Mark IIB Review

[RichardG]

Some of you may have noticed my lame mark IIB posts to date.

I thought I would post a small review for those who are interested.

First up, I played pro for years and have owned a pile of amps and feel like I have a pretty good idea about tone in a live situation.

The clean on this is outstanding. I have a 70s silverface vibrolux that was modded to a blackface and it sounds better than that amp. The main difference (if you eq it like a vibrolux) is it is cleaner in the trebs. Also it has that awesome what I call "boing" in the bass and the mids (kinda like a clean version of that Malcolm Young tone if that makes sense). I am staggered at the sheer variety of tones this thing can get. I have a SRV strat and it sounds realllly nice with the Mesa. I find that gibsons sound good but not as good as a strat.

I really like the mild breakup you can get as well. very responsive to pick attack.

I do not like it with a lot of gain, the lead sounds are pretty ordinary IMO. But that might be just my ear being so conditioned to marshall tones. But the clean quality of this amp well and truly makes up for that. Also pedals sound great in this thing. I have been playing around with a bunch of overdives and they all sound good., So I am not to concerned with what I think is a "bad" lead sound.

The only thing that would be ultra useful would be the ability to footswitch the graphic.

I can see this quickly becoming my favorite amp. It just oozes quality in sound and also build.

Thanks again for your help to date.

 

[dodger916]

IICs can footswitch eq and reverb (there's a 1/4 jack on the bottom face of the chassis). Are you sure you can't do that with a IIB?

 

[gonzo]

i have found wonderful 'compromise' settings between my clean and lead channel, thru the years...

and have dreamt up all kinds of schemes for clean, dirty, lead, and boost, using a few pedals in well placed locations, for doing live work..

but now, i use my IIb almost exclusively for recording, and have always used a combination of the clean channel and pedals for both cleans-driven by compressors and boosts, and dirty's, driven by overdrive and boost and distortion pedals....

i love the responsiveness of the clean channel dimed, with my attenuator taming the volume...
add a boost only, and it's just about perfect for me.

i think, if you're willing to lose any effective tone control between the channel switching, and simply use the lead channel as a single sound source, you can dial in the tones and find the sweet spot between the sound of your guitar, the drive you want, and the edge and body--using the lead channel.

i find it's much easier to compromise with good cleans, but getting good lead channel sounds typically means throwing all the good clean channel sound out the window.

my favorite use of the Lead channel, is to set it to the most responsive crunchy setting i can get, with clarity and kerrrang, but not that much sustain...
then drive that with a pedal, to tighten up the low end and midrange snarl.

but i've also found that, while recording, i prefer to NOT put anything into the effects loop.....

 

[RichardG]

IICs can footswitch eq and reverb (there's a 1/4 jack on the bottom face of the chassis). Are you sure you can't do that with a IIB?

On a IIB too.... So the answer is, Yes you can!
From the Manual:
Also located beneath the chassis is a stereo socket for the optional Dual Footswitch. This will be
wired to activate, when applicable, the Graphic EQ and Reverb. When an amplifier is built with
only Reverb or Graphic, a mono 1/4” guitar jack is mounted for use with our Single Footswitch
and Cable Set.

Manual is found here on the Mesa Website:

http://www.mesaboogie.com/manuals/Mark%20IIb.pdf

Hmmmm very odd. I had a good look and there is no input for an additional foot-switch. Maybe this is only an option if you get both reverb and graphic????

I did see however two quarter inch jacks in the middle of the chassis behind the front row of tubes. I am guessing that is for a reverb option.

I might contact mesa and test their legendary support and see if they can clear it up. Maybe a simple mod can be done. I am keen on the idea even if I just use it as a volume boost.

 

[RichardG]

i find it's much easier to compromise with good cleans, but getting good lead channel sounds typically means throwing all the good clean channel sound out the window.

I agree with that. Years ago I had a reissue twin. I had this oddball Boss rack overdrive with parametrics, I can't recall the model now. I used that rig in a hard rock/classic metal band. Fellow guitarists were amazed at the insane tones I got. Point being is, I agree, start with an awesome clean tone and you can shape it how you want.

I have got to the point with amps if you can produce an awesome tone from 1 channel thats good enough. I might just drag along a JCM 800 for dirty tones.

PS: Should I be looking at a Mark 3 or Mark 4 for an all in one solution??? 8)

 

[dodger916]

Hmmmm very odd. I had a good look and there is no input for an additional foot-switch. Maybe this is only an option if you get both reverb and graphic????

I did see however two quarter inch jacks in the middle of the chassis behind the front row of tubes. I am guessing that is for a reverb option.

I might contact mesa and test their legendary support and see if they can clear it up. Maybe a simple mod can be done. I am keen on the idea even if I just use it as a volume boost.

There will be a mono jack if the amp has EITHER Rev or Eq and a stereo jack if it has BOTH. Per the manual: "Also located beneath the chassis is a stereo socket for the optional Dual Footswitch. This will be wired to activate, when applicable, the Graphic EQ and Reverb. When an amplifier is built with only Reverb or Graphic, a mono 1/4” guitar jack is mounted for use with our Single Footswitch and Cable Set."

On my C+, the Dual Reverb/Eq jack is the one near V2. The other jack, located near V3, is the "Preamp to power" jack, which I believe allows access to the power section of the amp for using it as a slave.

There are two RCA jacks for the reverb. They are oriented front to rear, with the return in front and the send in the rear.

 

[RichardG]

GTS and Dodger

Thanks for that.

I assumed that the two jacks mentioned were not fpr the foot switch because of the location. Seems odd as you would need to remove a tube to get at it.

I might post a pic

 

[acorkos]

it's a compact chassis and the jack location is about the only place with enough room to accomodate it.

i built a footswitch that switches EQ off and on as the channel switches from clean to overdrive...clean channel, no EQ. overdrive channel, EQ on. made the amp 1000X more useable in a live setting.

 

[RichardG]

Acorkos.... I would love to see a pic of that pedal. Or a wiring diagram.

That would be awesome to have a pedal as you describe.

 

[acorkos]

The box has 3 stompswitches, 2 micro toggle switches, 1 mono jack, 1 stereo jack. I used a 3PDT main channel switching stompswitch, with an LED, like the stock factory channel switching pedal. 2 additional SPST stompswitches, controlling EQ and reverb, fed by a stereo jack.

A standard guitar cable connects from the footswitch jack on the front panel of the amp to the mono jack on the box. An insert cable (stereo plug on one end breaks out to 2 x mono plugs on the other) connects the stereo jack on the box to the reverb and EQ jacks on the underside of the amp chassis.

I incorporated 2 micro toggle switches, one for EQ, one for reverb...when the toggles get flipped, they assign the EQ and/or reverb switching to the main channel stompswitch. In other words, toggles up and all 3 stompswitches work independantly. EQ toggle down and the EQ kicks on when in lead mode, EQ off in clean mode. And Reverb toggle down and the reverb stays on in clean mode, off in lead mode. Both toggles down, stomping the main switch gives reverb on only in clean and EQ on only in lead. nifty....

 

[RichardG]

Great post, Thanks a lot!!!

So simple yet so clever. You are a smart dude.

Makes you wonder why Mesa did not issue such a Footswitch.

 

[kakev]

The box has 3 stompswitches, 2 micro toggle switches, 1 mono jack, 1 stereo jack. I used a 3PDT main channel switching stompswitch, with an LED, like the stock factory channel switching pedal. 2 additional SPST stompswitches, controlling EQ and reverb, fed by a stereo jack.

A standard guitar cable connects from the footswitch jack on the front panel of the amp to the mono jack on the box. An insert cable (stereo plug on one end breaks out to 2 x mono plugs on the other) connects the stereo jack on the box to the reverb and EQ jacks on the underside of the amp chassis.

I incorporated 2 micro toggle switches, one for EQ, one for reverb...when the toggles get flipped, they assign the EQ and/or reverb switching to the main channel stompswitch. In other words, toggles up and all 3 stompswitches work independantly. EQ toggle down and the EQ kicks on when in lead mode, EQ off in clean mode. And Reverb toggle down and the reverb stays on in clean mode, off in lead mode. Both toggles down, stomping the main switch gives reverb on only in clean and EQ on only in lead. nifty....

Great job man! I have thought about this for couple days and ended up almost to the same solution. I thought I would only add toggle switch for EQ since I don't use reverb with lead tone. So I'll wire it up so it will kill the reverb when switched to lead. Also I need to add leds for both reverb and EQ to be sure if they're on or off.

 

[acorkos]

Also I need to add leds for both reverb and EQ to be sure if they're on or off.

you'll need a battery or AC adapter jack

on mine, i later added an additional toggle to assign EQ to either lead or clean

 

[kakev]

Also I need to add leds for both reverb and EQ to be sure if they're on or off.

you'll need a battery or AC adapter jack

on mine, i later added an additional toggle to assign EQ to either lead or clean

Yeah, I will put battery, it'll last like forever or so

How you use your EQ or the amp itself? I'm just learning how to get tones out of my MkIIb. I was hoping that I would get my basic tones without the graphic eq and use the eq as a solo boost, but when I used it with a band for the 1st time I ended up boosting the lows and highs with the EQ. Kinda used to the enormous bottom end of rectifier head with my recto cab..I dont have any channel switchers at the moment so I used only the lead channel and to get cleans I just used guitar volume.

Have you any tips which delay might work in the fx loop and what you used as a solo boost? Cheers man!

 

[acorkos]

Looking at your list of amps in your sig, all you need is a 3-amp switcher. Hiwatt for cleans, Superbass for crunch and your IIB lead channel w/EQ for lead playing.....you'll need a roadie and a trailer, too 8)

How you use your EQ or the amp itself? I'm just learning how to get tones out of my MkIIb. I was hoping that I would get my basic tones without the graphic eq and use the eq as a solo boost...

that's how i use it in my classic rock cover band....clean rhythm channel (no EQ), lead channel w/EQ for lead soloing. i also use a distortion pedal with the rhythm channel for crunchy stuff....typically a homebuilt mxr D+ clone or maybe a fulltone OCD.

...when I used it with a band for the 1st time I ended up boosting the lows and highs with the EQ. Kinda used to the enormous bottom end of rectifier head with my recto cab.

i leave the low end stuff for the bass player. recto cabs have way too much low end for my playing style. i'm 52 years old and i have learned my place in the sonic spectrum. loud, proud, and firmly entrenched in the midranges :lol:

I dont have any channel switchers at the moment so I used only the lead channel and to get cleans I just used guitar volume.

my IIB is my only multi-channel amp. I have a 62 Fender Concert, 1975 JMP50 w/4x12, 1994 TopHat King Royale (ser#001), and a bunch of homebuilt clone stuff...5E3, 5D4, AC30, 2204, 18Watt....in a perfect situation, i like to set the amps for crunch rhythm playing, cleaning up with the guitar volume rolled back (treble-bleed mods on all my guitars), TS808 clone set w/level high, drive low kicked on for lead playing....sometimes a timmy or OCD instead for the lead stuff. MXR D+ clone with bigger amps for crunch rhythm playing. We play a lot of tunes with 3-4 part vocals, so low stage volume to hear the vocals better is essential. we mic everything for the mains, but we do put the guitars in the floor monitors to balance out the sound on stage.

Have you any tips which delay might work in the fx loop and what you used as a solo boost?

my only delay is a BYOC delay (replaced my old Boss DM2) which I run in front of the amp. never used the loop on the IIB. get that footswitch built and the IIB lead channel w/EQ will be the only solo boost you'll need.

 

[brion]

Cool post acorkos

 

[RR]

like dodger916 stated.

On my Mark IIB -- includes Reverb and EQ -- one of the 1/4" phone jack on the bottom of the chassis is a stereo jack for Reverb and EQ. If you are able to look at the bottom of the chassis, it might have the felt pen marking "REV / EQ" on the chassis near this jack.You could plug a stereo cable there which goes to a dual footswitch box. This footswitch should have been included when you bought the amp. If not, then you could build on.

There's also another 1/4" phone jack on the bottom of the chassis that dodger916 state is for the power stage section if you want to use your Mark IIB as a power amp. This jack also could used with a passive volume pedal such as Ernie Ball just with one cable to control the volume!

 

[TiPiMods]

It seems there are different Mk IIBs out there. On mine there is a seperate RCA plug for reverb switching in and out with some Fender style switch. The stereo plug switches EQ and Boost.
BTW: the selfmade switch with the "auto EQ" function is a great idea, thanks for sharing.

 

[dodger916]

It seems there are different Mk IIs out there. On mine there is a seperate RCA plug for reverb switching in and out with some Fender style switch. The stereo plug in switches EQ and Boost.
BTW: the selfmade switch with the "auto EQ" function is a great idea.

What "boost"? I don't believe Mark IIs have a boost feature. Is this jack triggering the lead channel, or maybe triggering one of the pull pots, like the Treble pot which acts as a kind of boost? The RCA jacks are usually the reverb send and return connections.

 

[TiPiMods]

oh yes, there is a gain boost function on the master 1 pot. if you pull it and there is a footswitch attached you can control it with your footswitch.
on my Mk IIB there are 3 RCA plugs the nearer ones are in and out for the reverb can, and there is one more for connecting a footswitch. at least on my Mk IIB its like that...
there is another thread with a picture: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=56644
not my amp, but mine looks the same: on the left the RCA jack for reverb switching, in the middle the boost/ EQ jack, left is power amp in/pre out.