help me decide please!

[webstersp]

Well I'm usin a single rectifier with JJ tubes and a 4x12 mesa cab with black shadows (picture below). My guitar is a EC 1000 with seymour duncan.
I don't hate my sound but I'm not in love with it either. I would like to have a more versatile amp.
My main band is playing punk rock (like Nofx, Strung Out, Pennywise kind of sound) with big power chords but I also need a good ska sound... . I'm also playin in a metallica cover band and doin AC/DC, Guns old hard rock with some friends in bar sometimes.
There is no way for me to try any mesa amps in town so I will have to buy it on ebay or drive pretty far to find my holy grail amp!!

By listening on the net (sites like netmusicians) in my price range the Mesa mark IV seems to be a great choice. Others that sounds great like the engl etc are out of price for me. Would it be a good choice?
And should I keep my cab and buy the head or by the 1x12 combo with another 1x12??
Thanks for your help!

 

[MikeK]

Have you thought about swapping out two of the speakers in your cab? I've heard that those C90's pair nicely with some vintage celestions or if you can spring for a couple of alnicos I know you'll be surprised with the how much they can improve the sound. Blending different types of speakers is a great way to get better tone out of your rig. Besides that way you'll have a bitchn' cab even if you do decide to go to a different head. Just a thought.

 

[camsna]

The Mk IV is certainly a possibility.

But I can NAIL those sounds (NOFX, Metallica, Ska [two-tone, 3rd wave, ...]) with my Mk III. And many others. Gotta recommend it!