Advice needed – Mesa amps!

[visualrocker69]

Hey everyone… (my first post!)

This summer, I’m going through a major upgrade of my equipment. I recently made up my mind on getting a MusicMan JP-6 model, preferably the BFR/F-1. Between its D-sonic/air norton pickup configuration, the coil tap, piezos, non-locking but nevertheless reliable tremolo bridge… the Petrucci model is undeniably the most versatile guitar on the market.

But I’m confused as hell on the amp side… Until recently, I was 100% sure I wanted a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier. When I was just starting to play guitar in 8th grade, one of my friends bought one of those with two 2x12” rectifier cabs…I had obsessed over it ever since.

But lately I’m having second thoughts. The Rectifier, by reputation, is like the EMG 81 of guitar amps. In other words, amazing for metal but very limited beyond that. It would be most unfortunate if I was using a guitar that I consider to be the pinnacle of versatility, while playing through a relatively limited amplifier. So, I have plenty of other options.

The problem is, I don’t understand them.

It looks like Mr. Petrucci has four amplifiers: Road King, Lone Star, Mark IIC+ and Mark IV. My question is…how do these compare to each other? What does John Petrucci use each for? What kinds of tones could I get with each?

I know he uses the Lone Star for cleans…and I vaguely remember that the Road King achieves versatility through switching multiple tube combinations…but beyond that I’m completely clueless.

Also, I did a budget projection, and after I buy the MMJP6 and a 2x12 mesa cab, I should have about $4084 remaining to spend on a head (or two). What are the prices (new) for each of these heads? What would be an average used price?

Keep in mind, my favorite albums of his are Images and Words, and Scenes from a Memory. If I remember correctly, he didn’t even use a rectifier on the latter, it was all Mark IIC+ and IV.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Bullen]

The RK of course is a rectifier, so it will get those sounds, but with better clean sounds (than your standard dual/triple recto) and a lot of different options to shape the tones. It´s a pretty versatile amp. JP used this amp for all tones on Train of Thought and the distorted sounds on Octavarium. It can be heard on the live DVD/CD Live at Budokan.

JP has used recto´s on most of the DT albums for different sounds. The first album he used one on was Awake, whre it was used in combination with the IIC+ for rhythm sounds, as well as for some lead tones. FII has some recto tones on it. SFAM has some recto leads and the song "The Glass Prison" from 6 degrees, is all recto.

The Mark IIC+ and the Mark IV are pretty similar. Great for liquid lead sounds and the old Metallica crunch sound. The IIC+ is slightly more aggressive and the Mark IV is darker and smoother. Compared to the recto´s, the Mark series amps are much tighter and more focused in the lead mode. It´s a midrangey amp, but the graphic eq can shape the sound for a more mid scooped tone if needed. The Mark IV is the most versatile amp of the two, but the IIC+ is the most sought after amp, but be prepared to pay a lot for it, if you can find one. Another Mark series amp to check out is the Mark III, capable of similar sounds, but usually cheaper.

The Marks have been the main JP sound for years. He´s used both the IIC+ and the Mark IV. The Mark IV seems be mainly used for lead tones, but the IIC+ has been used for both rhythm and leads (usually boosted with a OD pedal for lead sounds). For JP´s Mark IV sounds, listen to LTE 2 or the lead tone on the Once in a Livetime cd and Live Scenes in NY cd/DVD (the IIC+ is the main rhythm sound on these).
For IIC+ sounds, listen to the 2nd disc of 6 degrees of inner turbulence or SFAM, but the amp is used on every DT album from Awake to 6 degrees.

JP uses the Lone Star for clean sounds mainly. It has a great clean sound. But it won´t really do metal sounds, even though it has a pretty good lead tone.

I&W was probably either a Mesa Quad preamp or a Mesa Triaxis preamp (I think it was the Quad since it was recorded right before the Triaxis officially came out, and JP had a Quad in his rack the year before) through a Mesa power amp.
SFAM was the IIC+ mainly, but the Mark IV and Dual recto was used as well. A Formula preamp was used for clean sounds.

I prefer the Mark series tone. And in my opinion that is the tone JP is known for.

 

[visualrocker69]

JP uses the Lone Star for clean sounds mainly. It has a great clean sound. But it won´t really do metal sounds, even though it has a pretty good lead tone.

Can the Lone Star get a nice crunchy sound? Like Fender Twin or something like that~

 

[Bullen]

Yes, I believe it can get that vintage crunch sound, the clean is quite fender like.

 

[bluntage]

The Lonestar has a very nice high gain lead and vintage crunch sound, however it is decidedly retro, or classic, if you prefer... no modern gain tones available.