Just got my first IIC+ and wow

[iamrobk]

Have been using a Mark V for the past few years but have always been craving the IIC+ and this thing is pretty incredible so far... and I haven't even been able to turn the volume up past 2 yet! It's an SRG, serial #111XX. According to the seller he had it upgraded to a C+ in the late 80's when he sent it in to have the speaker changed to a Black Shadow C90 (it passed the loop test and Mesa verified the upgrade as well). The amp sounds and feels a little more "raw" and vintage-y than the V, for lack of a better description, although it's still early and that could be due to the C90 speaker as opposed to the V30's I use with my V. Would love to mix and match them a bit (maybe even figure a way to run the C+ into the V's power amp...). Interestingly the C+ has the X62 export transformer but isn't an export model (i.e. no voltage switch). From what I can tell , there's no difference on the 60W models between the export and non-export transformers but I'm still gonna pretend there is :lol:

(Click the picture to see it full size)

Amp is in great shape, although it's still a little dusty and grimy. Still, no ripped tolex or anything, so nothing a little elbow grease can't fix (I tried Windex yesterday but think I'll pick up some other cleaning stuff for it today to really get the knobs/etc.). Paid $2100+shipping if anyone's curious, which also included a matching 112 cabinet that's not in this picture (I need to clean it better before photographing it :lol, and the footswitch. I figure the 112 cabinet is valued at $150-$250, so I feel like the total package was a pretty good deal, all things considered.

 

[s-fresh]

Seems like a pretty solid deal for a GEQ IIC+! Even being an upgraded one when you factory in the extra cab that's pretty good. Congrats and enjoy!

Looks like someone installed the newer Mark V style GEQ buttons, they must have lost the originals like so many people.

 

[xdg999]

Congrats! When you clean the knobs try not to get any cleaner on the numbers. Even water can wash the paint off. Enjoy the amp!

 

[darkbluemurder]

Congratulations and enjoy!

 

[iamrobk]

Looks like someone installed the newer Mark V style GEQ buttons, they must have lost the originals like so many people.

Hah, that was me! Good catch :lol: I'm surprised it seems so many people lost them, but they do feel a little looser on the IIC+ than they do on my V. I have a few random questions on the IIC+ that was hoping people could help out with.

Is it normal for there to be such big volume differences between the channels? Oddly (to me, anyway) the Rhythm channel seems louder than the Lead, but I think it's because I usually leave the Lead Master pretty low. I've seen a few references to volume imbalance between the channels, but just wanted to verify there isn't a tube issue or something.

When I "Pull Bright" on Volume 1 I very clearly notice the difference on the Rhythm channel, but don't really notice any difference on the Lead channel. Is this normal, or is it something I may need to get looked at? I was reading that when you have Volume 1 higher than 8 it makes no difference, but even when I have it lower I don't notice much (maybe a very subtle change).

Is it possible to change the LED in the footswitch? It's not very bright, I imagine due to its age. I'd like to keep the original footswitch (it's in decent shape for a footswitch of it's age) but it's not very helpful when it's almost impossible to see the LED unless you're looking right at it :lol:


Oh, and not a question, but I picked up an attenuator as I'll mostly be playing in my home for now. I went for the Rivera Rockcrusher, and highly recommend it for anyone looking for an attenuator. It seems to do a real good job of letting the IIC+ open up a bit without destroying your ears. I haven't used it with the V yet, but I'm interested to try it out with the FX Loop disabled because the V sounds noticeably better to me in that made, but the lack of Master Volume is annoying.

 

[MK IIB]

Looks like someone installed the newer Mark V style GEQ buttons, they must have lost the originals like so many people.

Hah, that was me! Good catch :lol: I'm surprised it seems so many people lost them, but they do feel a little looser on the IIC+ than they do on my V. I have a few random questions on the IIC+ that was hoping people could help out with.

Is it normal for there to be such big volume differences between the channels? Oddly (to me, anyway) the Rhythm channel seems louder than the Lead, but I think it's because I usually leave the Lead Master pretty low. I've seen a few references to volume imbalance between the channels, but just wanted to verify there isn't a tube issue or something.

When I "Pull Bright" on Volume 1 I very clearly notice the difference on the Rhythm channel, but don't really notice any difference on the Lead channel. Is this normal, or is it something I may need to get looked at? I was reading that when you have Volume 1 higher than 8 it makes no difference, but even when I have it lower I don't notice much (maybe a very subtle change).

I find with my mark IIB if I have volume 1 up around 8 then I have to have the lead master up quite a bit higher than if I was running volume 1 at say 4-5 but that makes sense I suppose given the way the amp works.They're not really a 2 channel amp.So yeah there can be a difference in the 2 "channels" just turn up the lead master to get the balance you want

Pull bright on volume 1 only affects the clean "channel" for the lead "channel" you have the pull bright on the lead master pot.

 

[GJgo]

The first thing you need to do is to run that bad boy into a sealed cab & get it above 2.

Whenever I pick up an old one I send it in for a Mike B. service. Highly recommended.

Mine are easily a 2 channel amp, you just have to know how to work the knobs.

Everything works on mine if you want to see what affects what.
https://youtu.be/b18ptn8HJrg