MK2b to MK2c+ "is mine 1 of the few"

[dgl333]

How do i know if i have one of the few MK2b's that CAN b e modded to a 2c+

 

[Boogiebabies]

:?

 

[justanotherboogieplayer]

Hi,

I have one of those IIBs modded to C+, too.
The amp has been checked by Mike Bendinelli in 8/2003 and Mesa-Boogie added a letter, which says that it is one of those few modded ones.
There were only 24 Bs converted to C+, because it is much more than a modding, it´s kind of "rebuilding" to do the mod.
They had to change the circuit board and that was only done a few times during the production period of the IIC+. Later on it was never offered again.
On my amp there is a mark on the chassis: "IIB to C+" , which you can find, when you pull out the chassis from the cab. And you can find MB and the + on the back. The front has been changed, too. So it says "Pull Deep". Ser.nr. and the day of birth (marked between the tubes) is fitting to the IIB aera.
Maybe Mesa-Boogie can tell you more, when you tell them about the ser.nr. or send the amp for a check.
Pics from the inside would be helpfull, too.
BoogieBabys is very knowledgeing, maybe he can see, if it´s a C+, now.

I like my modded IIB very much. It is the best amp I ever owned.
I have another C+, which was born as a C+ and I like the modded IIB more. They both are fully loaded. I also owned two other C+s, which were a 100/60 W, RV and a 60 W, RV, no EQ. Those have been superb amps, too. But I sold them, to buy another fully loaded one, which I´m waiting for at the moment. I hope to have it next week.

From all the C+s I owned/heard, the modded IIB is the one I like most.

Maybe you are one of the lucky owners of those very rare and great amps.

 

[Boogiebabies]

 

[JeffT]

I have a Mk2B I bought new and changed to a C+ when they came out. Is it rare at all?

 

[yettoblaster]

Gee, I once had a IIb that ran EL-34's. I think I remember a 100/60 switch, and no reverb.
What did the mod do? Was it to 6l6's?

It was years ago.
I seem to remember it had two inputs, the second of which was one less 12AX7 stage, so I could get a pretty good clean.
It was cream colored with brown speaker cloth.

 

[Boogiebabies]

 

[igfraso]

Hi,
I have one of those II-B modded to II-C+ by replacing the original PCB with the RP 11A circuit board.

The amp was checked and serviced by Mike Bendinelli last January and Mike wrote a letter saying that it is one of those few modded ones.

It is a hardwood combo (Brazilian walnut, also known as Imbuya) and has the export transformer.

 

[Boogiewan Kenobi]

BB is right,

Mike B did about 15 to 20 IIB to IIC+ rebuilds. They are very rare. Not any different than a stock IIC+ but they are cool in that they have the IIB chrome knobs. Always loved that look better than then later top hat knobs!

BWK

 

[JimAnsell]

i had one of the b to c+'s.
i sold it for only 1700 back in 2003 or so.
but i only paid 1200 for it.
it did sound phenominal.

 

[justanotherboogieplayer]

Hello Jim,

finaly I own three fully loaded MK IIC+ s and did own three others (100/60W, two 60W no EQ) but still my first one, which is the one I bought from you in Nov 2003 is the one I like most.

As you verry correctly say: It sounds phenomenal

thank you once more for selling this amp to me.
It is living in a beautifull hardwood cab now, driving an JBL D120F.

Did you ever try these speakers, they are great

 

[MrSlate]

I also have one of the few converted MarkIIB's. I got pictures of the insides before I bought it and sent them to Mike Bendinelli at Boogie and asked him if it was a real MarkIIC+. he said without a doubt.

I bought the amp off eBay for $1200 because no one bid on it because no one believed it was real. and sent it to Mike for a thorough check up. He converted it to a Simul-class and did some messing around, and sent it back to me, certified that is was a C+. (He remembered converting this one from a MarkIIB back in the day, there were special markings)

It sounds incredible.

The bad part is, he ran out of the 105 transformers. (I guess I bought the last one he had laying around) so the Simul-class mod can't be done anymore to a C+ without sounding different then the true C+ amp. He can use other transformers, but the tone will be a little different according to Mike. Some may like it, some may not.

There are frauds out there, I just happened to be lucky and knew what to look for. Mike helped more then he should! A great guy!

According to Mike B, there were only 14 of these mods done as it was really expensive and a huge hassle as the guts were basically replaced. But if someone had the $$ and didn't care how much it cost, he did it for them.

 

[Paul Secondino]

I have to ask, what does the stock 2b sound like? I have never seen one in person let alone heard one. Yet there are so many on ebay all the time for sale .

 

[hans-jürgen]

There is a general problem with the balance between rhythm and lead channel, because the latter always is too boomy and muddy when you dial in a nice Fender-like clean sound with enough bass. I don't know if the MKIIC+ conversion helps in that issue though, I tuned the lead channel of my 1979 Mark IIB myself.

 

[Paul Secondino]

How is the clean tone and gain factor / tone compared to say the mark 3 ? Thanks