I don't understand something (Mark III related)

[BMcNibbnles]

Just got a Red Stripe Mark III head.... graphic EQ, reverb, simulclass. Before I got the amp, I would read about how you can't get a great lead tone AND a great clean tone. Well, not to be an ***, but what the hell are these people talking about? This amp is magnificent. It's true that you can't go from a metal tone to, say, a Joe Pass/ Jazz hollowbody tone (unless you crank your tone down on the guitar), but you can most certainly go from blistering lead to CHIMEY clean very easily. I don't understand the problem here.

I also think the other rhythm channel is completely bad ***. I went from playing Cliffs of Dover and Seek and Destroy (lead channel) to the clean intro of Pull Me Under (clean channel) to Sweet Home Alabama (the other rhythm channel.... R2?) and the amp sounded AMAZING for all three tones - and, I didn't have to change one setting on the amp. The most I had to do was change my pickup on the guitar for the clean tone.... but, I do that with any guitar/ amp combination, anyway.

Amazing amp. I actually like it way more than the Mark V. The effects loop rocks, too.

 

[MrMarkIII]

I've never understood it, either. I bought a Mark IV once, to see what the so-called "No-More-Shared-EQ" improvement was. I always ended up tweaking it to sound like my Mark III anyway, so it went. It was much more fragile and much less roadworthy, to boot. (Hint, hint, it's the stoopid foot switch).

 

[BMcNibbnles]

Yeah.... the Mark IV is cool because everything is independent, but the overall tone doesn't compare to the III. I find it very dark, compressed and almost lifeless compared to the Mark III.

 

[Neptical]

Some love for the III's going on around here. Nice! Sounds like we're all in the same boat as I just posted in the other III thread right next to this one.

~Nep~

 

[giorikas81]

In the sense of the IV being dark compressed and lifeless the III could be described (comparetively speaking) as harsh, -er, more spikey, rude, uncompressed to annoying etc.

The OP describes two tones. That is it. Many people need more than that. clean, crunch, heavy rythm, lead solo sound. How can you surely assess if seek and destroy is compatible with other types of heavy gain.

I never liked the fact that my clean tones neede the tone controls in different positions for really good clean tone. Then the lead was screwed. Same with the graphic eq. Different settings for clean different for lead.

Not to say that you can't comprimise clean lead but if you want the best for each, the best the amp can produce, then you need two mark IIIs or a quad.

By the way metallica/petrucci completely ignored the III!

 

[MrMarkIII]

By the way metallica/petrucci completely ignored the III!

Yeah, they didn't play Strats, either, so I guess Jimi was full of crap, too. :lol:
The day I start buying gear based on what some Tiger Beat "star" is using, I'll quit. Look out, the Jonas Bros. just bought Mark Vs! :lol:

 

[BMcNibbnles]

Petrucci did NOT ignore the III. Rich Brymer posted a picture here a while back from the old days of DT, probably before they were even signed to a record label, and Petrucci had a Mark III head.

 

[BMcNibbnles]

http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27970

 

[boogiemon]

i like the MIII because it's fairly simple, versatile & it rocks. Keep in mind that comparing a single MIII to anything else is not representative of the entire MIII series because they vary quite a bit in their sound depending on their stripe, power section, etc.

i've had several different boogies & the MIII does it for me.

 

[Facelift]

Not to say that you can't comprimise clean lead but if you want the best for each, the best the amp can produce, then you need two mark IIIs or a quad.

Thought i read somewhere on this board that there is a mod for the clean channel similiar to the R2 mod that gives it its own volume control ultimately eliminating the distorted clean when the lead is dialed for metal.

So if this mod works, Ill bet its alot cheaper that buying another III.

 

[giorikas81]

By the way metallica/petrucci completely ignored the III!

Yeah, they didn't play Strats, either, so I guess Jimi was full of crap, too. :lol:
The day I start buying gear based on what some Tiger Beat "star" is using, I'll quit. Look out, the Jonas Bros. just bought Mark Vs! :lol:

Oh I really hate stratocasters and especially hendrix's tone with them. I know it is legendary but to me is downright lo-fi dirty and unattractive. I really wish if he had lived to continue using gibsons, SG's or V and why not, mesa boogies instead of marshalls...

 

[>Photi G<]

The day I start buying gear based on what some Tiger Beat "star" is using, I'll quit. Look out, the Jonas Bros. just bought Mark Vs! :lol:

They Must Die!!!!!!! They don't deserve 99% of anything they have! Not because they're gay, but because they are talentless. :evil:

 

[EleventhHour2139]

By the way metallica/petrucci completely ignored the III!

Yeah, they didn't play Strats, either, so I guess Jimi was full of crap, too. :lol:
The day I start buying gear based on what some Tiger Beat "star" is using, I'll quit. Look out, the Jonas Bros. just bought Mark Vs! :lol:

Sig worthy. Quoted for truth!

 

[fishyfishfish]

Got the same thing, heard the same thing, axed a bunch of questions and now I have an amp that I love a lot. I use R2 with a BB pre amp and it screams like a fourth lead channel.
Good times.

 

[droptrd]

I dont see any difficulty with it either. Not trying to start a **** storm, but I think alot of the "you cant have both" comments is just nitpicking and snobbish cork sniffing...for the most part. The Mark III is a great sounding, simple but goofy amp that should be taken for what it is and not over analysed with crazy comparisons and internet jabber.

 

[BMcNibbnles]

Well, after playing around with it, I still stand by my original post except for one thing - when I got the amp, I didn't realize that R2 was so low in volume. I guess that's what the "R2 mod" fixes? Tonally, though, if Mesa had just made the channel louder, it would be perfect. But, like I said - I stand by what I originally said, concerning how all the channels SOUND.