The Famous...

[alpepiman]

Hey guys,

I am very curious about the famous Mark II C+. I have heard great things from forums and internet. What do they sound like? Are they low gain or high gain? Do they sound like a channel from the Mark IV? The Mark IV is currently my favorite Mesa, althrough I haven't tried any other Mark amps. Please guys, tell me more about this amp and how it sounds.

Thanks a lot guys.

-Al

 

[screamingdaisy]

In terms of tone/gain, if you've used a MkIV try to imagine the same amp with only two channels (R1 and LD) and a shared EQ.....that's basically what a MkII is.

The MkIIC+ lead tone is more open and dynamic than the more compressed sounding MkIV, but until you try one the above description should be close enough.

 

[Bullen]

The Mark IIC+ is the most sought after Mesa amp. It´s one of those mystical, mythical amps that keeps getting more and more legendary.

Tone is a difficult thing to describe, and I have never played a IIC+ so I´ll leave that to the other guys with experience of the amp.
However, I can pass on some of my knowledge.

The Mark IV is a great amp and it´s capable of similar sounds, but I think everyone here will say that it can´t really compare to the IIC+.

It is a two channel amp and it was made for just a bit over a year (84-mid 85 or something like that), and there were only like 2000 made or so, and fully loaded ones (eq, simul-class, rev etc) are even less common.

If you can find a IIC (a lot cheaper), Mesa can convert it to a IIC+. It´s been said that the IIC+ is a big improvement on the "C" version.
It´s supposed to have the best sounding and feeling lead channel of all the Mark series amps and a very good clean channel.

Of course, it being the amp that Metallica and John Petrucci (Dream Theater) used for years hasn´t hurt the amps reputation either.

They are rare, and therefor very expensive in the used market.

 

[alpepiman]

I thought it was pretty low gain, the amp model for it on my PODXT Live has barely any gain even with it cranked.

 

[Howitzer]

Well the amp is vaunted for its clean channel, sounds like your model is modeling the clean channel. Do me a favor if you dont believe me. Go listen to Master of Puppets and tell me it is a Low gain amplifier.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I thought it was pretty low gain, the amp model for it on my PODXT Live has barely any gain even with it cranked.

Master of Puppets, And Justice For All...., Metallica (the black album).....

Hetfield's main rhythm tone is that amp double tracked against that amp slaved into into a Marshall's power section.

 

[Bullen]

On the "Justice" album they used a Mesa Strategy 400 for a poweramp not a Marshall amp - straight from Flemming Rasmussens recording notes. But MOP used the Marshall amp as a poweramp.

I have played the POD versions of the IIC+´s two channels, they are nowhere close to the real thing. I don´t know what they modelled them after, but the real amp has a lot more gain and the tonality is also off. I felt that the clean version was closer, but the lead was off.

The IIC+ should have close to the gain that the Mark IV has, just voiced a little differently.

 

[Boogiebabies]

I have three and they sound just like a bucket of KFC. Greasy, Fat and full of fattening cholesterol.

You will never really know unless you play one, and the inlies the rub.
Good luck finding one just to play.

There is a nice Imbuya on E-Bay. I bet it goes for over 3K.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mesa-Boogie-Mark-IIC-Simulclass-reverb-EQ-WOW_W0QQitemZ7400376654QQcategoryZ43374QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


P.S.

Not mine..

 

[alpepiman]

I found some guys recording on thegearpage.net and it sounds insane, so smooth and warm. I want one!!! A hardwood one would be awesome, but I can't afford that now. I have the F-50, and I definitely need a Mark amp, the F-50 doesn't quite cut it for me.

 

[brianf]

There is a nice Imbuya on E-Bay. I bet it goes for over 3K.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mesa-Boogie-Mark-IIC-Simulclass-reverb-EQ-WOW_W0QQitemZ7400376654QQcategoryZ43374QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

..

For such a rare amp 3,000.00 is not a lot of money at all. I'm dying to try one of these. There was a nice one at a local vintage shop about a year ago. I do not remember what it was going for. I was there looking at an older Martin and the sales rep was trying to get me to check the 2C+ out. I had no idea then what it was. Just some old Mesa amp. I think I might have said something like "What would I want that old thing for"? :lol:


Ahhh grasshopper.

brianf

 

[srf399]

I don't care how bad you need the $$$ no sane player would ever sell that unit!!!!... Shesssshhhh I'd sell my ...kids...wife...body first!!!! I hate to judge but why would someone sell that unit!

 

[srf399]

I love my MKIV widebody but I would love to loosen up the lead channel a bit so that if is closer to the MKIIC+

Any suggestions?

 

[fdesalvo]

I've never heard the MKII sound remotely close to the MKIV in terms of gain. We had to play on one in a few instances where we couldn't transport our own gear. And I did alot of tweaking to no avail. In the end, it sounded like a slightly overdriven fender! Where was I going wrong?

 

[lockbody]

That sounds like a IIB. Those are fairly low gain, right?

 

[phantomlord2oo]

the the mark iv and the mark iic+ are "supposed" to have the same lead circuitry. with that said they can sound simular but the mark iic+ will sound better. but there are differences like in the transformer that the mark iic+'s used which aren't being made anymore. that had a lot to do with the mark iic+'s sound and are very sought after.

i just got a mark iic+ coliseum head of ebay for under $1800 shipped and it's a MONSTER! it doesn't have reverb, simuclass or the eq, none of which i needed and it's awsome!

fdesalvo: did you have the amp on the lead channel? you can get an overdriven fender sound out of the rhythm channel.

alpepiman: basically you'll be looking at things like this.
the mark iv sounds great, currently being made, cheaper, comes with all options (reverb, EQ, simuclass etc.), can come quite close to the mark II c+'s tone and it very very very flexiable.

the mark iic+ sounds better (distortion wise, never compared the cleans), only has 1 set of controls for both channels (which may render the clean channel into overdrive depending on how you like your distortion set), rare (especially with all options and good condition), and very pricey.

+Mike+

 

[JDGuitaristT]

There is a nice Imbuya on E-Bay. I bet it goes for over 3K.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mesa-Boogie-Mark-IIC-Simulclass-reverb-EQ-WOW_W0QQitemZ7400376654QQcategoryZ43374QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

..

For such a rare amp 3,000.00 is not a lot of money at all. I'm dying to try one of these. There was a nice one at a local vintage shop about a year ago. I do not remember what it was going for. I was there looking at an older Martin and the sales rep was trying to get me to check the 2C+ out. I had no idea then what it was. Just some old Mesa amp. I think I might have said something like "What would I want that old thing for"? :lol:


Ahhh grasshopper.

brianf

I'll let you try my '84 wide chassis fully loaded IIC+ head for 3K...I'll even let you keep it!