tubebury
Member
Hi, I am the FNG (noobie) here at The Boogie Board and I am happy to be registered-in and allowed into some of the discussions here. This forum is a tad classier than the one at H******C******.com... I'll try my best not piss anyone off!
I have just a few questions about my "recently acquired" Mark III "green stripe" SimulClass amplifier. It's in mint condition which is always nice, it already sounds smokin' from what I have played ( a few gigs plus all the obligatory wanking at home) and is an enormous improvement over the very early Mark III "black dot" I had prior.
The "black dot" had a killer R1 (maybe even 'better' than the G/S) and a fairly wicked (but a little fizzy) Lead channel, but as you all may know, the "black dot's" R2 channel's tone/character and levels sucked pond scum... It suffers a HUGE drop in volume and the R2 tone was not at all good to my ears....
I am contemplating having the R2 volume control mod performed on my current Mark III. The R2 tone and character I am totally happy with. I would just like to balance the levels, especially at louder volumes. R2 cranks up pretty well compared to R1! I have read the "R2" mod posts and reviewed the photos posted by fellow forum members and really appreciate this info. The posts seem to explain things fairly well.
I have been advised by a few folks to send the chassis to Mike B. at Mesa for the mod work, but it would seem the work to perform is relatively routine - that is, of course, you have a qualified tech perform the work.
I have even been advised to have Mike perform the "Red Stripe" mod to the amp! Holy ****! Wasn't the "RS" two prior 'incarnations' of the Mark III??? I don't know about that and I wouldn't want to have the Class 'A' power section changed to triode from pentode if that's also a part of the "Red Striping" mod... What next? A Mark IIC+ mod??!!
I would like to know the results those that have performed the R2 mod on their amps have had and if it was successful! I don't need the Slave Out Level control, so it can go there.
Next question: Power tubes! I like (forgive me, Mesa lovers!) the killer 'Marshally' tones I can get with the Mark III amp and I think a lot of that has to do with 2 EL34s in the two outer power tube sockets. We all know what Mesa says about the tubes that need to go there in a SimulClass amp, yadda, yadda, yadda....
Over on that 'other' forum (ahem!) a lot of guys were saying that there's "no problem running 4 6L6GCs or 5881s in their Mark III amps... even in SimulClass amps! That the tone was even more 'Mesa-like' and that's 'the best' combination for the Mark III/IVs.
Others stated the 6L6GC/EL34 combo was essential for the best possible tones out of this amp. Some of the guys I know better and respect over there leaned towards the 6L6GC/5881 x EL34 mix of tubes. I agree with them, but am not that knowledgable over a long time/history with the Mark amps.
Power tube types even clouded the issue all the more. Opinions vary widely from Sovtek 5881s to JJs to Mesa-labeled to Winged "C"s to Svetlanas to C6A7s to E34Ls, etc.... I guess I won't blow the amp just trying it out!
Any insight, opinions and info will be appreciated!
Brian
I have just a few questions about my "recently acquired" Mark III "green stripe" SimulClass amplifier. It's in mint condition which is always nice, it already sounds smokin' from what I have played ( a few gigs plus all the obligatory wanking at home) and is an enormous improvement over the very early Mark III "black dot" I had prior.
The "black dot" had a killer R1 (maybe even 'better' than the G/S) and a fairly wicked (but a little fizzy) Lead channel, but as you all may know, the "black dot's" R2 channel's tone/character and levels sucked pond scum... It suffers a HUGE drop in volume and the R2 tone was not at all good to my ears....
I am contemplating having the R2 volume control mod performed on my current Mark III. The R2 tone and character I am totally happy with. I would just like to balance the levels, especially at louder volumes. R2 cranks up pretty well compared to R1! I have read the "R2" mod posts and reviewed the photos posted by fellow forum members and really appreciate this info. The posts seem to explain things fairly well.
I have been advised by a few folks to send the chassis to Mike B. at Mesa for the mod work, but it would seem the work to perform is relatively routine - that is, of course, you have a qualified tech perform the work.
I have even been advised to have Mike perform the "Red Stripe" mod to the amp! Holy ****! Wasn't the "RS" two prior 'incarnations' of the Mark III??? I don't know about that and I wouldn't want to have the Class 'A' power section changed to triode from pentode if that's also a part of the "Red Striping" mod... What next? A Mark IIC+ mod??!!
I would like to know the results those that have performed the R2 mod on their amps have had and if it was successful! I don't need the Slave Out Level control, so it can go there.
Next question: Power tubes! I like (forgive me, Mesa lovers!) the killer 'Marshally' tones I can get with the Mark III amp and I think a lot of that has to do with 2 EL34s in the two outer power tube sockets. We all know what Mesa says about the tubes that need to go there in a SimulClass amp, yadda, yadda, yadda....
Over on that 'other' forum (ahem!) a lot of guys were saying that there's "no problem running 4 6L6GCs or 5881s in their Mark III amps... even in SimulClass amps! That the tone was even more 'Mesa-like' and that's 'the best' combination for the Mark III/IVs.
Others stated the 6L6GC/EL34 combo was essential for the best possible tones out of this amp. Some of the guys I know better and respect over there leaned towards the 6L6GC/5881 x EL34 mix of tubes. I agree with them, but am not that knowledgable over a long time/history with the Mark amps.
Power tube types even clouded the issue all the more. Opinions vary widely from Sovtek 5881s to JJs to Mesa-labeled to Winged "C"s to Svetlanas to C6A7s to E34Ls, etc.... I guess I won't blow the amp just trying it out!
Any insight, opinions and info will be appreciated!
Brian