Thinking about buying a Mark III; Am I crazy?

[wharf rat]

Looking at a local Mark III Red Stripe. Non Simul Class. No Reverb. $1450.

Good deal or should I look for Simul Class w/ Reverb?

 

[spawnofthesith]

I would get that ASAP. That is the cheapest III I’ve seen regardless of features in years. Even the most stripped down versions have gotten stipid expensive

 

[wharf rat]

I would get that ASAP. That is the cheapest III I’ve seen regardless of features in years. Even the most stripped down versions have gotten stipid expensive

I'm seeing them on Reverb for ~$2200 or so, but Simul Class and Reverb.

Is that stuff worth the extra coin or do I just grab a reverb pedal and call it good?

 

[spawnofthesith]

Simul class is cool, but not necessary for ripping mark III tones imo, and yeah there’s plenty of great reverb options out there

A lot of people also try and sell their 100/60 mark IIis as simul class but that isn’t the case. The simul class ones are only 75 watt (or like 15 watt or something when switches into class A mode)

 

[RaceU4her]

definitely a good deal

 

[la szum]

Do it! Then you need to get on it and go for a ride. Such a muscular amp!

 

[wharf rat]

Yea, my only hesitancy is that the models on Reverb right now are not that much more expensive. Looking at $2k-2500 at the moment, which isn't far off.

I guess I don't completely understand what Simul Class is, and how it differs from non Simul Class. Is having it better than not having it?

I do think that not having reverb will be annoying, but I guess that means I get to spend some money on a nice reverb pedal / unit. Ha.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Yea, my only hesitancy is that the models on Reverb right now are not that much more expensive. Looking at $2k-2500 at the moment, which isn't far off.

I guess I don't completely understand what Simul Class is, and how it differs from non Simul Class. Is having it better than not having it?

I do think that not having reverb will be annoying, but I guess that means I get to spend some money on a nice reverb pedal / unit. Ha.

I mean with shipping and tax you'd still save at least $1k. But if you want fully loaded I get it. I guess those over $2k prices are just hard for me to stomach, because not that long ago no one cared about Mark IIIs and you could find them for $800 all day. But they are definitely worthy amps


Simulclass you've got 4 power tubes in there, one pair is running class A/B and the other is running Class A and total output wattage is 75 watts. There's also a switch to run it just in Class A and that drops you down to around 25 watts


I would definitely snag this. I had a red stripe head (non simul class, but IIRC it had reverb). It's definitely in the top 3-5 amps I miss out of the 30+ Ive gone through over the years lol.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I wouldn't care about the reverb at all. Simulclass, perhaps? But that price is nice compared to the current going rate I'd rather have the head though. OTOH; beggars can't be choosers so

 

[la szum]

Just to add, Simul-Class also allows running a pair of EL34s with a pair of 6L6s in the amp.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Buy it and sell it on if you dont dig it. Can be hard to find nice examples of these amps at a good price, and you'll never know until its in your hands. Will be a doddle to sell without making a loss and can probably make a few quid if you don't want to keep it.

This thread is making me think I got an absolute steal on my Black Dot w/ simulclass/reverb/export transformer/EVM12L

 

[wharf rat]

Buy it and sell it on if you dont dig it. Can be hard to find nice examples of these amps at a good price, and you'll never know until its in your hands. Will be a doddle to sell without making a loss and can probably make a few quid if you don't want to keep it.

This thread is making me think I got an absolute steal on my Black Dot w/ simulclass/reverb/export transformer/EVM12L

I think good deals are there for sure, you just have to wait some of these folks out.

A few years back I bought a full blown 90W Mark V 1x12 combo for $1300, which I thought was an incredible deal. When I went to sell it stupidly, I had to effectively sell it for what I paid for it. Amps are oddly difficult to sell.

 

[dk_ace]

As long as it works properly (which should be verified), you probably won’t lose anything to try it out and sell it if it doesn’t work for you in the long run.

D

 

[spawnofthesith]

I think good deals are there for sure, you just have to wait some of these folks out.

A few years back I bought a full blown 90W Mark V 1x12 combo for $1300, which I thought was an incredible deal. When I went to sell it stupidly, I had to effectively sell it for what I paid for it. Amps are oddly difficult to sell.

There's a Mark III head + 2x12 thats been sitting on my craigslist for an eternity listed for $4k

Doesn't even have an EQ. That is one feature I wouldn't want to be without on a III. I just don't think the amp sounds very good with it disengaged. This is the drivel he has in the add regarding eq though:

"Non-EQ version - the GEQ's are best for bragging on a chat room but the non-EQ's are the best for tone. No electron flux cross-talk traveling back and forth across the pre-amp board between the slider inductors and G board mounted on the far side of the chassis."

 

[la szum]

I think good deals are there for sure, you just have to wait some of these folks out.

A few years back I bought a full blown 90W Mark V 1x12 combo for $1300, which I thought was an incredible deal. When I went to sell it stupidly, I had to effectively sell it for what I paid for it. Amps are oddly difficult to sell.

Yup. My 1st Mark V was a combo at $1250. Traded it for some cash and a Budda Superdrive 90 head. Have a Mark V head now.

I'd never ship a Mark series combo amp. EVER!

 

[la szum]

There's a Mark III head + 2x12 thats been sitting on my craigslist for an eternity listed for $4k

Doesn't even have an EQ. That is one feature I wouldn't want to be without on a III. I just don't think the amp sounds very good with it disengaged. This is the drivel he has in the add regarding eq though:

"Non-EQ version - the GEQ's are best for bragging on a chat room but the non-EQ's are the best for tone. No electron flux cross-talk traveling back and forth across the pre-amp board between the slider inductors and G board mounted on the far side of the chassis."

That's absurd!