiencing in the gain is gone. It sounds massive.

View attachment 49629

And of course I have to repost this pic of it:
View attachment 49630

Still can’t get over how clean and fresh your III looks

 

[Desertdweller]

Still can’t get over how clean and fresh your III looks

I have had such a great relationship with Mesa over the years. That was their doing, 100%. I called them up one day and talked with Rich for about half an hour about how I had a Mark III as a 'rescue' and needed some fix-me up stuff for it. We talked options and they sent me a great headshell with a bunch of hardware. It wasn't cheap, but they knew what I was trying to do. From my experience, Mesa has always been a class act as a company. I have a few stories from back when I was playing in bands and they were so gracious with both technical information and also with support for tubes and other oddities when I had amp issues at gigs and such. I was never anyone special and they always treated me well.

 

[newholland]

I have had such a great relationship with Mesa over the years. That was their doing, 100%. I called them up one day and talked with Rich for about half an hour about how I had a Mark III as a 'rescue' and needed some fix-me up stuff for it. We talked options and they sent me a great headshell with a bunch of hardware. It wasn't cheap, but they knew what I was trying to do. From my experience, Mesa has always been a class act as a company. I have a few stories from back when I was playing in bands and they were so gracious with both technical information and also with support for tubes and other oddities when I had amp issues at gigs and such. I was never anyone special and they always treated me well.

absolutely same for me. i bought a 50 cal around 1995 and absolutely ran the wheels off it LOUD. that amp torched a set of el84s once (and by that i mean I did by being negligent and not changing them) and i needed?

resistors. and a new quad of el84s.

back on the road for another 13 years.

any questions i ever had were a phone call away. just incredible service and nice people.