I have come across a guy who is willing to trade me his Mark IIB. According to him, "I have an 83' Mark IIB fully loaded with EQ/Reverb/EV speaker. It has been modded by Mike B. at Mesa to sound like a IIC+." My question is this: Does Mesa do mods to make a IIB sound like a IIC+ or might this be a Mark IIB that has been upgraded to IIC+ status? Thanks in advance for your input!
Mark IIB Mod's
- Thread starter Joel
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Boogiebabies
Well-known member
From what I have heard, the effects loop mod opens the IIB up and is a drastic improvement. It's not possible to upgrade a IIB to IIC without the necessary circuit board as it had five LDR's for the switching. 1983 may seem to be a bit late for a IIB. I would ask him what the serial number is and what "Pull Knobs" it has.
Okay, thanks man. I appreciate the help. Yeah, actually it looks like a really late IIB. The knobs are black too, but there is no 'pull shift' on the bass. With the simul-class, reverb, eq and ev speaker, my eyes got real big for a second.
Racerboy44
Well-known member
Boogiebabies is not wrong, but if you talk to Mike B he will describe a IIB with the effects loop mod as "the poorman's C+". Those are his exact words. I guess that mod changes the signal path to be very much like the C+. Obviously the amp won't have the same PCB be claims that the sound of each is very close.
I don't know about a "Poor Man's C+", but I had the mod done on my Mark IIB. I've never driven a C+ so I can't compare.
My IIB has reverb, but the tank was missing, so I used a reverb unit in the loop. I was never happy switching to the drive channel...I considered it unusable.
I could still get great tone out of the amp, but I used it as a single channel amp. I could tweak either channel and be happy with the tone, but could not switch between channels without the drive channel sounding like crap.
I called and spoke with Mike B about mods available, about getting a reverb tank, and general maint for the amp...sent it in two years ago for the work.
I owned this amp for many years before having the mod done. Now it works like it is supposed to...even using the loop. Rather than a mod I consider it a fix...
My IIB has reverb, but the tank was missing, so I used a reverb unit in the loop. I was never happy switching to the drive channel...I considered it unusable.
I could still get great tone out of the amp, but I used it as a single channel amp. I could tweak either channel and be happy with the tone, but could not switch between channels without the drive channel sounding like crap.
I called and spoke with Mike B about mods available, about getting a reverb tank, and general maint for the amp...sent it in two years ago for the work.
I owned this amp for many years before having the mod done. Now it works like it is supposed to...even using the loop. Rather than a mod I consider it a fix...
dancullinane
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The effects loop mod for the IIB is a great upgrade. I have 2 IIb's that have been modded (a simulclass and a 60/100)> I also have a 60/100 C+ to compare them to. I love all three and have to say that the 60/100 IIB sounds VERY much like my 60/100 C+. The simul is different, bc it is a simul. it may sound like a simul C+, but I've never played one.
I use my modded IIB's for playing out so the hardwood C+ can stay safe at home.
Great amp. Buy it if the price is right, they don't cost any more than a non-modded IIB
I use my modded IIB's for playing out so the hardwood C+ can stay safe at home.
Great amp. Buy it if the price is right, they don't cost any more than a non-modded IIB
Racerboy44
Well-known member
gonzo said:
Yes, the mod makes a big difference in the tone and functionality of the amp whether you are using the loop or not. It changes where the tone stack is in the signal path and adds a volume control on the back of the amp. You can have your master and channel volumes set high and still play the amp at a whisper volume with the addition of the master volume on the back. Sort of like having a built in attenuator, only better because it doesn't kill any tone.
and here's another thing.
i used my 2B for 5 years on the road, full time, playing at volume, using the effects loop, and i never noticed any problem with it...
typically, i'd run the vol 1 at 6.5, the treble at 7, mids at 4, bass at 1, master vol at 3, lead drive at 8.5, lead vol at 4 (pull bright) and between my clean channel, the cruncy drive channel, and some select pedals to push the crunch channel, i always had clean sounding effects (digital rack unit in effects loop) and never thought it needed improvement...
????
i used my 2B for 5 years on the road, full time, playing at volume, using the effects loop, and i never noticed any problem with it...
typically, i'd run the vol 1 at 6.5, the treble at 7, mids at 4, bass at 1, master vol at 3, lead drive at 8.5, lead vol at 4 (pull bright) and between my clean channel, the cruncy drive channel, and some select pedals to push the crunch channel, i always had clean sounding effects (digital rack unit in effects loop) and never thought it needed improvement...
????
Racerboy44
Well-known member
gonzo said:
I'm not sure what the mod entails on the tech side. Maybe there is somebody here that knows what needs to be changed.
As far as you not having any issues with your loop, that could very well be. I think the main issue some had was that the loop was overloading certain effects. If you had effects that could handle the amps input via input level knobs etc then maybe it was a non-issue for you. I'm also not sure if the mod will cause the volume pedal feature not to work because if you plug your guitar directly into the the effects return the lead master has no effect on the volume or sound, just like a C+.
dancullinane
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The mod changes the sound of the amp. Also makes the reverb better (more like the C+). i found it clears alot of the mud on the lead channel, gives it a better voice. It also will not allow you to do the Vol pedal trick b/c the effect loop and reverb are moved to after the preamp stage like the C+.
I think only Mike B does the mod (unless you can get someone like Boogiebabies to do it for you)
I think only Mike B does the mod (unless you can get someone like Boogiebabies to do it for you)
Boogiebabies
Well-known member
IIB's are like Sasquatch around here. You just never see them. I am sure the mod entails revoicing the loop and moving it's place in the preamp, but I have no idea what is actually done. It's a Mike B. mod, so it would probably be best for him to do it. The amp would get a good check up while it's there as well.
Racerboy44
thanks for the info on that....
typically, when i ran live, using both channels in their 'compromise' setup, i had it pretty dialed in, where i didn't notice any issues with the effects loop..
now i'm using the boogie only for recording, so i fix each channel individually for the track i'm using it for...
and, i always record dry, and add effects post-mix.
i don't use the 'underneath the chassis' volume control scenario....
dancullianane-
i don't have a reverb.
it's a eq head only....60 watts, no simulclass.
boogiebabies-
sasquatch.
hahaha
now i have a new name for my mark2b.
hehehehehe....
but i still don't understand...
if i'm not using the loop...
then it's simply a 'thru' circuit, no?
if it wasn't so expensive to ship these days, with an anvil case and that heavy head, i'd consider it.
but it is.
and in my opinion, it's really silly, to not have schematics for a mod like this, readily available for those who have local boogie-authorized repair guys willing and able to do the mod themselves, at the local rates, with no shipping.
right?
thanks for the info on that....
typically, when i ran live, using both channels in their 'compromise' setup, i had it pretty dialed in, where i didn't notice any issues with the effects loop..
now i'm using the boogie only for recording, so i fix each channel individually for the track i'm using it for...
and, i always record dry, and add effects post-mix.
i don't use the 'underneath the chassis' volume control scenario....
dancullianane-
i don't have a reverb.
it's a eq head only....60 watts, no simulclass.
boogiebabies-
sasquatch.
hahaha
now i have a new name for my mark2b.
hehehehehe....
but i still don't understand...
if i'm not using the loop...
then it's simply a 'thru' circuit, no?
if it wasn't so expensive to ship these days, with an anvil case and that heavy head, i'd consider it.
but it is.
and in my opinion, it's really silly, to not have schematics for a mod like this, readily available for those who have local boogie-authorized repair guys willing and able to do the mod themselves, at the local rates, with no shipping.
right?
Ultron
Well-known member
my 60/100 IIB had the mod done a few months ago...along with a full checkup, new caps, and new eq sliders. Amp sounds great!
I don't see what the big deal is with shipping....I pulled the chassis out of my combo, packed it bulletproof, and shipped it via FedEx (from Chicago to Petaluma) for @$35. To me, it's a no-brainer and worth every penny.
I don't see what the big deal is with shipping....I pulled the chassis out of my combo, packed it bulletproof, and shipped it via FedEx (from Chicago to Petaluma) for @$35. To me, it's a no-brainer and worth every penny.
well, see, i've already had my local boogie auth. repair guy do a full check up on it...
replaced everything that was out of spec....
and it sounds great!
why can't this guy do the mod?
now, pulling everything out down to chassis, and packing and sending that, yeah, i could see that....
if i'm not using the effects loop, and i don't have a reverb unit, then what exactly am i doing the mod for?
replaced everything that was out of spec....
and it sounds great!
why can't this guy do the mod?
now, pulling everything out down to chassis, and packing and sending that, yeah, i could see that....
if i'm not using the effects loop, and i don't have a reverb unit, then what exactly am i doing the mod for?
dancullinane
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gonzo,
The mod doesn't just affect the loop it revoices it to sound more like a C+. If your happy with the Stock 2b, great your done. The difference post-mod IS a noticeable improvement. I never use the loop (guitar-cord-amp) and like the voice of these amps better than the stock 2b head I have (which will likely be sold on 'the bay" soon)
The mod doesn't just affect the loop it revoices it to sound more like a C+. If your happy with the Stock 2b, great your done. The difference post-mod IS a noticeable improvement. I never use the loop (guitar-cord-amp) and like the voice of these amps better than the stock 2b head I have (which will likely be sold on 'the bay" soon)
dancullinane
hm.
thanks for that info....
i guess, i wouldn't know the difference, unless i could a/b one against the other.
currently, i don' t have any complaint with it, but if there is an obvious mod that is supposed to IMPROVE the overall sound, i'd love to hear an example of it.
this must be an ultra tricky mod, to not let boogie authorized guys even do it!
hm.
thanks for that info....
i guess, i wouldn't know the difference, unless i could a/b one against the other.
currently, i don' t have any complaint with it, but if there is an obvious mod that is supposed to IMPROVE the overall sound, i'd love to hear an example of it.
this must be an ultra tricky mod, to not let boogie authorized guys even do it!
