The older the better

[Appleridge]

Welp, just got a mark IIb. No loop mod. Needs a little help: (sliders are half functioning…a few push pulls are debatable) I’m going to send in to the man (MB) because it’s what anyone should do to protect their investment while he still graciously provides his services. A comment before it goes…

This amp sounds fantastic. I own a III+, IVb,V, and a VII. I’ll start by saying the IIb choice on the VII is funny... The VII’s version of a IIb is quite far off to my ears.

Regarding this IIb, why are these not as popular? It’s a SRG, 83 ish serial number. The clean is awesome and the distortion is fantastic! I’m going to send it in for the loop mod for sure (plus have give it a general service), but I was just surprised how great it sounds bone stock. I expected something less since they don’t get a lot of attention. My goal is a poor man’s C+…I was told a loop modded late serial number IIb is what I need. We will see, but I really like this thing so far. I think the VII and V’s days are numbered! The older the mesa product I get, the better it sounds!

 

[kmanick]

I wonder as well, I don't know much about them but I stumbled across this video and , damn it sounds freaking great to me.

 

[Appleridge]

Great example of a guy that knows how to tweak a Mark! Sounds fantastic. That 240 slider way up there is interesting. I’ll have to fiddle when my IIb comes back…between 1 and 12 months I’m told ha! He must be getting busy or deciding to take more time to himself. Either way, looking forward to getting it back.

 

[user 41014]

The older the mesa product I get, the better it sounds!

This is my general sentiment at least to the IIB for the Marks.

I dropped some amps off for mb this month and he was just getting caught up. He has already started working on my amps a couple weeks later so you should be on the sooner side of 1-12 months.

Send him some amps people before he starts thinking about kicking his feet up!

I have a few more for him to help out with an abundance of the 80's poly-positive-ended filters I have in a bunch of amps. Mike has said those filters need to come out. I'm going to get them all upgraded this year and mb is going to get about a 1/3 of them. With mb officially not doing mods anymore I would like a couple more loop mods in before the plug gets pulled completely.

 

[Appleridge]

Yeah IIb is as far back as I go and thanks for the info on MB. I’ve had him work my IVb and my III+ green. Very pleased with both. I may add a different stripe III and do the ++ mod…who knows!

I see that guy in the video is running an attenuator. Ever try one on your marks?

This is my general sentiment at least to the IIB for the Marks.

I dropped some amps off for mb this month and he was just getting caught up. He has already started working on my amps a couple weeks later so you should be on the sooner side of 1-12 months.

Send him some amps people before he starts thinking about kicking his feet up!

 

[Alien Watts]

My introduction to using Mark amps was a friend had a IV and kept telling me it’s the greatest thing, and I told him I really wanted a IIi. He said the older amps were no good and was all about his IV. I played through his amp for a while and wasn’t overly impressed and then he mentions he has a IIB in the other room. So I had him dig it out and it immediately spoke to me. No matter the setting it breathed and I fell in love. I begged him to sell it to me but he wouldn’t go for it. I bought my blue stripe shortly after that.

 

[user 41014]

Yeah IIb is as far back as I go and thanks for the info on MB. I’ve had him work my IVb and my III+ green. Very pleased with both. I may add a different stripe III and do the ++ mod…who knows!

I see that guy in the video is running an attenuator. Ever try one on your marks?

No - to quote Bowie, we both like young and we both like loud.

Most of my Mark IIB's are coli's- it kinda ruins the speaker wind storm and fun turning that down. I love my Sigma acoustics (and a couple Martins) for singing outside- that is my low noise option - gotta love 40-50 year old wood on a sunny day in the shade.

 

[Alien Watts]

…between 1 and 12 months

Yikes! My Blue stripe is in transit to him right now. I was assuming maybe three months. Oh well, I have a green and a JP so I’ll be ok, but maybe I should send my green now too…

 

[FedWar]

Mark iib went through different iterations, from RP9A pre amp board which is more loose on the bass side to the RP9C which is tighter (gain pull is also changed to pull deep), similar to the IIC.
I have a vintagey RP9A SRG loop modded by MB and I Love it.
The loop is now usable and the amp has gain for days. Compared to The IIC+ (which I own btw) I would say that it has the 3d quality and feel while keep its own voice.
I usually love to use the IIB in vintage config, with treble shift and all the pull bright pushed in. More often than not with geq disabled to say how good is it.