Mystery-stripe Mark III...

[Natron]

New here, guys. So.. hello!

Yesterday, I picked up a Mark III head from a local seller. It was described as a red stripe version. The stripe on the back looks like it could have been either purple or red, though. It's kind of faded and hard to tell. The serial is 181XX. I checked the Mesa/Boogie serial number registry and see purple AND red stripe amps with serial numbers both above and below that range, though.

Is there any way to tell them apart either internally or externally?

 

[Natron]

Oh as a quick update, the build date scribbled on the chassis is 10/1986 if that makes a difference.

 

[Boogiebabies]

I would give Mike Bendinelli a call Monday at Mesa. I don't think anyone here has taken the time to blueprint all the stripe versions, but the only easily evident thing that I could find on a red stripe that was different was a 180pf ceramic disc cap soldered to pins 2 and 3 on the V3A. I looked at the boards from a black dot, purple, red and green stripe.

Good Luck.

 

[Natron]

Update: Here's a picture of the amp (medium head, right?) and the stripe. The stripe is obviously faded from being scrubbed/cleaned/whatever. The camera's white balance wasn't spot on either so the hue isn't quite right.. but this looks purple to me. Yes no? The purple stripes I've seen have been much darker.. but the red stripes I've seen don't have as much blue hue mixed into them.

So... haha. :?:

Also, I see reference to a lot of "red stripe" amps being made in 1986 and mine was made near the end of 1986 in October... or does that mean diddly squat?

 

[bpm91]

******* you got the red striper I was going to get on Sunday!

 

[Schmoog]

I'm going to go ahead and call that a purple stripe. the red stripes are pretty plainly red. not like the green/blue debates we've had sometimes.