Mesa questions

[jgcable]

I would like your Mesa opinions on the following amp heads. If you had one please chime in and help your old pal Johnny G out. I have never owned a Mark Series or the F series so I need to know if you think. I play everything from blues and jazz to metal but nothing heavier than Dokken or Priest.
Mark IIc+
Mark III
Mark IV
F30
F50

[toejam]

Re: Mesa questions

Well, I've got an F30 combo... it will do all those sounds you want. The crunch channel has plenty of gain, but it's even got a contour boost to boost the gain and scoop the mids a little bit (kind of like the amps they put the graphic eq in set to the V shape). I usually like a lot of gain, but I've only got it set to about the 2:00 or 3:00 position; that's plenty for me.
It's also got separate reverbs for each channel, and the clean channel has a bright boost pull pot on its gain control. It's got two EL84 tubes with four 12AX7s. It is pretty loud for its wattage rating. If you want more power, the F50 will work if you like 6L6 tubes.

[taxistationary]

Re: Mesa questions

I've got the short head version of the Mark III, it kicks maximum ass. I traded my Triple XXX for it. The tonal range is fantasic on it. It can do blues, country, classic rock, and even higher gain stuff like Dream Theater, Ozzy, ect. It's got so many options for gain structure, and EQing, but the only part that sucks is that you can't tap into ALL of the amps tonal variations unless it's tweeked, but, you can get a great clean and lead sound together without having to adjust. I run it into a Mesa 4x12 Recto slant cabinet with V30's in it. Now go get one...

[jgcable]

Re: Mesa questions

It is a toss up for me. There are a few amps I am looking at. This time... resale value has nothing to do with it.
I have had the giant jones for Chuckracers JP-10 since he first got it. It is only a single channel 10 watt amp but the tonal range is staggering. From Blackface to Hiwatt to Marshall to almost Soldano in 1 amp. The sound clips I have heard are totally clean. guitar-amp-cabinet. They sound really good. It is also hand made by one guy totally _James Peters) which is also cool. I have never owned a boutique amp and the mystique really has my interest. Chucks is a cool color and it has an effects loop which is a must for me with a single channel amp. The resale potential on an expensive single channel 10 watt amp head from a relatively unknown maker is pretty bleak though. For once, this doesn't bother me.
I just retubed my Carvin MTS3200 with E34L's so I have the 100watts of Marshall tone I crave for gigs.
The other amps I am interested in are the Mesa Mark Series amps. Mark IIc+, Mark III and Mark IV.
There reputations speak for themselves but that Peters JP-10 really has something about it.
Any opinions?

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Mesa questions

mark III
mark IV
DC-10
and .50cal (el84)

mark III and the .50 cal kick ass but are limited by using only 1 sound at a time. (but twisteramps made me a killer footswitch mod so you can use the clean ch. and lead ch. at the same gig.)

the mark IV is the be all end all of the mark series. but IMHO it's to F-ing complicated. all i ever wanted it to do was sound like the mark III and it took forever to get it to do that. but you can use all the ch.'s at a gig no problem and the FX loop footswitching is killer. (leave the delay pedal on and plugged in to the outlet and stashed behing the amp. and use the footswitch to turn the loop on and off.
plus you can get pretty much any sound you want with all the options.

i've heard good things about the F-series. it took over for the dual caliber series and i love the calibers! (except the .50cal+ 6L6 ver. = its kinda week)

bassically if you want to tweek for a long time but acheive perfection, go mark IV.

if you want to plug in, turn up, spin a couple of dials and be there. I'd go DC-10! great F-ing amp!

mark III falls in between those two. great amp. takes a little tweaking but not too much. (also they sound different dependant on which version or "stripe" you have.) these amps were really tweaked year after year during their production run.

the .50 is a little smoker! not as balsy or as loud. but plenty loud. great lead guitar amp. very smooth. the el84's really sound great especially when cranked. i'll never sell mine.

~John E.

[toejam]

Re: Mesa questions

[ QUOTE ]
I have had the giant jones for Chuckracers JP-10 since he first got it. It is only a single channel 10 watt amp but the tonal range is staggering.

[/ QUOTE ]
I was checking out Chuck's Classified ad and noticed a link to someone else who was selling one... the clips were very cool, and the heavy one of Exodus' Fabluous Disaster sounded very nice!

[siggy14]

Re: Mesa questions

I have owned the mark iv and the DC50 and both are great amps and will get you what you want, however you will have to crank them and as everyone seems to be saying you will defintly have to tweek and tweek and tweek......... For me i am personaly trying out the Randall Module system, they are getting great reviews and since i play so many different styles of music i like the fact that i dont need to crank up another amp just to get that sound.....

[Inearthed]

Re: Mesa questions

[ QUOTE ]
It's got so many options for gain structure, and EQing, but the only part that sucks is that you can't tap into ALL of the amps tonal variations unless it's tweeked, but, you can get a great clean and lead sound together without having to adjust.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, that was my biggest gripe with the Mark III I had! It could nail some awesome tones but there was the problem of using just one tone at a time! I found myself constantly having to find a compromise between a clean tone and a high gain tone.

[Emthrax]

Re: Mesa questions

Yes... what Big Toe said!
I have the F50 combo and I love it.
You could play anything from blues to metal and everything in between with it, and you can easily switch between two channels- it's very smooth.
Yes, it has 2 6L6 power tubes, and 4 12AX7 preamp tubes. It's beefy and crunchy, but also sparkly clean and warm.
It's simple and easy, just plug in and play. Don't let the simplistic look of it fool you- it is an amp to be reckoned with. [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

Em

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Mesa questions

I'm dying for an F30 now. It is a LOT more versatile than I thought it would be. Probably my ideal amp for my situation right now.

Like Em said, the F-Series is quite simplistic looking. It only took me 20 minutes to play around with it fully to get tones that I loved.... am I am NO amp guru, especially compared to yourself jgcable. Although, I thought there was infinitely more gain in the F30 than I'd EVER need... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] I ran it at about 10:00 gain and it was already so freakin' thick. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] And the clean channel is wonderful melty warm clean, especially with the great reverb in there.

Although, I know nothing when it comes to amps and electronics, so probably my post here is rather useless. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[jgcable]

Re: Mesa questions

Can you explain exactly what the contour does. Does it increase the volume or just the gain? Is is similar to switching the EQ in or out of a Dual Caliber series?

[diffrent strings]

Re: Mesa questions

Speaking of the f series what type of effects are you running through it?

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Mesa questions

it scoops it and adds more gain.
(modeled after the graphic eq on and in the classic V shape)

[toejam]

Re: Mesa questions

[ QUOTE ]
it's even got a contour boost to boost the gain and scoop the mids a little bit (kind of like the amps they put the graphic eq in set to the V shape).

[/ QUOTE ]
Hey, didn't I already say that? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Wayniac]

Re: Mesa questions

I have had 3 MK IIC+'s and a MK IV. The IV can do just about anything, though it is a different sound than a recto, and different response than a Marshall. It took me 4 months of tweaking to get my sound.. then all it takes is someone to hit one knob (push in in a pull pot, or change any tone knob by 1/2, and poof - you have to tweak for hours again). You do need to compromise a bit between the clean and dirty. I think Vince and Kragen (Prototype) swear by the III or IV (I believe they use IV's)
The IIC+ I kept is Imbuya, and it has a GREAT tone. It does a great clean and a great dirty, but won't really do "both" real well.
I personally like the way my ENGL responds better, but the IIC+'s tone is as good or better in some spots. Not so much better, as different...