What to buy?

[ando]

The thing with guys who are chasing the "perfect tone" is that they will never really get there. You can buy a IIC+ but I would bet that this won't be the end of it - you will still find something about it that doesn't meet the image in your mind of what you thought it could do.

The IIC+ was a great amp but Mesa did keep developing their amps because it wasn't perfect - there was a lot more they could do to improve it. Also, if you got any part of your impression of a IIC+ from listening to other players playing through one or through recordings, you are guaranteed to be disappointed because recordings are mixed/mastered/EQ'd and played through hifi systems which change and smooth the real properties of an amp. Similarly, other players play with a different playing style and a lot of their tone is in their fingers and musicality - not their amp. Have you ever play through a rig or guitar that sounded great when somebody else played it, but somehow didn't sound the same when you played through it? This is because every player must dial in their own unique tone to match the tonal properties of their own playing. Real tone is in the fingers and mind of the musician.

Unless you have personally owned or played through a IIC+ in the past and were COMPLETELY happy with the sound, I doubt that your search for your ultimate tone is over. I've owned a ridiculous amount of gear over the years and frankly, you just never get there. Now I just go with what I have and work on making my playing do the talking. There really is no perfect amp. Good luck though!

 

[elvis]

While that is all true, the IIC+ is still a great amp. It may be the one that really works for him. I can't imagine any way to find out without trying one out.

While I have the exact same experience with gear not living up to my mental picture of it, I've never quite been able to believe it until I've owned one. Thus, a long list of bought and sold gear for me. No regrets, though.

 

[ryjan]

Good for you man. Play a lot of amps before you buy one though. My Mark IV all by its lonesome with zero effects can do an uncanny MOP tone. (It only took me the better part of a year to learn how to dial it in.) The Triaxis with the 2:90 is VERY close to the IIC+ so before you pull a gaindeli, play before you buy! Make sure you are buying YOUR amp and not Hetfields amp. (I am guilty of this also, see sig). I have heard James play a dual rec and it still had the Metallica sound so his tone is more than an amp.

 

[Turumbar82]

Sometimes it's really easy to build up a piece of gear because we hear that somebody else uses it and we love the recorded sound they have on a certain album. Copying that tone exactly is next to impossible.

In my opinion you could buy a Mark IIC+, III, IV, V, Studio, Quad, Triaxis, and get those Metallica sounds that you want.

I hope you find the amp that you love though. It feels good when you are playing the amp and it's pumping out that tone you have in your head. It's like, "F%*$ YEAH!!!!" when that happens.