Blue Stripe?

[braintheory]

Today I just got a 60 Watt Mark III Blue Stripe and it sounds phenomenal. This is possibly the most underrated amp ever. The stripe on the back looks bluish, but I wanted to make sure it actually is a blue stripe. The serial number on the back is 24954. Is it actually a blue stripe?

 

[kdorsey]

Unless it's a dark blue stripe, it's probably a green stripe. See this thread for details. Plus, see the last post in there with a link to the ultimate determination of blue/green stripe identification.

As you'll find out, this is not an underrated amp. In fact, the MkIII is considered the mode aggressive Mk ever made. Great stuff!

 

[zodiac272]

of course I could be wrong, but I think all green stripe are Simul-class wired in pentode for more output. They were kind of the precursor to the mk IV. so a 60 watt can't be a green stripe, so you do have a Blue stripe. Nice amp... any pics to post?

scott

 

[MrMarkIII]

Hey, I have 24953. It's a small world after all...
Mine's a green stripe Simul.
I think zodiac is right, all late period 60 watters are blue stripes, and all later Simuls are green. In other words, if it's a green stripe, it's got to be a Simul.
Blue, green, Simul or not, just slightly different flavors that have more similarities than differences. Great amps!

 

[braintheory]

I'm actually not 100% sure my mark iii is 60 watts. I bought the amp used at my local guitar center and it said on their website that it is a blue stripe and 60 watts. I'll check later if it says anywhere on my amp wether it's 60 watts or not. Also my amp does have simul class. Do the blue and green stripe versions really sound that different from eachother?

 

[MrPolatis3]

Hi there,
regarding the Mark III stripes , here are my thoughts, taking into account that I only owned a Green Stripe and a Purple stripe, using same tubes (preamp and power tubes)
Green stripe : the lead channel was well balanced, pretty grainy and focused. Changing preamp tubes in V1 and V3 brang a noticeable different color.

Purple Stripe : huge load of gain, typically the John Sykes tone, creamy tone but less dark than the C+ searing lead benchmark tone.

Both amps were different animals, I sold them both and eventually bought again a GS chassis last autumn. Definitely, the GS sounded had more focus and less compression than the PS.

These are my raw thoughts, that being said , I never played a Dot, Red or Blue stripe.
Keep in mind that tubes are a great matter too. Loading a RCA or a Mullard in V1 will change the grain. More important, power tubes will have an noticeable impact on the overall tightness.

Hope it helps a bit,

 

[zodiac272]

Hey,

If you only have 2 output tubes, its a 60 watt. If it has 4 tubes, then it can be simul or a 100 watt, but most late model MK III with 4 tubes are simul. I'm sure there isn't a huge difference from blue to green, except for the green is wired in pentode and that gives a bit more power. Wait, you said your amp has simul class? then it could be a green stripe, especially with a green stripe 1 SN less than yours . I guess if you can't tell the color of the stripe, then somehow check to see if it's wired in pentode. Gut pics would help so other members that know, can see the wiring and maybe figure it out. I'm not that cool to figure that out. but looks like you may have a green

did you see these:

http://homepage.mac.com/mesaboogie/dot.html

scott

 

[braintheory]

My mark iii has 4 power tubes, so I guess it's probably 100 watts. But again do the green and blue stripes sound that different? Hopefully, someone on this forum has played both. I heard the blue is the most aggressive sounding one, but my mark iii, which seems more likely to be green, is very biting and aggressive. I think my mark iii is also more likely to be a green stripe because it seems to have tons of clean headroom.

 

[MrMarkIII]

There is much misinformation about what Mesa's Simul-Class is and how it works.
Mark II and most Mark III Simul-Class amps put out 75 watts, not 100 watts. The last version of the Mark III (green stripe) and all Mark IVs are 85 watts.
In "Class A", the green stripes put out 25 watts. All other stripes are 15 watts.
The 60/100 watt option simply turns off two of the four 6L6s. 60/100 amps use all 6L6s only. Some amps may have the 60/100 option, some amps Simul-Class, but not both in the same amp. Never.

In Simul-Class, the amp must use two 6L6s in the inner tube sockets for 60 watts Class A/B, and two EL-34s (or 6L6s) in the outer sockets for 15 or 25 watts in so-called Class A. So, on a Mark III Simul-Class amp, when the switch is UP ("Simul-Class"), you get 75 or 85 watts (green stripe). This is all four power tubes. Switch DOWN ("Class A"), is 15 or 25 watts, again depending on the stripe. Only the outer pair is on.

I have used a blue stripe for twenty years, a green stripe for two. The differences between the two are small but audible. As mentioned above, the green stripe has 10 more watts, so there's a bit more headroom. The reason is the outer pair of power tubes is wired in pentode (blue stripes are triode). The blue stripe, in comparison, sounds a bit more compressed and breaks up earlier. This gives it a bit of a spongier feel.

But there's also more distortion, because the outer pair of power tubes start to clip at 12-15 watts, not the 25 of the green stripe.

To me, it's the difference between milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Both good, both chocolate, just slightly different taste and texture. Or Mounds and Almond Joy. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. If either got stolen, I could live with the other, but I'd still look for a replacement.

 

[braintheory]

MrMarkIII, I found your last post to be extremely helpful. But some people also say that the mark iii green stripe is similar to the mark iv. I played the mark iv several times and to me they sound nothing alike. The IV sounded much smoother, less biting, less aggressive, less raw, and more gainy, compressed, and creamy. Why do some people say they are similar?

 

[MrMarkIII]

Because the power tubes are wired in pentode on both the green stripe and the Mk IV.
I agree with your description of the mark IV's tone.
"... smoother, less biting, less aggressive, less raw, and more gainy, compressed, and creamy...."

 

[Neptical]

I'm sure your 'blue' sounds quite well my friend. :wink:

The III's are smokin' amps--no doubt about it.
I didn't really notice that much of difference between my purple and red until throwing them down in a studio mix. Although, much the same flavor, it's just a variation.

I gotta agree with your comment as well on the mark iv vs. mark iii. Not that there's better or worse, it's really just a matter of preference. But for real, the iii definitely has a more 'in your face' aggressiveness that the iv I feel lacks.

~Nep~

 

[SonicProvocateur]

I agree Nep. While the IV, while having serious chest pumping compression and that sweet Mark tone, just didn't do it for me. I guess i'm just too attached to my face melting blue stripe. I do like how well refined the Mark IV is though...it seems to want to record better than the III...though that just may be me?

 

[kdorsey]

I'm sure your 'blue' sounds quite well my friend. :wink:

Nep (Dain) your being awfully kind with your words these days.
My Mark III loving friend when you coming to fulfill your promised visit?
You can bring your purple stripe and compare it to my purple stripe.
And don't forget the pizza. Is your kind offer to wipe the grease off my face still on the table?
We can go for a little skate too. I'll have the hockey sticks ready and waiting.

Hey you two, get a room! :lol: