scored a beat up mark IVa today. A vs B content...

[JimAnsell]

i found this sitting at a guitar center around here. its a 11/90 mark IVa. sn in the low 1100's.
i took it home for 850 out the door.
its beat up pretty bad, but the chassis is spotless, and its electronicly perfect.

right away i noticed some differences between this and my mark IVb.
i'm starting to like this A version better. the lead channel is definitly a bit more agressive and mark III like. in fact the whole amp sounds more akin to a mark III than my mark IVb. its like an "in between" amp.
the reverb kicks ***. its so deep and nice, and doesn't sound bad on the lead channel like the newer ones. you guys know what i mean... that trebely coating the reverb leaves on the lead channel on the IVb.
this one sounds more like outboard tube/spring verb! maybe it has to do with the 12at7 based reverb driver or something.

 

[ketiov]

$850?! Awesome price!

 

[JimAnsell]

i think with the way it looked, they just wanted it out of there :lol:
the cabinet is even starting to come apart on the top left, but 1 small nail will fix that if it ever becomes a problem.
this thing has been AROUND!

sounds friggin beautiful though.

thats kinda why i want to keep it looking like ****.
just to show off how beat up they can get and not sound anything but perfect.

 

[kmanick]

Hmmmm somewhere between a III and IV?
that sounds like it would be pretty awesome sounding.

 

[Xqzdust]

thats kinda why i want to keep it looking like sh!t.
just to show off how beat up they can get and not sound anything but perfect.

I tend to like my stuff a little on the ratty side just so I don't beat myself up over dents and dings that I inflict. Anyway there are always people converting to head and cab configuration that have combo cabs for sale.

 

[JimAnsell]

one weird thing i noticed about this amp, is that i've never seen a mark amp without the 4 screws on the front pannel.
this one had 4 screws on the baffle going from the inside out, obviously not going far enough to touch the grill cloth.
it kinda looks weird.
it has the sus 4 mount, and all the other tell tale signs of an early mark IV. the fan placement, the pop in castors on the bottom, the extra tube holder, etc.

but that logo, and that front grill strike me as something you'd see on a DC or a studio caliber or something.

who knows.
i

 

[boogietone]

I have an A and a B version and like the A more. It is more organic. The harmonics seem to jump out better. The clean is better and the reverb is way better. Do yourself a favor and throw a NOS Mullard CV4024 in the Reverb socket of your A version. The reverb will thank you for it. It sounds amazing! Also, two effects loops!

 

[JimAnsell]

way ahead of you.
i have an old IEC labeled mullard in there now :lol:

but you're absolutly right about it being more organic.

 

[Whoopysnorp]

Jeez man, how many Boogies do you have anyway?

Wanna buy my 4x12? :lol:

 

[JimAnsell]

i have 3 right now.

i've owned probably 30, out of the well over 100 different amps and cabs i've over the last 8 years.
i kept track of it all on a .doc file for a while, but eventually lost track.
i'm a gear *****, what can i say.

 

[ANIMATED SUSPENSION]

What tubes are in it ? You can't really compare like for like unless they are the same.....apart from the 12at7 of course ! Looks cool !