Looking for my first Boogie

[needsmoregear12]

Hello all,
I am currently looking around for what amp fits me best and of all the amps ive tried ive noticed that Mesa's have a certain "boldness" sort of character to their tone. I really like that sound.

I have a Peavey 6505 212 Combo that just isnt for me and is for sale at the moment (if anyones interested). Im projecting that i will get around $650 for it, give or take a few. Im only 17, the company I was working for just went bankrupt, and I am on a TIGHT budget. Also keep in mind the fact that im still at home with parents, so please dont suggest a 100 wt Halfstack, it wont be put to use.

I had the opportunity to briefly try out a Mark IV and i REALLY loved it. Thing is, i dont have that type of money to spend. So i wanted some suggestions from you guys on what would be best for me.

Here are some things im looking for:
1) Great clean channel. I wanna play some nice Gilmour-ish stuff on this aswell as soft Coldplay styles.
2) (Not as important) Clean channel can be pushed for some Hendrix-y or SRV style blues rock.
3) Built in reverb. (Decent quality)
4) Good tight distortion, ala John petrucci rhythm/lead tones. If it cant quite get that much gain, i can buy a tubescreamer. I just need it to be pretty focused.
5) Atleast a 212 combo. I cant afford to buy a head and a cab seperate. And a 112 wont cut it for me.

So id like something of that nature^, but wont break the bank. Im thinking maby a DC-10? I see one used for $600 plus tax/shipping.

I only want used, New would be way too expensive for me.

Budget is around $700.

Thanks in advance for any help/input. I really appreciate it

 

[benjamin801]

That's a tall order, as Mesa made/makes a lot more 1x12" combos than 2x12"s.

Consider a Nomad 55 or Nomad 100 2x12". Some of Mesa's better cleans, and the crunch is good. Not Mark or Recto good, but plenty good. A Tubescreamer would tighten it up enough for almost anything you wanted.

 

[needsmoregear12]

Ya sorry about that haha.
But thanks for the suggestion! Ive never tried a nomad out, I was offered a nomad 45 112 as a trade for my 6505 212. I didnt think it was a fair trade though. Ill start looking for some and ill see what comes up.

Thanks =)

 

[SonicProvocateur]

What i would suggest doing, since you are moving from a 6505 2x12 (amazing distortion, meh cleans with not so amazing headroom) is look for a Mark III 1x12 combo in a reasonable pricerange for you. Check guitarcenter online (they are surprisingly cheaper there than ebay.) Then when you get a little extra scratch saved up, add a 1x12 theile cab. It will blow your doors down and have double the headroom feeling your 6505 did, plus an extra channel.

 

[needsmoregear12]

Should I go for the Mark III or the IIC+? Ive heard from plenty of people that the IIC+ is the "Holy grail of marks" haha. I havnt had the chance to try either of the two though and i wont have a chance to try it out. Its sort of just buy it and pray haha.

Im looking at the Guitar center used website and ive found 2 Mark III 112 Combos. But they only have 7 knobs plus the graphic EQ. It looks like its 2 channels...

 

[jpdennis]

Well, the price may be a consideration, but the 2x12 cab is interesting for me. I play a wide variety of music. I have been using my older .50 Caliber (the one that uses 4 El84 tubes) combo in a 1x12 and it has cut through the mix in several large halls & clubs even when not being mic'd. I have went against the "new" VOX AC30?? with a Mesa 4x12 cab as well as 100 Watt Fenders, a Dr Z, & an Ampex. I just used my Mark III last night which is a 1x12 combo as well. With the master on 3 and the Vol 1 on 5 setting the Lead to 7 with the lead master (lead bright pulled) on 2.5 it plained screamed. I was using my 1983 Strat which uses DiMarzios in a SSH configuration (Yngwie's HB) as well as the 2008 Les Paul Trad Pro.

I'd say get the mark III if you can and it is affordable. But in the long run you are doing the right thing by checking this out. Search on the specific forums for info on each type for a better feel of how each model might siut your needs.

Dennis

PS: I do have a 2x12 Heartbreaker which is being "improved" so I do not have any info on that yet.

 

[SonicProvocateur]

The IIC+ is, among both players and collectors, a "holy grail" amp. It's also a) very expensive and hard to find, and b) a 2 channel amp.

The Mark III is voiced alot like the IIC+ in many ways (like the Mark IV, a frequent conversation here on the board), and does have 3 channels. The reason it doesn't have a ton knobs is because all 3 channels share the EQ section which is active, not passive like a Marshall, or the 6505. It's a big adjustment at first, as each control interacts very very sensatively, then you have the push/pulls to further change/enhance your tone. All in all the Mark III can do a very wide and varied array of tones for having so few controls, it just takes some adjusting understanding them and feeling them out. And +1 to it being rediculously loud. All boogies are rediculously loud. Especially the older ones.

 

[needsmoregear12]

Allright thanks for the input guys.

I guess scratch off the whole 212 part then. The thing is, my first tube amp was a 112 and it wasnt really loud at all, but now that i think of it it was a rather cheap amp =/.

And thanks for clearing up my concern of the knobs and channels, I wasnt too sure of it since ive never had a chance to spend some time with a Mesa. If I can get rid of my 6505 pretty soon and that Mark III is still there ill go for it.

And as previously said, if i need it I can just go for an additional 112 cab later on =)

 

[needsmoregear12]

One of the Mark iii's i saw earlier today is already gone. The one thats left doesnt have a Graphic EQ, its for $700. I also have to wait for someone to buy my 6505 so then i can have the money to spend.

Should I keep waiting for one with a graphic EQ?

 

[SonicProvocateur]

It's not a total dealbreaker, but it is a really nice feature (and adds value to the amp). If I want EQ for a specific sound, I use an MXR 6-band in the loop. The built in GEQ has slightly different frequency spectrum, so it sounds a little different and it lets you get more classic Boogie sounds (i.e. Petrucci, Metallica, etc + your own). I'd say the choice is yours. I love my non-EQ though. They all Boogie just as hard.

 

[needsmoregear12]

Theres one without for 700 and with 750. Im gonna call and ask what color dot/stripe each one is and then decide from there.

 

[jpdennis]

... look for a Mark III 1x12 combo in a reasonable pricerange for you ... Then when you get a little extra scratch saved up, add a 1x12 theile cab ...

+1
Sonic beat me to the punch!

Dennis

 

[needsmoregear12]

Haha i appreciate your input just as much, no matter how late you are! :wink:
And i just got an email from a potential of my 6505, hopefully it goes through!
Now you guys got me desperate for a Mark III...

By the way, What are your guys' favorite versions of the Mark III?
Or if there is already a thread for that here, wanna link me to it?
Thanks everyone =)

 

[tony777]

Don't worry about the stripes, they all sound very good.

 

[#2121313]

You may also want to consider a .50 Cal +, killer lead decent reverb and decent clean channel. A 1X12 sounds pretty bad ***, but if your set on 2 X 12 you'll have to go with a 2 X 12 cab and a head, +1 on the Mark III's too!

 

[Neptical]

+1 on the Mark III.
Definitely try and get one with the GEQ if you can. I've been messing around with a buddies blue stripe non-geq version and it's definitely got a different vibe going, even with an added eq in the loop.

Also, you can look into the DC Series (5 or 10). Both of those amps will also give you what you described your looking for.

Lots of options out there if you look around. Good luck!

 

[needsmoregear12]

Theres a DC 10 for $600, Mark III without GEQ for $700, Mark III WITH GEQ for $750.

AND

The only person whose contacted me about my 6505 was trying to scam me. I walked around all day in school today with a HUGE smile dreaming about buying the Mark III cause id have the money. When I got home he had replied to my email asking if he could send me a postal money order and that his friends will come pick it up and ship it out to Africa for him to receive it there.

I am beyond upset at the moment...
Im not STUCK on a 212, its just what Im used to. My first tube amp was a 112 but then again, it was pretty low wattage. So I cant really compare it with these.

But after reading so much into the Mark III's I feel pretty set on it. I love its tones, and im infatuated with the fact that it's a 3 channel amp.

Considering Mark III's dont pop up too much around me, what would be a very close alternative? DC-10,F100, or .50cal+?

I see quite a few F-series amps...

 

[Neptical]

**** deal on the dirtbag scammer. Gotta be careful with the CL ads.

If your all set on the Mark III, go for it - you won't regret it.

But if you're looking for something as a second option, the DC-10 would be great as well. Be forewarned that the amp is extremely LOUD as well just like the Marks. It's a darker tone, but really beefy/heavy bottom. You'll have great cleans and you'd definitely be able to get the rhythm and lead tones you mentioned. It's an underrated amp and getting pretty rare on the market these days. Mark III's are common enough out there to pick up anytime.

 

[needsmoregear12]

Ya, its pretty frustrating having all these peoply trying to scam me. Still havnt gotten one legitimate offer for my 6505... This is taking much longer than id hoped for...

And ok thanks, If by the time I sell thes i can't get the Mark III, Ill go check out a DC10.

 

[#2121313]

Ya, its pretty frustrating having all these peoply trying to scam me. Still havnt gotten one legitimate offer for my 6505... This is taking much longer than id hoped for...

And ok thanks, If by the time I sell thes i can't get the Mark III, Ill go check out a DC10.

Post your 6505 here in the non-mesa classifieds and ovet at the RigTalk forum. You'll sell it way faster and deal with good people who are like-minded regarding gear.