asookazian
Active member
I recently acquired a used Mesa Mark III green stripe head that sounds phenomenal (and I have a Marshall JCM 800 2205 and Mesa RK to compare this head too!).
The user manual I downloaded from Mesa web site only shows the model with the half/full power or class A/simul-class switch ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD. Mine has a half/full power switch ON THE FRONT OF THE HEAD, next to the standby and EQ switches. It is labeled Half (below switch) and Full (above switch). There is no switch on the front or back of the amp labeled "Class A".
One person on here posted me back earlier and said that I have the medium chassis, the manual is only referring to the short chassis. There is a simul-class sticker on the back of the amp. I called Petaluma and the tech there said the only way to know is to check the side(s) of the transformers and see if there is a simul-class sticker. I didn't see any sticker(s) as such but did not remove the amp chassis from the head cab to view from all angles.
Somebody else on here stated that all Mesa Mark III's are simul-class. I don't believe that b/c in the manual (page 5 of the online PDF version) it states the following:
"This is the 'Class A/Simul-Class' switch or the '60/100' switch, depending on amplifier type."
So my question is................
Is my green stripe amp a Simul-Class or not? In other words, when I switch to half-power on the front of the amp, is the head now in 60watts or Class A (only the outer-EL34 tubes are in use)? If it's in Class A, is it in 15 watts now? And then how many watts in full power mode?
I have a feeling half-power mode is Class A b/c it sounds completely different than in full power or my Marshall JCM 800 which is running two EL34's as well. Has very nice violin-like sustain in half-power mode. And sounds like a giant killer in full power when cranked to 5 on masters.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
thx.
The user manual I downloaded from Mesa web site only shows the model with the half/full power or class A/simul-class switch ON THE BACK OF THE HEAD. Mine has a half/full power switch ON THE FRONT OF THE HEAD, next to the standby and EQ switches. It is labeled Half (below switch) and Full (above switch). There is no switch on the front or back of the amp labeled "Class A".
One person on here posted me back earlier and said that I have the medium chassis, the manual is only referring to the short chassis. There is a simul-class sticker on the back of the amp. I called Petaluma and the tech there said the only way to know is to check the side(s) of the transformers and see if there is a simul-class sticker. I didn't see any sticker(s) as such but did not remove the amp chassis from the head cab to view from all angles.
Somebody else on here stated that all Mesa Mark III's are simul-class. I don't believe that b/c in the manual (page 5 of the online PDF version) it states the following:
"This is the 'Class A/Simul-Class' switch or the '60/100' switch, depending on amplifier type."
So my question is................
Is my green stripe amp a Simul-Class or not? In other words, when I switch to half-power on the front of the amp, is the head now in 60watts or Class A (only the outer-EL34 tubes are in use)? If it's in Class A, is it in 15 watts now? And then how many watts in full power mode?
I have a feeling half-power mode is Class A b/c it sounds completely different than in full power or my Marshall JCM 800 which is running two EL34's as well. Has very nice violin-like sustain in half-power mode. And sounds like a giant killer in full power when cranked to 5 on masters.
Any feedback would be appreciated.
thx.