which stripe mark III sounds the closest to a c+?

[JimAnsell]

the other guitarist in my band has a fully loaded c+.
basicly he doesn't want to take it to gigs, so what is the mark III that sounds the closest to the mark IIC+?

 

[user 2126]

Blue stripe, like many said the gain structure and control layout is nearly identical as it is on the IIC+ but one contributing factor of the IIC+ tone is the transformer used specifically for that amp.

 

[Reeko81]

I don't agree...
I have a mark III blue stripes, and a friend of mine has a mark III red stripes.

Well...before modding my mark III blue stripes to mark IIIC+ , his red stripes was more near to mark IIC+...it has a smooth lead without those high spikes of blues stripes, but clean on red stripes is not clean...

Now that i've modded my mark III to mark IIIC+...well..what a difference!!!
My friend is astonished by the great changes in my lead sound...and now he wants his head modded too!
It's really like a IIC+ with a supersmooth and fluid drive,and a good sparkly fenderish clean, but obviously can't be a IIC+ without those original trannies....

 

[Bullen]

Yeah, I´ve heard that the red stripe is closer to the IIC+. The blue stripe is supposed to be more aggressive. The poweramp on the blue is supposed to be closer to the IIC+ though.

I´ve also heard that Mike B thinks the red stripe is easier to mod to IIC+ status as it´s closer to begin with.

 

[Boogiebabies]

The Green Stripes headroom makes it a very close alternative. IMO, the Pentode wiring of the outer sockets give it the sense of the higher powered C+ power amp, yet it retains it's smoothness.

 

[Reeko81]

Hi Boogiebabies!
Today i've checked my plate voltage on my blue stripes, and it seems to be very high as on mark IIC+...I've tested a 490v value, and when playing guitar at higher setting on lead channel I've tested a 460v value.

It seems to be a high value to be a mark III...is it maybe because blue stripes has one of the closest power amp to mark IIc+???

 

[Boogiebabies]

Reeko,

490V's is very high. All of my IIC+'s put exactly 483V out at idle and barely move under load. Now, a standard PT may have a variance of + or - 20V. An export PT should actually put out only about 460V. After the Black Dot's used the remaining 105 transformers, the III PT should only put out 460-465V. It's the same OT and PT used in the first 500 Dual Rectifiers which consistently read 440-460V. With that kind of plate voltage and Mesa's use of over filtering a power section, your MK III may be a fluke. A happy accident if you think about it with IIC+ modifications and headroom to spare it may be more like a IIC+ than some real ones.

 

[Reeko81]

Well....if it has to be considered an accident!!!!!
It is a real luck!!!
I couldn't believe at my eyes when i tested today....but tested several time...and I got always the same value...490v....
What a great luck!!

 

[Elpelotero]

Reeko,

490V's is very high. All of my IIC+'s put exactly 483V out at idle and barely move under load. Now, a standard PT may have a variance of + or - 20V. An export PT should actually put out only about 460V. After the Black Dot's used the remaining 105 transformers, the III PT should only put out 460-465V. It's the same OT and PT used in the first 500 Dual Rectifiers which consistently read 440-460V. With that kind of plate voltage and Mesa's use of over filtering a power section, your MK III may be a fluke. A happy accident if you think about it with IIC+ modifications and headroom to spare it may be more like a IIC+ than some real ones.

it's been a while since i last talked about this stuff...wasn't the OT on the Mark3's identical to the those on the c+, except for the printed number? wouldn't this mean my dual recs have an OT identical to the one on my c+? this is what i've understood it as for a while now.

 

[Boogiebabies]

No, the MK III PT is not the same as the IIC+.
Only a few early black dots had the 105. The only other choices were the X101 and 60. The OT's were the same but with a different part number. The early III's had the SC-562019B and quickly went to the 562003 and finally with the Green Stripe the MK IV PT was used. The 562004A. I don't think they were making 60/100 Green Stripes when the DR came out. They were using whatever surplus 60/100 PT's and OT's on the DR. Mesa never wasted anything.

 

[ursinus]

No, the MK III PT is not the same as the IIC+.
Only a few early black dots had the 105. The only other choices were the X101 and 60. The OT's were the same but with a different part number. The early III's had the SC-562019B and quickly went to the 562003 and finally with the Green Stripe the MK IV PT was used. The 562004A. I don't think they were making 60/100 Green Stripes when the DR came out. They were using whatever surplus 60/100 PT's and OT's on the DR. Mesa never wasted anything.

What about the Coloseum MKIII. I had one of these, wish I had never sold it. What was the difference in Trannies on these as opposed the the Reg MKIII and IIC+?

 

[Reeko81]

I can't still believe how luck i've been...
I'm still checking and testing again but voltage is still the same...490-495v....
or maybe is my multimeter....LOL!

 

[ursinus]

I can't still believe how luck i've been...
I'm still checking and testing again but voltage is still the same...490-495v....
or maybe is my multimeter....LOL!

When the batteries get low, meters will usually read higher voltages. Also, you should check voltages with all the knobs set to zero. Hope that helps...

 

[Reeko81]

Tested with fresh batteries...but....still the same...
490-500v...

Well i can say I got a mark IIIC+ with enough balls.....

 

[Shep]

reeko,is that with a export tranny?

 

[Reeko81]

Yes you got it!
It is an export model with that adjustable voltage rotary pot.

 

[Shep]

same as mine... i am thinking about the c+ mod to my new blue stripe...it's a fully loaded one and sounds great...but it can get little high spike's in it like you said...

i would most likely get a tech to do it for me...i am right now learning how to build amp's but still not confindent enough to pull my mk iii apart...lol..

looking at the schmatic's i see there really isn't to much to change.. if i do get it check and modded i will get the plate current measured...

 

[rholap]

No, the MK III PT is not the same as the IIC+.
Only a few early black dots had the 105. The only other choices were the X101 and 60. The OT's were the same but with a different part number. The early III's had the SC-562019B and quickly went to the 562003 and finally with the Green Stripe the MK IV PT was used. The 562004A. I don't think they were making 60/100 Green Stripes when the DR came out. They were using whatever surplus 60/100 PT's and OT's on the DR. Mesa never wasted anything.

What about the Coloseum MKIII. I had one of these, wish I had never sold it. What was the difference in Trannies on these as opposed the the Reg MKIII and IIC+?

The Coliseum had transfomers from their bass amp line... they are huge. I know.. I have one

And yes the Red stripe is the closest to the C+, per my conversation with Mesa when I dropped off my amp for a checkup.

 

[Shep]

the mk III any stripe simil sound great...what more could you want ..

 

[Boogiewan Kenobi]

The Red is really the closest practically speaking to a IIC+

As mentioned, the subtle wiring specifics of the Green make it "electronically" akin to the IIC+.

Having had them all, I would say the Red wins.

BWK