Difference between Mark III Stripes?

[pastorofmuppets]

Hi, I know there are many topics around here asking similar questions but I want to know specifically what the difference between each of the stripes is. I want as close as I can get to the "Master of Puppets" - "And Justice For All" sound as I can get and eventually I will mold it and shape it into my own sound. Everyone says to try them out or they all will work but like Jackel said, I don't want to buy one and not have what I want. I've heard to not get a black, purple, or blue stripe for this sound, how come? Thanks for any info.

 

[edward]

Lots in the archives on this. The Search is your friend

Edward

 

[carlosasi]

dude,

Al girls are great all mark iii's are great.

 

[AustinK]

You wont find a mark III that can't nail that tone. Don't get caught up in the stripes because changing the tubes will make a bigger difference in sound compared to buying a different stripe. Remember it is the same amp, it was just made in different times of production.

 

[pastorofmuppets]

Well I've heard that the black has a more aggressive fuzzy distortion, the red has a tighter smooth heavy distortion, and the green has better cleans. So really can any stripe sound just like another with settings and different tubes? I have MetallicA's actual settings from MOP for their IIC+ and AJFA for their quad. I know the quad is a IIC+ and the III together so I figure if I can get the best amp to get as close as I can I won't have to find whole new setting to get closer.

 

[JOEY B.]

I have MetallicA's actual settings from MOP for their IIC+ and AJFA for their quad. I know the quad is a IIC+ and the III together so I figure if I can get the best amp to get as close as I can I won't have to find whole new setting to get closer.

Just because you have their settings does not mean that a C+ or quad will nail their tone, nevermind which stripe MkIII. There are many studio variables that are not mentioned, much less the person doing the playing. I can set up my ideal tone, then hand the guitar to a better guitar player, and wonder what happened to my ideal tone. Get the picture? This is not to say that you cannot play better than James or Kirk, just that everyone's playing style affects tone in a different way. With all that said, I'd go for the ultra rare orange stripe MkIII :wink: .

 

[AustinK]

while the green does have louder cleans the distortion differences between the stripes is very subtle and only noticable if you a/b the amps. Either way the mark III is a great amp regardless of the stripes. And yes all of the stripes can get a Metallica sound.

 

[MrMarkIII]

Look at it this way: If there was a big difference in sound between the various stripes, Mesa would have changed the model name, and they wouldn't all be Mark IIIs.
All the "cork-sniffer" experts may claim to tell the oh-so-subtle differences in a blind-folded taste test, but changing speakers and tubes will have a more dramatic effect on your sound.
Oh, yeah, and your fingers.

 

[pastorofmuppets]

Ok, thanks guys. Now does anyone want to sell me one? Has to have EQ, presence, and simul-class and can only be a red or green stripe.
Just kidding guys, I'm just messing around.

 

[Paul Secondino]

Any of the Mark 3's will do. Keep in mind that Metallica is long noted as running the 2C+ preamp out to a Marshall head . Then after that, they scooped the hell out of the midrange

Getting back to Mark 3's the biggest difference I have heard was between a Mark 3 coliseum head and every other Mark 3. The Mark 3 coliseum I played was very bright and was John Syke's signature sound on the big White Snake album. But it still sounds like a Mark 3.

Also, I have two Blue stripe Mark 3's and even they don't sound "exactly" alike. Get a blue , red , purple or green and you'll end up at pretty much the same place. In fact, the best mark 3 clean I heard so far was from a Purple stripe and not a green. Go figure

 

[pastorofmuppets]

Any of the Mark 3's will do. Keep in mind that Metallica is long noted as running the 2C+ preamp out to a Marshall head . Then after that, they scooped the hell out of the midrange

Getting back to Mark 3's the biggest difference I have heard was between a Mark 3 coliseum head and every other Mark 3. The Mark 3 coliseum I played was very bright and was John Syke's signature sound on the big White Snake album. But it still sounds like a Mark 3.

Also, I have two Blue stripe Mark 3's and even they don't sound "exactly" alike. Get a blue , red , purple or green and you'll end up at pretty much the same place. In fact, the best mark 3 clean I heard so far was from a Purple stripe and not a green. Go figure

Yeah, I've always heard of MetallicA slaving the IIC+ to a JCM800 but according to the Legendary Flemming Rasmussen they only did that for the Mater of Puppets song, not the whole album. I'm trying as hard as I can to get the new Randy Rhoads Marshall, then I'll be in the market for a Mark III.
R.I.P. Randy Rhoads

Also, how well does the Mark III do Satriani and Pantera (Cowboys From Hell)? Satch's sound seems to have a more fuzzy ripping sound (might be more mids) and dime's has a more razor sharp amazing sound. I know he uses solid state but how do these work for it?

 

[Paul Secondino]

I have a few Satch albums and most of the guitar tones sound like they were recorded direct. I know there are times when Satch uses his amps through a palmer DI but I dont know all the times he does it as opposed to micing.

To me, most of Surfing with The Alien sounds direct and sounds pretty bad in my opinion. But anyway, I think most of Satch's stuff was Marshall with boost pedals for leads. The Mark 3 is something like a hot rodded Marhsall and can do the sounds fairly well.

DImebag's sound was all about solid state and eqing the hell out of it. I'm not sure how to get that sound with the Mark 3 but you can dime the gain and scoop the EQ to get into the ball bark.