I have gone back and forth on this for sometime, but I've finally decided to buy a beat up Mark II from a local starving musician with the goal of fixing her up and adding to my growing list of Mesa Amps. Funny how that happens. I'm paying more than I should, but he's starving and this amp could use a good home and some TLC. I think of it in the same terms as rescuing a stray dog. The serial number is Mark IIA, but the features are Mark IIB weird. It has the V4 empty and is 60/100 which I think is cool. No EQ, No Verb, but still an early hand made boogie. I hear the clean is great on this so why not. I'm only posting this here because I can't talk to my wife about the score for $o many reason$, so you all will have to do. Thanks for listening, I feel better already.
Rescuing an old beat up Mark II
- Thread starter carlosasi
- Start date
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bigmouth
Well-known member
sounds just fabulous and like the right thing to do ... 
phyrexia
Well-known member
I played a coworker's IIB the other day. It was the first IIB i've ever played and I have to say I did like it a lot. It is able to cover some ground my III cannot. What kind of speaker is in your amp? This one I played had an MS-12.
What do you mean is has the V4 empty? Is there a socket but no tube, or do you mean the chassis is punched but there's no socket?
What do you mean is has the V4 empty? Is there a socket but no tube, or do you mean the chassis is punched but there's no socket?
The tubes are str 430 The speaker is a "fender musical instrument speaker":evil: but I have an extra EV 12" 200 watt just waiting. I am also trying to buy an Altec 417 to play with. The V4 chassis slot is punched but nothing resides in the hole, much like Keith Richards Mark 1 posted on this site the other day.
What I'm most excited about is the 60/100 set up. Since I have the simul in my III this will give me another totally different sonic playground to explore.
The speaker is a "fender musical instrument speaker":evil: but I have an extra EV 12" 200 watt just waiting. I am also trying to buy an Altec 417 to play with. The V4 chassis slot is punched but nothing resides in the hole, much like Keith Richards Mark 1 posted on this site the other day. What I'm most excited about is the 60/100 set up. Since I have the simul in my III this will give me another totally different sonic playground to explore.
phyrexia
Well-known member
Nothing really wrong with 430s but there are lots better tubes out there. Get you some GT 6L6GEs or some SED 6L6GCs. A lot of people like the 440s too, though.
What's the serial on your amp?
What's the serial on your amp?
Serial 3316
I think the front panel is set up more like a IIB but I could be wrong.
VTBM and Master, Lead Drive and master. P bright on the volume, shift on the treble, and p bright on the master.
If the footswitch pops or I can drive the gain with a volume pedal it will tell me more
Well see how it sounds tomorrow.
I think the front panel is set up more like a IIB but I could be wrong.
VTBM and Master, Lead Drive and master. P bright on the volume, shift on the treble, and p bright on the master.
If the footswitch pops or I can drive the gain with a volume pedal it will tell me more
Well see how it sounds tomorrow.
Good score Carlosasi.
I think I eyed that one too - posted on CL a few times, with no EQ?
If it functions well, then the price was fair. I'm confident that the older Marks will only appreciate in value over time, so I wouldn't worry about paying too much. You'll probably make money if you ever decide to sell it.
P.S. Hey George, stick to cruising for amps in your own state - let us in MA have a chance to pick up some of these Mesa's too :lol:
I think I eyed that one too - posted on CL a few times, with no EQ?
If it functions well, then the price was fair. I'm confident that the older Marks will only appreciate in value over time, so I wouldn't worry about paying too much. You'll probably make money if you ever decide to sell it.
P.S. Hey George, stick to cruising for amps in your own state - let us in MA have a chance to pick up some of these Mesa's too :lol:
I'm going to pick it up in a few hours. I plan on taking the tolex off down to bear Baltic Birch. Sand it up nice, maybe stain it a cool color. I've got the new speaker coming soon. For sure it needs knobs, corners and maybe new tubes. I'm dying to see what the preamp tubes are. They are supposed to be original.
Wow. This thing was more beat to **** then I thought. Face plate caved in, knobs chipped, missing silver domes. Miss matched power tubes, (1 ge westinghouse made in England 1 Fender 2 Mesa STR 430). Looks like original pre-amp tubes however. It does indeed have the fetron switch but no fetron in V1 just a 12AX7. Called Mesa and confirmed that both the IIA and IIB share the same front control set up, but the back (with effects loop) determines the difference. The mystery continues there however as the back of this unit has a jury rigged send and return labeled in white out. At first you would think someone had it modded, but inside is a stamped plate from Mesa detailing this effects loop to match the labels. So I'll load some new 6l6's and plug it in tonight just to hear it, then I'm sending it to Boogie to have it re-capped, rewired to remove the fetron and re whatever? Ill do a pre and post pic thing when I have a chance.
