My 1st Mark III Blue stripe (Export) Combo - pics added

[kc_ksom]

Hi Guys

Thought I might share a score I picked up from our local classifieds, Its a Mark III - non Simul-class blue stripe (export series) funny thing is though it has EL34 power tubes, Also EQ & reverb, effects etc.

It has some problems though so its in getting repaired at a very well known local amp builder in Australia in QLD, I am very much looking forwards to hearing the amp once it comes out of retirement.
Problems that I found was that it has been sitting for so long unplayed it has some surface rust over some jacks and the switches feel a little scratchy, there is some funny ringing through the speaker (maybe tubes) and the lead channel sounds like a fuzz pedal, with a bit of luck it wont cost too much & I may have a great amp to add to my growing collection.

Will get some picks up when the amp is up and running properly. Though the clean channel did sound pretty good :lol:

Regards

Casey

 

[dearlpitts]

love to see em

 

[McBarry]

Lurve hearing' about nice Mesa scores in this great slice of paradise we have here..

Hope nothing to dramat with the repairs
Dave

 

[kc_ksom]

Yea, I hope not, I kinda diddnt say how much to stop at, so I hope it doesn't keep adding up & up, but while I only had an hour max play time on it, I could tell it's going to sound pretty good, as every now and then the boogie would sound really nice and harmonic then it would go all nasty and fuzz, I reckon most of the problem is the input socket and the power tubes, but if I kept the gain low and cranked it loud the lead wasn't to bad, but any gain past 3 was getting muddy and fuzzy. B j amps in brisbane has it at the moment and I know he makes great amps so I'm sure he will resurrect an old school Mesa. If I need anyore gain I can just use my dual recto, which now sounds friggen awesome thanks to a premium tube I found in the mark III.

Casey

 

[McBarry]

A mate lives near him, had been there a few times and played some of his amps - loves them but very exxie..
Notice he has a Mk III pic on his repair page..LOL
Keen to hear the outcome of the cause of the fault and how it sounds after the surgery.. I'll put money that you're gonna like it!!
Dave

 

[Whoopysnorp]

Mark IIIs definitely are not supposed to use EL34s in any sockets on non-simulclass models, or the inner sockets on simulclass amps. I'm not surprised to hear it has problems. I hope it can be repaired at a reasonable cost.

 

[kc_ksom]

Hi Guys

So far so good. Sounds like it is just a couple of new jacks, some new power tubes and 1 preamp tube, general pot service and valve socket service, so its looking good so far, only $230

Im still unsure of who or how it was modded, he will let me know soon enough..
Regards

Casey

 

[McBarry]

Hi Casey, any news on the amp yet - back home or still in surgery??
Dave

 

[kc_ksom]

Hi Dave


Well at this stage the last I heard was when I posted on the 5/06 when he gave me the quote, I did say to him that I was in no rush. I might send an email just for an update maybe, just to see how things are going. I am still wondering what the power section is classed as, interesting???

regards

Casey

 

[McBarry]

Yep, I'd be interested to see what mods (hopefully) were in there to enable EL34's in the outer sockets.

BUT, one of my Mk IIB's came with 6CA7's installed with NO mods inside. AND it worked very well with no sign of detriment or damage.

I gingerly changed back to 6L6's after checking the physical components and voltages etc etc, expecting some "hidden" mod to catch me out but it checked out beautifully with voltages and bias and sound. In fact, it's my main gigging amp. Go figure..

Dave

 

[kc_ksom]

Hi guys

Well the mk3 is ready, will let you know when I pick her up and see how she plays,

Casey

 

[kc_ksom]

So I got the mark back today, plugged it in, and the clean channel is still that nice fender tone, R2 gets a little bite, but I like the clean channel more. Pulled the lead channel and I still think it gets a fuzz kind of over drive, reminds me of a distortion pedal kind of tone. I havent cranked it up yet but I think it sounds better with little to no drive. I really want that liquid kind of lead tone, some YouTube clips that I have listened to sound very similar to mine, but some sound really really good. I don't think tweaking is going to get me that tone I'm looking for straight out of the boogie, I think I might start looking for some effects. Will try get some pics up tomorrow.

Cheers
Casey

 

[Whoopysnorp]

To be honest I never liked the lead tone on my blue stripe as much as I do on the purple stripe I have now. The blue stripe had more gain, but it had more of a fizzy quality to it. Those amps sort of developed to cater to '80s tastes. I think the general consensus is that the earlier ones were smoother.

 

[kc_ksom]

Hi Guys

Just adding some pics, pretty crappy camera though!!!

Its in pretty good shape, the pics dont do it justice but it needs a bit of a clean, I gave it a quick wipe, but that done jack!!

regards

Casey

 

[kc_ksom]

I don't think tweaking is going to get me that tone I'm looking for straight out of the boogie

How wrong was I, this thing sounds insane!!! I would not have thought that I could get that Petrucci tone from this combo just by tweaking the treble & bass. The tone controls really play so much a part of how the lead channel is voiced, I was blown away at how easy it was to play, crank the treble & bass up, play around with the eq sliders, holly ****!!

I am really blown away actually because the difference in how much the treble & bass added to the distortion tone, it really made it tighter & sustain more, I have never had an amp thats done that, even the dual recto you cant do that too...

But anyway, its a keeper for sure..

regards
Casey

 

[McBarry]

Nicely done Casey,

hope it's out gigging soon and sharing it's toons to the masses..

DB