Mark Series Serial Numbers

[Padd Metals]

Ok igfraso,

Here you go:
Blue Stripe head, 60 W, no rev, GEQ, rack mount.
Serial number: 271xx.

I contacted Mesa about my amp. Kris@Mesa replied me that they haven't got the exact cut offs for the different Stripes.
Will check the date from underside the chassis for you later (My rack is currently buried under a pile of guitar gear).

You're right with the strange numbers with the Mark III heads, quite an overlap with the Green Stripes! One of the last Blue Stripes ever made? Dunno...

Edit:
SonicProvocateur has a 279xx Blue Stripe: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=39411&start=15

 

[mesaboogie6L6]

My Mark III blue stripe Coli is #270xx

 

[gts]

There's a lot of overlap in the MkIII serial number. Those posted Daniel are not an exact cutoff.
And there's a lot of 'out of sequence' in serial number as relates to stripe too.
This seems especially true with the blue and green stripes.

 

[igfraso]

Sure, gts. Not an exact cutoff at all.
Lots of overlapping and out of sequence since the circuit differences among the Mark III stripes are not big so I guess Mesa could make (on request) any stripe at any time. Besides, this is purely the results of my observations in eBay and other forums which is, at best, a very narrow window.

Right now, there is in eBay a blue stripe s/n 27128. It is a 60 watter which are also strong candidates for odd numbers.
I think this is due to the fact that green stripes were mostly one-flavor power amps, almost all were simulclass (I have never seen a green stripe 60 Watter) which is what everybody was ordering at that time.
So any 60 watt blue stripe amp produced in advanced (and maybe there were many leftovers) had to wait for a specific customer order.

Yet, the intention of my post, actually, was to share some info on transitional numbers for the different Marks: I, II-A, II-B and II-C.

 

[gts]

I understand what you were doing Daniel.

It seemed Padd Metals and mesaboogie6L6 were posting their Blues Stripes (that didn't coincide with your serial number list)
as a way to dispute/question your findings. I'm probably wrong that wasn't their motive.

In any case I was merely trying to point out (for them and others ) the known serial number discrepancies.
They might not have been aware this was a known phenomena.

 

[igfraso]

Thank you, gts. I know that you were supporting me and, in fact, those two Blue Stripes are 60 watters indeed.

I am sure I have never seen a 60 watter Green Stripe and I don't even recall having ever seen a 60/100 W Green Stripe either. So the 60 W Blue Stripe extending over Green Stripe "territory" is an easy explanation and a very well know one.

However, I cannot find a reason why there is so much discrepancy with heads serial numbers.

Thanks again and best regards.

 

[Padd Metals]

Regarding Mark III serial numbers transition among the different stripes, please keep in mind there are some amps with odd numbers outside these ranges, especially heads.

- black stripe ('85): 15001 to 16715
- purple stripe ('86): 16657 to 19059
- red stripe ('87): 19100 to 21863
- blue stripe ('88~'89): 21825 to 24933
- green stripe ('89~'98): 24940 to 28386

If numbers are corrrect, each new stripe was getting longer runs than the previous stripe. In the end, you have twice as many green stripes as black dots/stripes.

Whoever has additional or conflicting information, please post it.
Regards

Hi Bros,

My motive was only to point out how right igfraso actually is with his findings on the odd amp numbers and to answer his request to post info on this matter. I'm sure mesoboogie6l6 had the same motive. Only trying to participate with respect on this serial number thing.

These Blue Stripe head serials run up close to 28000, which was a bit of a surprise to me personally. I don't know why they do so, but the reason might be as simple as follows:

My friend got his Green Stripe Simu new some time around '89 - '90. Now we started thinking, if somebody wanted a 60 watter back in the day, maybe Mesa just shipped a Blue Stripe. After all, customers ordered a Mark III loaded with a power amp section of their choice, not a specific stripe.

As this guy remembers, Mesa offered no choice between different stripes, only between different kinds of power amp sections (and of course all the other bells and whistles).

You guys have obviously looked deeply into this. As far as I understand you have found out that it is the power amp layout which separates the overlapping Blue Stripes from Greens in all Blues being 60 W. They simply called them all Mark III's on their brochures (it's a loooong time ago, does somebody have a better recollection?). Maybe back then the stripe thing wasn't as known generally...
Maybe the last shipped Mark III is a Blue Stripe... Well, they're all good!


Good job guys in hunting the numbers, Cheers!

 

[igfraso]

No worries. Maybe I should have made clear that late 60 Watter and 60/100 Watter blue stripes have odd s/n by definition since almost all (I am afraid to say "all") green stripes were Simulclass amps.

At the time, all Mark III were advertized without any reference to the different stripes. I noticed some kind of different color stripes at that time but I didn't know what they meant until I read the Boogie Files, written by Ian Dickey.

Mesa didn't disclosed at the time the different versions of the, for instance, the DC-5 (A or B) or the Rectifiers or the Mark IV (A, no-A/no-B or B), although the IV-B had a different rear panel than the IV-A and that could potencially bring up a specific question from the knowledgeable buyer.

Maybe the last shipped Mark III was a Blue Stripe, who knows!

One more thing: I have found a black stripe produced in January 86; maybe one of the last ones built.

Regards

 

[igfraso]

This sheet is Mesa's attempt to index serial numbers in sequence. They make no account for over lapping models so your amp may not fit exactly.

We can see where the whole 14,999 issue came from on the IIC+. There is no way it made it over 14,400 except for one odd 15,000 back plate.
From this info, the IIC made it from 5/83 to about 1/84 before it was fully changed over to the + around 2/84. The + was made from 2/84 mixed in with any remaining
C orders and was discontinued in 4/85 and overlapped with the early MK III. Looking at the MK III, it seems they just picked 15,000 and K500 to start
the new serial number sequence when the IIC+ left off at 1436X and the 300 series left off at K422.

Good stuff !!! Do you have pictures of Randall with a goat ?

To complement Boogiebabies' comments, I want to share the observations I gathered about the last serial numbers on the transition among Boogies chapters:

1) The last Mark I that I have seen are:
- 7/78 with s/n A2213
- 8/78 with s/n A2148
- 8/23/78 with s/n A2179
- 9/78 with s/n A2259

2A) The last Mark II-A that I have seen are:
- 8/14/80 with s/n 5574
- 9/10/80 with s/n 5022

2B) The last Mark II-B (8/80 to 5/83) that I have seen are:
- 5/83 with s/n 10654
- ?/83 with s/n 10881

2C) The last II-C (5/83 to 2/84) that I have seen are:
- 12/83 with s/n 11994
- 2/84 with s/n 12376

2D) The last Mark IIC+ (2/84 to 4/85) Boogiebabies/Ed has documented is s/n 14,36x (and there is an odd s/n 15,000, according to Boogiewan Kenobi/Ian).

3) Now, regarding the ballpark serial number transitions between Mark III stripes:

- black stripe (3/85 to 1/86): 15001 to 16715
- purple stripe (1/86 to 12/86): 16657 to 19059
- red stripe (12/86 to 1/88): 18949 to 21863
- blue stripe (1/88 to 5/89): 21825 to 24933
- green stripe (5/89 to 9/98): 24940 to 28386

Blue Stripes in 60 W and 60/100 W power amps extend into green stripe territory. All green stripe were Simulclass and fully loaded. Amps in head configuration are sometimes out of their own stripe range as well. Anyway, keep those odd s/n and manufacturing date coming.

4) Finally, for the Mark IV:

- version A ('91~'93)
- no A/no B or early B (1/93 to 12/93): s/n 5,9xx to 6,7xx approx.
- version B ('93~'08)

Regards

 

[JimmyB]

2C) The last II-C (5/83 to 2/84) that I have seen are:
- 12/83 with s/n 11994
- 2/84 with s/n 12376

2D) The last Mark IIC+ (2/84 to 4/85) Boogiebabies/Ed has documented is s/n 14,36x (and there is an odd s/n 15,000, according to Boogiewan Kenobi/Ian).

Actually, s/n 12376 is an early IIc+.

I could tell you how I know, but then... :wink: :mrgreen:

 

[igfraso]

JimmyB: I take your word; spare me!! :lol:

gts: you were obviously right. Thank you!

 

[imbuyaboy]

Regarding Mark III serial numbers transition among the different stripes, please keep in mind there are some amps with odd numbers outside these ranges, especially heads.

- black stripe ('85): 15001 to 16715
- purple stripe ('86): 16657 to 19059
- red stripe ('87): 19100 to 21863
- blue stripe ('88~'89): 21825 to 24933
- green stripe ('89~'98): 24940 to 28386

If numbers are corrrect, each new stripe was getting longer runs than the previous stripe. In the end, you have twice as many green stripes as black dots/stripes.

Whoever has additional or conflicting information, please post it.
Regards

Been quite some time since I've logged in and posted on this forum.

Interesting thread. Been some time since I've seen my MKIII (currently in storage far away in the States), yet her serial number is 16861, and she is most definately an '86 blue stripe (from the factory). Doesn't appear to fit with the info above, but hey, that's the way it is.

EDIT: As stated, can't access my amp right now, yet if anyone has good res photos of the "purple" and "blue" stripes please post 'em up, as I'd love to see them for a comparison.

Anyway, cool thread, and I love reading anything about Mark history and details.

Please continue, amigos.

John

 

[hitparader]

Apologies for responding to an older thread (I know that is frowned upon on some boards), but with respect to the transition between Mark I and Mark II's, when I placed my order in fall of 1978 I was given the choice of taking one of the last Mark I's, or waiting a longer for a Mark II. Gigs were calling, so I took the Mark I. My serial is A2283. The price seems trivial now but was a lot back in those days!

I never played a Mark II so can't say if in hindsight that was the right choice, but the amp has been trouble-free and sounding great for these past 35 years. Arthritis is taking my fingers now so she mostly sits in storage, but will be a sad day when I have to say goodbye to her.

Regarding serial numbers transition among Boogies, I want to share this info in order to add and complement Boogiebabies' on the IIC+

The last Mark I that I have seen are:
- 7/78 with s/n A2213
- 8/78 with s/n A2148
- 8/23/78 with s/n A2179
- 9/78 with s/n A2259

The last Mark II-A that I have seen is:
- 8/14/80 with s/n 5574
- 9/10/80 with s/n 5022

The last Mark II-B that I have seen are:
- 5/83 with s/n 10654
- ?/83 with s/n 10881

The last II-C that I have seen is:
- 2/84 with s/n 12376

Regards

 

[igfraso]

Steve:
can you check the date that is written at the bottom of the chassis in Sharpie?
It will probably say xx/9/78 or xx/10/78.

Thank you.

 

[Rob Lockwood]

I had always thought that the Mark II was the first channel switching Boogie and with the Mark I you had to swap the guitar lead to a different input to change 'channels'. I know that some people use an A/B box to switch between inputs 1 & 2, needing two cables from the switch to the amp, but the receipt posted by Hitparader suggests that switching is built in to the amp. Did the Mark I's have channel switching???

 

[Dude2Dude]

The numbers quoted in the original post aren't correct, at least when it comes to the IIB. My IIB (effects loop on back) has a serial number of 5381, which puts it squarely in the MK IIA range according to Mesa.

 

[hitparader]

Hi, sorry for the delay, just saw this. The switching happens at the footswitch, it just routes the signal between one of the two cables going into the amp.

[/URL]

I had always thought that the Mark II was the first channel switching Boogie and with the Mark I you had to swap the guitar lead to a different input to change 'channels'. I know that some people use an A/B box to switch between inputs 1 & 2, needing two cables from the switch to the amp, but the receipt posted by Hitparader suggests that switching is built in to the amp. Did the Mark I's have channel switching???

 

[Boogiebabies]

Research into Mesa serial numbers is not an exact science. Daniel did a great job and seems to be taking a bit of BS for his effort. All Boogie serial numbers and models overlap, so shut up and deal with it.

I owned a 2/84 IIC+ serial 12233. Twelve scholars told me it was an upgrade or impossible, yet there it was. 100% untouched factory stock. Anything is possible.

 

[JOEY B.]

Research into Mesa serial numbers is not an exact science.

Amen, brother. When I learned that the serial # was not issued until the chassis met its cabinet, things became as clear as muddy water. Said person orders an amp, cancels order before the cabinet is finished, chassis sits on the shelf until an identical amp is ordered. Dust is blown off the chassis, and several serial #'s have passed by. :shock:

 

[igfraso]

The numbers quoted in the original post aren't correct, at least when it comes to the IIB. My IIB (effects loop on back) has a serial number of 5381, which puts it squarely in the MK IIA range according to Mesa.

I have seen a II-B manufactured in May 80 with an export transformer and a high 53xx serial number. I can only think that there must have been some overlap between the Doghouse times (Mark I and II-A) and the Petaluma factory (from II-B on).