Using my Mark II C+ again

[mikebu]

My Mark II C+ I bought new when I was a teenager has sat in my basement for the last 15 years. I want to start playing again with my kids and was wondering what I should do before using it.

I am currently planning on sending it to a authorized Mesa Boogie repair facility, http://www.ericksonaudio.com/, and have them do whatever they think is necessary. It still has all the original tubes.

Sidenote: I didn't know about the C versus C+ thing until last night and thought I just had a C until I looked and saw the + mark above the power cord.

Any tips much appreciated...

 

[DaveP]

I would plug it in and test it.If it ain't broke why fix it. If it is in need of repairs it better to send it to Mesa and have Mike B do the work. He is the one who's initials is under the cord. Holds better value that way.
Gotta love a closet classic find.

 

[tony777]

PICTURES or this never happened :lol:

 

[mikebu]

I'll upload some pictures tonight. Just got off the phone with Mesa Boogie and they want me to send the amp to them and have them give it a once over. They talked with Mike B and because it sat for so long and how old it is they don't want me to turn it on without it being hooked up to a variac.

The amp is a 60 watt combo white tolex w/ black speaker cover with Reverb and EQ options. I bought it in the early 80's directly from Mesa Boogie. I also have a 1981 Gibson Les Paul Custom that has sat for 15 years and needs some neck/fret work.

Can't wait to get everything running and teach my 11 year old son some power chords...

 

[Elpelotero]

wow, great story. I'd get the les paul working again also. Those 2 are a match made in heaven!

 

[mikebu]

Here is the Amp with a 13XXX Serial Number and it is completely stock with the original tubes. It is going on a trip to the Factory:

Guitar is going off to get fixed at the Mike Lull repair shop here in town. I'm tempted to have them remove the Kahler Tremolo bar I foolishly put on.

 

[kiff]

The best thing to do is sell it to me for $500. Then you can get your son a Line6 combo that has tons of effects. All of that ear candy really impresses the kids!

:lol:

seriously tho, welcome to the forum

 

[straitouttahell]

I would plug it in and test it.If it ain't broke why fix it.

If this amp has been laying in a corner for the past 15 years the P/S electrolytic caps may have suffered that. Firing it up may result in a loud "BANG" with burnt smell all around, as some cap shorts shifting the restoration costs from a few dozens to a few hundreds bucks.

I think it is wise to send the amp for a check before turning it on.

 

[DaveP]

I love the smell of burnt caps in the morning.

But if he sent it in and they fire it up and they blow anyway it's the same cost to replace them. They just don't get the fireworks.
Better to be safe and have them give it the once over at Mesa I agree.

 

[Old BF Shred]

I would plug it in and test it.If it ain't broke why fix it.

If this amp has been laying in a corner for the past 15 years the P/S electrolytic caps may have suffered that. Firing it up may result in a loud "BANG" with burnt smell all around, as some cap shorts shifting the restoration costs from a few dozens to a few hundreds bucks.

I think it is wise to send the amp for a check before turning it on.

+100000000000!!!!!!! 8)
Unless you have a variac or a current limiter of some kind, the risk of further damage from the caps being dried out and shorting is pretty significant. 15 years is a long time, after all.
If you don't have these tools, your local tech shop should be equipped with these. I would add that you might call Mesa or check their website, for an authorized service station that will have all the documentation, tools and experience to get the amp properly checked out/restored. (Oh and I now see you had a link to such a place.....good choice!)

Good luck with that!

 

[Jim Ed Love]

Put some WCR pickups in the Les Paul while you're have it set up, they sound great with the MKIIC+.

 

[dodger916]

Contact board member Boogiebabies. He just did a complete tune-up of my C+. Highly recommended.

Also read this: http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=18184&highlight=mark+iic. Note who wrote it.

By the way, welcome to the Board!

 

[mikebu]

Thanks for the info...

At this point my amp is on the way to the factory.

My Guitar is at a local place here getting some neck/fret work done and they are going to remove that Kahler bar I put on and patch the hole that is there. It's going to take 3-4 weeks for that to be done.

Going to take my son down to Guitar Center to look at guitars and get him his first guitars. Any guitars in the ~$500 I should avoid or look at?

 

[Elpelotero]

There are lots of great guitars in that price range. You can even get something a little more expensive if you purchase on Black Friday (next Friday the 27th) as they have lots of deals that day and you can haggle them down.

I would say go for a guitar that SOUNDS GOOD UNPLUGGED. It needs to ring unplugged. Pick up every guitar in that price range, and hit 2 or 3 open chords with it. If they ring, put it aside. If they sound dull, put it back. Then narrow down your search from there.

Also think, there are super thin necks, baseball bat necks, 24 frets vs/ 22, strats, humbuckers, etc. Lots of options.

 

[tonefreak25]

There are lots of great guitars in that price range. You can even get something a little more expensive if you purchase on Black Friday (next Friday the 27th) as they have lots of deals that day and you can haggle them down.

I would say go for a guitar that SOUNDS GOOD UNPLUGGED. It needs to ring unplugged. Pick up every guitar in that price range, and hit 2 or 3 open chords with it. If they ring, put it aside. If they sound dull, put it back. Then narrow down your search from there.

Also think, there are super thin necks, baseball bat necks, 24 frets vs/ 22, strats, humbuckers, etc. Lots of options.

+1 here, also if you are from where I think you are from there are some other good guitar shopping options in the neighborhood. But GC Black Friday might be really hard to beat.

 

[mikebu]

I'm in the Seattle Area. I'd rather give a smaller store my business then Guitar Center. Who do you suggest...

 

[av8or3]

I would say go for a guitar that SOUNDS GOOD UNPLUGGED. It needs to ring unplugged. Pick up every guitar in that price range, and hit 2 or 3 open chords with it. If they ring, put it aside. If they sound dull, put it back. Then narrow down your search from there.

+1 on the above. He's talking about resonance, some of the best advice ever. It won't only sound good when it's unplugged, it will sound much better when you do plug it up. Better tone, sustain,ect. Every time I pick up a guitar in a store I play several 7th/9th chords and listen for the ring THROUGH the body. Some have it, most do not.
Great advice Elpelotero!
Jim

 

[Jim Ed Love]

Thanks for the info...

At this point my amp is on the way to the factory.

My Guitar is at a local place here getting some neck/fret work done and they are going to remove that Kahler bar I put on and patch the hole that is there. It's going to take 3-4 weeks for that to be done.

Going to take my son down to Guitar Center to look at guitars and get him his first guitars. Any guitars in the ~$500 I should avoid or look at?

You did the same thing I did by putting a Kahler Tremolo on your Custom. I wish I knew at the time that the Kahler is not good for playing the high e string higher on the neck. The sustain and bite is really lacking.

Put up a pic when you get the guitar back. I would like to see how the patched job comes out.

 

[mikebu]

Well I did end up giving Guitar Center some business. Took my son down there and he played all the guitars in my budget for him ~$500. He ended up loving a Purple PRS SE Allender. So I bought it for him along with a 15 Watt Line6 Spyder IV amp. Guitar plays really nice and it may be cheesy but I am having fun with that Line6 amp. It has some fun sounds. My son is happy and wants me to teach him to play.

I'll post up some pictures of the Les Paul after the work. It will take probably 3 more weeks until it is done. I'm almost having second thoughts on doing this but what the heck.

My daughter is also starting to play drums and I just ordered her a Tama Rockstar drumset. She has been playing rockband drums that last year or so and has learned alot from that.

 

[av8or3]

Well I did end up giving Guitar Center some business. Took my son down there and he played all the guitars in my budget for him ~$500. He ended up loving a Purple PRS SE Allender. So I bought it for him along with a 15 Watt Line6 Spyder IV amp. Guitar plays really nice and it may be cheesy but I am having fun with that Line6 amp. It has some fun sounds. My son is happy and wants me to teach him to play.

I'll post up some pictures of the Les Paul after the work. It will take probably 3 more weeks until it is done. I'm almost having second thoughts on doing this but what the heck.

My daughter is also starting to play drums and I just ordered her a Tama Rockstar drumset. She has been playing rockband drums that last year or so and has learned alot from that.

Very cool indeed. My wife wanted a guitar, so I got her a nice one (Ovation), it now spends all of it's time in the case sitting in the corner of the living room. My youngest son wanted drums, he got 'em and now they are holding down a rather large outdoor table (to keep them off the ground) in a corner of our basement. He later took up the ukelale.
Oldest son...not interested.

Now whenever I play at home I usually wait for everyone to leave so I don't have to listen to whining about how loud it is.
It's great your kids are interested...very cool indeed.
Jim