Just bought my first Boogie!!!

[Grandturk]

Hello all - new poster here - I mostly hang around JCF Online and The Les Paul Forum.

Just bought a Boogie - a Mark IIB, I think... trying to figure that out... It was marked as a IIB, anyway. Got it at Guitar Center in East Brunswick, NJ. $400. Sounds great... still trying to figure out all the knobs and pulls and whatnot. I've only got front panel pics right now.

Looks like it might have been modded or repaired at some point - its got a repair shop's plate on the transformer. It has Slave Level, Presense and Reverb on the back panel with a 60/100 switch - I wasn't cranking it, but it didn't seem to make an audible difference in the 60/100 setting. Some writing in marker on the chassis - there's a switch on the underside of the chassis as well - not sure what that does. I'll try to take some chassis pics tomorrow.

Front panel has Volume 1 - Pull Bright, Treble - Pull Shift, Bass, Middle, Master 1 - Pull Gain Boost, Lead Drive- Pull Lead, Lead Master - Pull Shift, then the Graphic EQ.

Any ideas so far?

 

[Shep]

looks like a mk IIb.. sweet amp.

Tom

 

[settecorde76]

Yes, it's a IIB...what's his serial number? 400$ is a very good price, I think, but you may check the amp (valves, diodes, transfomers, etc). Bring it to an expert tech, to avoid surprises!
Also make a photo of the rear panel and post it in this forum....
The IIB has a very good clean channel and a good lead for blues and rock n' roll; the fx loop is useless and the amp makes a annoying "pop" when you change between clean and lead. However, it's a great amp like all the Boogie family! :wink:

 

[stokes]

Yeah,a IIB.The fact that you got it at GC and at that price,I would recommend you get it to a tech for a check-up,at least after you give it a good workout,and see for yourself.They sold it to you just as it came in.I would be surprised if it didnt have some issue,if not they would have asked more.Sorry,but I just dont trust GC.

 

[Grandturk]

Yeah,a IIB.The fact that you got it at GC and at that price,I would recommend you get it to a tech for a check-up,at least after you give it a good workout,and see for yourself.They sold it to you just as it came in.I would be surprised if it didnt have some issue,if not they would have asked more.Sorry,but I just dont trust GC.

Oh yeah - I know what I'm dealing with @ GC. I'm definately going to take it to a good tech for a once over. But for $400 you can't go far wrong, right?

Some more info - the SN is 3443 and I'm guessing it was serviced my Central Jersey Music Service at some point as their plaque is on the output transformer -I'm going to call them up and see if they have records on when they serviced it. Based on feedback on this board, they're supposed to be pretty reputable.

 

[JimmyB]

Oh yeah - I know what I'm dealing with @ GC. I'm definately going to take it to a good tech for a once over. But for $400 you can't go far wrong, right?

Some more info - the SN is 3443 and I'm guessing it was serviced my Central Jersey Music Service at some point as their plaque is on the output transformer -I'm going to call them up and see if they have records on when they serviced it. Based on feedback on this board, they're supposed to be pretty reputable.

With that S/N, it's a IIA rather than a B... and that switch is the 'Fetron switch' to toggle between using a 12ax7 and a fetron. :mrgreen:

 

[stokes]

Oh yeah - I know what I'm dealing with @ GC. I'm definately going to take it to a good tech for a once over. But for $400 you can't go far wrong, right?

Some more info - the SN is 3443 and I'm guessing it was serviced my Central Jersey Music Service at some point as their plaque is on the output transformer -I'm going to call them up and see if they have records on when they serviced it. Based on feedback on this board, they're supposed to be pretty reputable.

With that S/N, it's a IIA rather than a B... and that switch is the 'Fetron switch' to toggle between using a 12ax7 and a fetron. :mrgreen:

That sounds about right,IIA.For $400 I would say you got a good deal,even if you have to re-tube and re-cap it,and whatever maintenance it may need.

 

[Grandturk]

Hey guys, thanks for the info so far. Here's some pics of the back panel and fan. As you can see, there's an Preamp out and power amp in and a Slave Send label but only two jacks there and the 100/60 switch.

Questions -

I've read the FX loop was introduced with the IIB. Could it have been retrofitted to a IIA?

Was the Fetron switch labeled 100 and 60 RMS like mine?

Could this be a very early IIB based on the serial number?

Does the fan look like the original?

Did these originally come with the 90W Black Shadows by Celestion?

Thanks for the help - either way (B or A) this thing sounds monstrous. Just playing with the EQ I can dial in some great sounds from rock to metal.

 

[Grandturk]

And here's the underside of the chassis -

You can see there's another switch under here. It seems to indicate the direction for "TR1009" - what does that do?

And there's two more jacks - I had heard one's for the Gain Boost footswitch and the other is for the effects loop.

So... any more clarity around these inputs and the switches?

There's also the date written under there - 2/79.

Thanks for all the help so far.