help me please!!!
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MJ Slaughter
Well-known member
You might look at either a DC-5 or DC-3. You'll find plenty of information in the Vintage Amps section about both. I've read from others that the gain on the DC is a cross between the M4 and Duel Rect. What is it about the Mark IV that you like the most?
If you let us know what sound you're after I'm sure someone will suggest something. $600 is possible but will take some looking. Do you want a head, combo, rack or does it matter?
If you let us know what sound you're after I'm sure someone will suggest something. $600 is possible but will take some looking. Do you want a head, combo, rack or does it matter?
HalfDeaf
Well-known member
$600 is really not enough cash to get into a pro-quality amp like a mkiv.
If that's the sound you want, really the only option at $600 would be to get a very good deal on a used mark III. I've seen them on craigslist before for as low as $600 here in Cal, but its pretty rare. Usually they are around $750-$900 (depends on options and version - get one with a GEQ).
Also, beware of buying used amps that are priced much lower than normal - often there is a reason for the price, usually tubes. Replacing tubes is not too bad. Other problems can be expensive - if the output transformer is shot from playing the amp with no speakers, for example.
If that's the sound you want, really the only option at $600 would be to get a very good deal on a used mark III. I've seen them on craigslist before for as low as $600 here in Cal, but its pretty rare. Usually they are around $750-$900 (depends on options and version - get one with a GEQ).
Also, beware of buying used amps that are priced much lower than normal - often there is a reason for the price, usually tubes. Replacing tubes is not too bad. Other problems can be expensive - if the output transformer is shot from playing the amp with no speakers, for example.
MJ Slaughter
Well-known member
PRS24 said:
The DC-10 is great and fairly versatile considering it's a two channel amp. I have the head version and run it into a 2x12 Mesa 3/4 back cabinet with great results. Tight and very nice tone both clean and overdriven.
Finding one for $600 for the head alone will not be easy and I'd question its condition. If you don't already have the speakers then you could be looking at well over $1000 for one cab and the head.
Setzer
Well-known member
As mentioned already your gonna have to spend quite a while looking for a Mesa within your budget,they just dont really go for that kind of price and if you find any as already said they are going to be in less than perfect condition.
Could you not spend a bit of time saving to bump up your budget by a couple of hundred dollars and then you will be able to get something decent?
Could you not spend a bit of time saving to bump up your budget by a couple of hundred dollars and then you will be able to get something decent?
Be patient. Scrape, save & cut back on other things. Sell some crap that you don't use or need. Temporarily take on an extra job if you must. Then go ahead, spend the extra $ and buy the amp that you really want in the first place. In the long run, you'll be better off, and you'll be much happier. Otherwise, later down the road, you'll still be wishing that you had that amp you really wanted. That's been my experience, anyways...
I've had 2 Mark IV's. They are some of the most revered amps that Mesa has ever put out.
That being said, if you don't have time for shared EQ's, constant tweaking of tone depending on the day or room, and a 3rd channel that can only get you Rolling Stones tones......
Get a DC-5 or DC-10. I had a head to head shootout between my last Mark IV and my DC-10. It was a close battle, much blood was spilled! :lol:
In the end, the DC won for these reasons:
Much nicer cleans - the DC cleans are very close to my Twin Reverb, but with the chime of a Super Reverb. The Mark IV's cleans were good, but they lacked character and the amp did not seem to "Breathe" as much as the DC.
Deeper Reverb - The DC's Reverb is hands down better and thicker than the Mark IV's.
Better Distortion - For my needs, the DC has better distortion as well. It is very similar to the Mark's, but seems to also "Breathe" more. It just felt more natural to me. The Mark has tons of gain and sustain, but it always felt like the amp was not relaxed enough if that makes sense. Sort of like it was being forced to sound a way that it was not comfortable with.
Easier to dial in - I used my last Mark IV for about 3 months with the band I had at the time. We always practiced in the same location, and set up the same way. The amp never sounded the same more than twice. Sometimes it would get lost in the mix, so I had to adjust the mix, other times, it was too loud, etc.
The DC is simple, and it is extremely easy to dial in a great tone that will sound great the next time, and the time after that.
I hated R2 - Lots of guys here have great luck with R2, but most of them use pedals. I wanted an amp that didn't need pedals to sound good.
I did really like the Mark IV, but I feel that the DC is a better amp for these reasons. Plus, it is about 1/3 of the price. Don't get caught up in the hype that you need a Mark amp. The DC's are extremely similar and more rare, so you can easily get a signature sound that not many people can replicate.
Paintballnsk has a DC-10 head for $800. I just picked one up for $700 because it was too good of a deal to pass up. A DC-5 will be almost as loud, but will not have the bottom end that a DC-10 has. Either amp is incredible. I have 2 DC-10's, 1 DC-5, and 1 DC-3. I've owned almost every Mesa model and these are my favorites. I still want another Heartbreaker and a Maverick too!
Hope this helps. Save the money and get a DC so that you can afford a cab too!
Avatar cabs are dirt cheap and sound great. http://www.avatarspeakers.com/
That being said, if you don't have time for shared EQ's, constant tweaking of tone depending on the day or room, and a 3rd channel that can only get you Rolling Stones tones......
Get a DC-5 or DC-10. I had a head to head shootout between my last Mark IV and my DC-10. It was a close battle, much blood was spilled! :lol:
In the end, the DC won for these reasons:
Much nicer cleans - the DC cleans are very close to my Twin Reverb, but with the chime of a Super Reverb. The Mark IV's cleans were good, but they lacked character and the amp did not seem to "Breathe" as much as the DC.
Deeper Reverb - The DC's Reverb is hands down better and thicker than the Mark IV's.
Better Distortion - For my needs, the DC has better distortion as well. It is very similar to the Mark's, but seems to also "Breathe" more. It just felt more natural to me. The Mark has tons of gain and sustain, but it always felt like the amp was not relaxed enough if that makes sense. Sort of like it was being forced to sound a way that it was not comfortable with.
Easier to dial in - I used my last Mark IV for about 3 months with the band I had at the time. We always practiced in the same location, and set up the same way. The amp never sounded the same more than twice. Sometimes it would get lost in the mix, so I had to adjust the mix, other times, it was too loud, etc.
The DC is simple, and it is extremely easy to dial in a great tone that will sound great the next time, and the time after that.
I hated R2 - Lots of guys here have great luck with R2, but most of them use pedals. I wanted an amp that didn't need pedals to sound good.
I did really like the Mark IV, but I feel that the DC is a better amp for these reasons. Plus, it is about 1/3 of the price. Don't get caught up in the hype that you need a Mark amp. The DC's are extremely similar and more rare, so you can easily get a signature sound that not many people can replicate.
Paintballnsk has a DC-10 head for $800. I just picked one up for $700 because it was too good of a deal to pass up. A DC-5 will be almost as loud, but will not have the bottom end that a DC-10 has. Either amp is incredible. I have 2 DC-10's, 1 DC-5, and 1 DC-3. I've owned almost every Mesa model and these are my favorites. I still want another Heartbreaker and a Maverick too!
Hope this helps. Save the money and get a DC so that you can afford a cab too!
Avatar cabs are dirt cheap and sound great. http://www.avatarspeakers.com/
mr_fender
Well-known member
Monsta-Tone said:
Maybe my MKIV is different that yours, but this is SO not true. Rhythm 2 does take a bit more work, but it is a very flexible channel. R2 sounds particularly good with a strat. As for the shared EQ, only the Bass and Mids are shared on R1 and R2. Both have separate treble, gain, and presence controls, which are much more critical in shaping the overal tone of these channels. It has never been a problem for me.
That said, the DC's are indeed fine amps as well. They are voiced very similarly to the Mark series amps.
Over the years, I've gotten away from the idea of having separate clean, crunch, and lead channels. They all overlap and there are so many great tones found in those in-between spots. More times than not, I just roll the volume back on my guitar to clean a tone up a bit. It makes for more dynamic playing. It would be great to have fender cleans, marshall crunch, and boogie leads all perfectly combined into one great amp, but it usually doesn't end up working that way. That's why so many pro's use separate amps for different tones and use a/b boxes or amp switchers to change "channels".
A
Anonymous
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thanks for the help. lol idk weather to save up or not now lol. i would like the amp sooner then later because my curent amp is not working for my band and giging situation. but i listen to lots of chevelle and i love the tones they can get. can the dc-10 get that sort of a tone at all.
Well, I have to agree with you. As I had the same problem. I craved for Mark IV... but also could not afford it. So I found this DC-10... that some say is a descendant of Recto father and Mark IV mother. So I searched for it and after 2 months of searching I found one in Italy and went for it. I must say I am blown away. Everything you say about M4 sound is true (except the CH3... you can get good lead sound out of it, but it takes time). But DC-10 combo on top of 4x12 cab... Like an avalanche of great sound! Cleans are one of the best, and the saturation w/EQ is so versatile that you can get that Puppets shred and that Justice cream... I am totally in love with my DC-10.Monsta-Tone said:
So I also suggest, take your time, scrape more cash and go for DC10, you won't be sorry.
Well, I have to agree with you. As I had the same problem. I craved for Mark IV... but also could not afford it. So I found this DC-10... that some say is a descendant of Recto father and Mark IV mother. So I searched for it and after 2 months of searching I found one in Italy and went for it. I must say I am blown away. Everything you say about M4 sound is true (except the CH3... you can get good lead sound out of it, but it takes time). But DC-10 combo on top of 4x12 cab... Like an avalanche of great sound! Cleans are one of the best, and the saturation w/EQ is so versatile that you can get that Puppets shred and that Justice cream... I am totally in love with my DC-10.Monsta-Tone said:
So I also suggest, take your time, scrape more cash and go for DC10, you won't be sorry.
http://instruments.shop.ebay.com/items/Guitar-Amplifiers__mesa-dc-case_W0QQ_nkwZmesaQ20dcQ20Q2dcaseQQQ5ftrkparmsZ72Q253A1205Q257C39Q253A1Q257C66Q253A2Q257C65Q253A12QQ_fromfsbZ0QQ_sacatZ38072QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQ_sopZ10QQ_scZ1
Here are the ebay listings for DC's.
From what I've seen, the prices are approximately:
DC-3 A version (1 button footswitch) $500 to $600
DC-3 B Version (2 button footswitch) $550 to $700
DC-5 A Version (1 button footswitch w/LED's on the front) $450 to $600
DC-5 B Version (2 button footswitch) $550 to $700
DC-10 Any Version (both A & B are very similar and have 2 button footswitch) $650 to $900
The A versions of each amp are great amps, no matter what some people here say. They are easy to mod up to B version specs and then you have the same amp for less money.
The prices are subject to ebay and Boogie Board, and have a tendency to be somewhere in those ranges that I put above. Usually, you can get a better price here than ebay. I have also found that guys here usually take better care of their equipment than the guys on ebay. They usually take better care when packaging things as well.
If you can't afford the Mark, try one of these 1st. They all have enough power to play with a band. I used a DC-3 in a Classic Rock band with an extremely loud drummer for a year and loved it. I did use an EV Thiele under it though.
Here is how the tones are to me:
DC-3 Great for Classic Rock, Funk, Blues, not enough headroom for Jazz or Country.
DC-5 Great for Classic Rock, Funk, Blues, Metal, Country, Jazz.
DC-10 Great Swiss Army Knife amp, good for just about any kind of music. Definitely has enough thump to rival a Recto or Mark IV, and enough Clean headroom to melt a Twin Reverb down. I have my DC-10 combo sitting right next to my Twin Reverb and the Twin rarely, if ever, gets turned on.
Here are the ebay listings for DC's.
From what I've seen, the prices are approximately:
DC-3 A version (1 button footswitch) $500 to $600
DC-3 B Version (2 button footswitch) $550 to $700
DC-5 A Version (1 button footswitch w/LED's on the front) $450 to $600
DC-5 B Version (2 button footswitch) $550 to $700
DC-10 Any Version (both A & B are very similar and have 2 button footswitch) $650 to $900
The A versions of each amp are great amps, no matter what some people here say. They are easy to mod up to B version specs and then you have the same amp for less money.
The prices are subject to ebay and Boogie Board, and have a tendency to be somewhere in those ranges that I put above. Usually, you can get a better price here than ebay. I have also found that guys here usually take better care of their equipment than the guys on ebay. They usually take better care when packaging things as well.
If you can't afford the Mark, try one of these 1st. They all have enough power to play with a band. I used a DC-3 in a Classic Rock band with an extremely loud drummer for a year and loved it. I did use an EV Thiele under it though.
Here is how the tones are to me:
DC-3 Great for Classic Rock, Funk, Blues, not enough headroom for Jazz or Country.
DC-5 Great for Classic Rock, Funk, Blues, Metal, Country, Jazz.
DC-10 Great Swiss Army Knife amp, good for just about any kind of music. Definitely has enough thump to rival a Recto or Mark IV, and enough Clean headroom to melt a Twin Reverb down. I have my DC-10 combo sitting right next to my Twin Reverb and the Twin rarely, if ever, gets turned on.
I forgot to mention that the prices will also be determined by the condition that the amp is in.The lower prices are usually for a beat up or dirty, or non-working amp. I have bought a few in the last couple of years that needed new tolex, but everything functioned perfectly on them.
If you can find any Mesa in non-working condition for a good price, provided that the boards are not burned up inside, then it is definitely worth it. They are very much worth fixing up.
MJ Slaughter
Well-known member
I can't believe it but there are currently a DC-3 head, DC-5 head and DC-10 head on eBay. DC-5 has a buy it now of $650. Maybe that would work for you PRS24.
MJ Slaughter
Well-known member
PRS24 said:
Essentially yes. Both sound great. I owned a DC-5 combo but sold it when I got a DC-10 head. The biggest different I noticed is the sound was more massive with a little more low end thump with the DC-10. Though I am running my DC-10 into a 2x12 cabinet where the DC-5 was a 1x12 combo with open back, when I did my comparison it was with the same speaker cabinet. I only got the DC-10 head because I couldn't find a DC-5 head anywhere and the DC-10 was available locally. Otherwise I would have been happy the DC-5.
The amp will hold its value so if you bought the DC-5 today and kept it in good condition you could always sell it for what you bought it for.
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