The C+ Mode

[Shang Chi 66]

now i know why john's 5's are getting modded and basically he hinted to me that the mod will NOT be for the public

Did I miss something in another thread? Petrucci is getting his Mark V heads modded?

I,d like to know more, and how true this is myself. Truth or rumor?

 

[richb]

from the beginning i think i was like one of the first to know that the mark 5 was gonna happen.i actually put in a order for a new head a few weeks before Namn(people were still doubting me)...
After Namn the whole question about the C+ mode was a question for all of us and most of the C+ owners didn't think it was possible due to different parts etc...
now that the amp is out to the public,I was told The C+ mode is all hype!
it doesn't have that tightness of a IIC+ Nor does it have the response and even worse it sounds too tinny,to thin!
Now i haven't played one yet and held off on adding money to the order
but as a lead players prospective(i'm disapointed)..
now i know why john's 5's are getting modded and basically he hinted to me that the mod will NOT be for the public
I'm just going to cancel the order which the store owner already must know(a friend of mine)
BUT,My IIC+ will always stay with me and it's just a work horse of a amp!
Honestly how can any thing compare...
as far as thinking the Mark IV can pull of IIC+ tones(me for one never thought that but I think the Mark III Red stripe most def get close)!
so Mark III RS owners,keep em"
Gas is always a ***** but don't believe the Hype!
IIC+ FOR THE WIN!!!
Richb

Of course i wouldn't expect any IIC+ owner who dished out a lot of money to admit or think that the V can get close. And chances are the people trashing the IIC+ on the V probably haven't even played a IIC+, not meaning you since you own one.

But remember how bad the IV was trashed for anyone even thinking it was in the same league as a IIC+. Now, they're seen as this iconic amp. And i think it's way too early to tell with an amp that just came out with fresh tubes in it to compare it to amps that have been around for 25 years.

yeah i know what you mean about it maybe too early to really tell.everyone dials in there amp differently some alot better than others because all of our ears are different.i consider myself to dial in mesa amps very,very well..
i've been hearing the same thing over and over about the IIC+ mode in the 5 and to be honest it's not just from some guy named joe who lives down the block,it's from a few guys who know how to dial in mesa's as well.
bottom line is "I need to have hands on" then i'll go from there.
Richb

 

[richb]

now i know why john's 5's are getting modded and basically he hinted to me that the mod will NOT be for the public

Did I miss something in another thread? Petrucci is getting his Mark V heads modded?

I don't think you missed anything.I never mentioned it until this topic came up about different tones from the IIC+ mode on the MK5.
when john's off tour,i see him about 1 or 2 times a month,we talk gear(Mesa) and guitars(his sig EBMM BFR's) effects,and about old friends etc...
I asked him about his proto type MK 5 we talked about it and thats when he told me he was getting a "A" Rig build for him with Modded Mark 5's for the new tour.(now please understand this)!
IF and he said IF he likes the new rig's tones he'll use it on the remainder of the tour.IF NOT,he will use last years RIG which will step back up to being his "A" Rig!
Richb

 

[richb]

now i know why john's 5's are getting modded and basically he hinted to me that the mod will NOT be for the public

Did I miss something in another thread? Petrucci is getting his Mark V heads modded?

I,d like to know more, and how true this is myself. Truth or rumor?

Truth,I don't spread rumors!
Richb

 

[richb]

now i know why john's 5's are getting modded and basically he hinted to me that the mod will NOT be for the public
Richb

oh man that is like a steel capped boot kick in the nuts to me... the first truly disheartening thing that has made my incoming amp a little less special.

Why's that?
Richb

 

[danyeo1]

from the beginning i think i was like one of the first to know that the mark 5 was gonna happen.i actually put in a order for a new head a few weeks before Namn(people were still doubting me)...
After Namn the whole question about the C+ mode was a question for all of us and most of the C+ owners didn't think it was possible due to different parts etc...
now that the amp is out to the public,I was told The C+ mode is all hype!
it doesn't have that tightness of a IIC+ Nor does it have the response and even worse it sounds too tinny,to thin!
Now i haven't played one yet and held off on adding money to the order
but as a lead players prospective(i'm disapointed)..
now i know why john's 5's are getting modded and basically he hinted to me that the mod will NOT be for the public
I'm just going to cancel the order which the store owner already must know(a friend of mine)
BUT,My IIC+ will always stay with me and it's just a work horse of a amp!
Honestly how can any thing compare...
as far as thinking the Mark IV can pull of IIC+ tones(me for one never thought that but I think the Mark III Red stripe most def get close)!
so Mark III RS owners,keep em"
Gas is always a ***** but don't believe the Hype!
IIC+ FOR THE WIN!!!
Richb

Of course i wouldn't expect any IIC+ owner who dished out a lot of money to admit or think that the V can get close. And chances are the people trashing the IIC+ on the V probably haven't even played a IIC+, not meaning you since you own one.

But remember how bad the IV was trashed for anyone even thinking it was in the same league as a IIC+. Now, they're seen as this iconic amp. And i think it's way too early to tell with an amp that just came out with fresh tubes in it to compare it to amps that have been around for 25 years.

yeah i know what you mean about it maybe too early to really tell.everyone dials in there amp differently some alot better than others because all of our ears are different.i consider myself to dial in mesa amps very,very well..
i've been hearing the same thing over and over about the IIC+ mode in the 5 and to be honest it's not just from some guy named joe who lives down the block,it's from a few guys who know how to dial in mesa's as well.
bottom line is "I need to have hands on" then i'll go from there.
Richb

I've only heard a few people that complained about the IIC+, most people seem to like it the best, i do. I've owned 2 IIC+'s since 1999 but i had to sell both for various reasons. But i played a ton of gigs with the first one i had and it never let me down. I still have that tone in my head and initially, i think the V is pretty close. Funny thing is, i have played a few IIC+ amps in the same room that sounded different. And the one that sounded best to me was a 60 watt non-simulclass.

My buddy Gainfreak, Ralph, lives out on LI. Not sure if you know him? I get out and hangout when i can to steal some licks off him, he's a sick player.

 

[shred_nadin]

Why's that?
Richb

My guitar hero isn't happy with a stock product that i just laid 5.5 G (AU) on... and i cant get the mod ... just doesn't sit right... i can't help it, just the way i feel. :|

 

[danyeo1]

Why's that?
Richb

My guitar hero isn't happy with a stock product that i just laid 5.5 G (AU) on... and i cant get the mod ... just doesn't sit right... i can't help it, just the way i feel. :|

The amp kills in stock form and Petrucci will use a huge rack along with any amp he uses anyway. Don't waste your time worrying about what he does. It's late and i played the V for a few hours and it KILLS. The only mode i don't like is Edge. The IIC+ sounds great, the more i use it and tweak the better it sounds.

 

[glawk]

No one actually really thought the V could sound anything like the Mark IIC+ did they? The mark V gets about as close the C+ as the triaxis did...not saying that is a bad thing. If you want 2C+ you have to buy that amp, if you want a new amp with a faux C+ channel then get the Mark V.

 

[shred_nadin]

The amp kills in stock form and Petrucci will use a huge rack along with any amp he uses anyway. Don't waste your time worrying about what he does. It's late and i played the V for a few hours and it KILLS. The only mode i don't like is Edge. The IIC+ sounds great, the more i use it and tweak the better it sounds.

of course, and if the mod was setting the V up so it was Ch 1 Ch3 Ch3 (like his iv's i believe?) or switchable between modes i wouldn't care. i'm a recording guitarist for the most part, i have extreme stage fright issues, (i actually developed a permanent stutter from stage fright). i just dont like the idea of changing the general characteristics of the amps actual sound or how the modes are... if that is at all what is being done...

 

[MarkIVwidebody]

You guys kill me talking down the IIC+ mode. Are we supposed to believe you or Mesa when it comes to the guts of the Mark V? I only heard 2 different Mark IV's but they almost sounded like 2 different amps even though they both kicked ***. I'm sure IIC+'s sound different from each other meaning-some Mark V's IIC+ will sound better than some original IIC+ amps. Agree?

 

[rectokiller]

i was thinking the same thing. i found a IIc+ for sale and am thinking about snagging it, but having not owned one ever how do i know i will like it as much as the IIC+ channel on my mark v. sheesh to think that i bought the v just because of the legend of that amp but now im scared it wont be the same.

 

[glawk]

You guys kill me talking down the IIC+ mode. Are we supposed to believe you or Mesa when it comes to the guts of the Mark V? I only heard 2 different Mark IV's but they almost sounded like 2 different amps even though they both kicked ***. I'm sure IIC+'s sound different from each other meaning-some Mark V's IIC+ will sound better than some original IIC+ amps. Agree?

I agree, but there are certain characteristics that are retained across all 105 C+'s... pick attack, touch sensitivity, tightness, those super liquidy smooth mids, and a very present high end that doesn't sound shrill or tinny.

The differences you talk about with the two IV's could be attributed to a number of things. Tubes used, tube order, cables (don't even get me started on this...), subtle knob differences (we all know how sensitive these push pull knobs are) etc.

I'm not putting down the C+ mode, I think it sounds fine as is. It just isn't as good as a real C+, and nothing Mesa produces here on out will be. Just the differences in production alone affirm this. Neither fender nor marshall have been able to replicate their classic amps (they have had over 50+ years to do it), why would Mesa be any different? You might be able to fool the average listener, but not the microphone and certainly not the person playing the amp.

 

[JOEY B.]

I agree, but there are certain characteristics that are retained across all 105 C+'s... pick attack, touch sensitivity, tightness, those super liquidy smooth mids, and a very present high end that doesn't sound shrill or tinny.

The differences you talk about with the two IV's could be attributed to a number of things. Tubes used, tube order, cables (don't even get me started on this...), subtle knob differences (we all know how sensitive these push pull knobs are) etc.

I'm not putting down the C+ mode, I think it sounds fine as is. It just isn't as good as a real C+, and nothing Mesa produces here on out will be. Just the differences in production alone affirm this. Neither fender nor marshall have been able to replicate their classic amps (they have had over 50+ years to do it), why would Mesa be any different? You might be able to fool the average listener, but not the microphone and certainly not the person playing the amp.

I have two "105" original Simul/EQ/Rev C+ amps, that were once tubed identically. Using the A/B/Y pedal that I had at the time (Lehle), one of the amps needed another .75 of a number (i.e. 7.75 versus 7.0) on the Volume 1 knob to be the same overall gain and volume as the other one. I'll chalk it up to variance in the pots, as much as any other component. :?:

 

[DudewithFr0]

Well ive never played a 2c+ but i played the mark V today and the even if it doesnt copy it perfectly is still sounds **** GOOD!!! Smooth and articulate lead tones

 

[primal]

now i know why john's 5's are getting modded and basically he hinted to me that the mod will NOT be for the public

Did I miss something in another thread? Petrucci is getting his Mark V heads modded?

I don't think you missed anything.I never mentioned it until this topic came up about different tones from the IIC+ mode on the MK5.
when john's off tour,i see him about 1 or 2 times a month,we talk gear(Mesa) and guitars(his sig EBMM BFR's) effects,and about old friends etc...
I asked him about his proto type MK 5 we talked about it and thats when he told me he was getting a "A" Rig build for him with Modded Mark 5's for the new tour.(now please understand this)!
IF and he said IF he likes the new rig's tones he'll use it on the remainder of the tour.IF NOT,he will use last years RIG which will step back up to being his "A" Rig!
Richb

Interesting.

Thanks

 

[danyeo1]

You guys kill me talking down the IIC+ mode. Are we supposed to believe you or Mesa when it comes to the guts of the Mark V? I only heard 2 different Mark IV's but they almost sounded like 2 different amps even though they both kicked ***. I'm sure IIC+'s sound different from each other meaning-some Mark V's IIC+ will sound better than some original IIC+ amps. Agree?

Yup, i have owned about 4 Mark IV's, and the version A sounds different from the B. And I've heard some differences in IIC+'s as well. My friend owned 1 IIC+ that just sounded dull, even after swapping tubes. We had a Mark IV on hand that ate it up, it wasn't close. But the 2 IIC+ heads below both sounded great and very similiar. And one is a 60 watt head, the other a simulclass.

I also owned a non-EQ IIC+ and i was never blown away by it. I mean, it sounded good, but i really don't miss it that much. I ran a 10 band MXR EQ in the loop so i was able bring down the nasally honk these amps have without the EQ. But I'll take the Mark V over the non-EQ head i had.

 

[JohnDNJ]

A big part of the "old" boogie mystique has to be the fact that they used whatever was available
while production was running. I'm sure RS wasn't (and isn't for that matter) above saving money
when purchasing raw components and that's a huge factor in the difference between so many of these amps.

"Hmm I can save 10 g's ordering x brand component instead of y and they are the same spec? Done deal."
Sometimes maybe it worked in their favor and other times it didn't.

And we all know even the slightest bit of change makes all the difference in the world tone wise. I have a
2c+ at my disposal right now and for the life of me can't get a decent sound out of it..It sounds flat as hell
and according to the serial number is a very late run of the line..like 14000ish..Probably ran out of parts,
threw whatever they were making the III with in it, and royally fucked it up. :lol:

 

[lesterpaul]

Probably ran out of parts,
and royally f%&# it up. :lol:

...doubt it
...tubes make a world of difference!!TLC TIME!!