Mark III without EQ - add eq?

[Thrashman]

So, I found a 60watt mark III head for a nice penny - but it has no 5band eq.

would i get the same effect as the 5band eq by adding an external eq in the loop, and just adding/subtracting the frequencies that the mark parameters do?

 

[Elpelotero]

No, you won't, unless you get an expensive and high end parametric EQ.

The mesa 5-band has frequencies that are exclusive to Mesa alone. All other companies use different frequencies. In addition, the Mesa EQ is of true audiophile quality, meaning it's very clean in design and doesn't subtract or introduce noise. Other pedals will introduce noise or rob tone.

A parametric EQ will let you pick the same frequencies Mesa uses and then boost or cut as desired. But for the money you'd spend on a nice pedal or rack eq, you can just get an amp that includes the eq already.

 

[phyrexia]

It is possible to get very similar effects with a regular pedal EQ so long as you use a nice pedal.

 

[kmanick]

I would think an MXR 10 band in the loop wil get you plenty close enough.
My Red Stripe has the on board EQ and I still use my MXR 10 band in the loop to "fine tune" it
for different types of tones or set different sounds between R2 and lead.
it's some of the best $90.00 you can spend gear wise (IMO).

 

[phyrexia]

Best $20 I ever spent with music was on a metronome. Second best $20 was my Danelectro EQ which was (surprisingly) less noisy than the Boss GE7, the MXR 7 band, and the Behringer 7 band. :lol:

 

[msi]

Depending on the chassis of the MK III you can have the mesa EQ added onto the amp at a later date. I would say go with a decent eq pedal see if it suites you, if not you can have the eq added when it is financially responsible. Speaking with mesa recently about getting my MK III upgraded to include an eq I was quoted 350 dollars. But for the time being an eq pedal in the fx loop is working fine for me.