Anyone using a Mesa Boogie MK III?

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Badronald

Badronald

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I used a MK II for years and LOVED it. I'm thinking of picking up a MK III Green Stripe in great shape and wondering if anyone has any comments.

I know they are all around great amps. Nice reverb. Great loops. 300 watt EV.

This one has a bias mod so you can heat it up. They run real cold stock. There's also a rhythm volume mod on a cocentric pot so you can get the clean and gain channel volumes even.

Thoughts?
Thanks!
 
Good amps. I've had my blue stripe for about 6 years now. Anything in particular you're looking to know? Reverb actually sucks on them, and R2 is kinda weak unless you boost it.
 
Good reverb would be good but not the be all end all. I have effects for reverb so it's not really a big deal. My old MK II was a head and I used it with 4x12's so it sounded huge. Are the 1x12 combo's big sounding? I typically play places with decent pa's and I have extension cabs, so I can get it to thump if need be. But, I also play places where I'm not able to mic the amp so I just crank it up.

It's local so I would be able to play it before I buy. Just looking for general "hey those amps kick ass opinions!" Or, "no there was a lot of problems with those amps"

Thanks.
 
I never used the 1x12, so I can't comment on that. There's some mod you can do to make the reverb better.
 
I've had a red for a while. It's a good amp, but probably the first I would sell. I mostly just keep it on the lead channel. I don't use the other channels or reverb, but that's pretty much the same as all my amps :) It has a very clear, tight tone with a lot of tweaking available.
 
The Lead channel is so good... I really like it with my Les Paul, but with a Strat its killer too.

The R2 is nice.
 
My Purple is my main amp. Mine has verb but I never use it. Killer clean tones. Very bouncy fenderish. And the lead ch rocks. I use it with my punk band and with my 50s 60s pop rock cover band. Very versatile.
 
Sounds like you can't go wrong with this one, it has the R2 volume and bias mod, thats all the III needs to be done. I would pass if it doesn't have the GEC, (But that's just me) and the 1x12's sound a little boxy until you get them up to band volume (and thats like 1.5 on the master)
Reverb can be made to sound good with a mod if you don't like it, and amp with the EV is heavy, but all in all a good amp.
 
Fun amps, I have a Coliseum 180watt Mark III and it is pretty awesome. I did the R2 mod on mine the first week I had it. Graphic EQ is pretty much a must have with these amps, or you're going to want to put one in the loop. Without the Graphic EQ they sound nasal as hell. Also run the bass really low on the front panel and then boost it with the graphic - otherwise they mush out really bad.

Pete
 
fishyfishfish":3vi5cjqe said:
Sounds like you can't go wrong with this one, it has the R2 volume and bias mod, thats all the III needs to be done. I would pass if it doesn't have the GEC, (But that's just me) and the 1x12's sound a little boxy until you get them up to band volume (and thats like 1.5 on the master)
Reverb can be made to sound good with a mod if you don't like it, and amp with the EV is heavy, but all in all a good amp.
Click to expand...

GEC?
It does have a graphic EQ.
 
Boosted R2 was my favorite Mark III sound.

They are great amps, but my issue was that all 3 channels sounded (to my ears) like the same channel with more or less gain. No change in the voicing.

But, if that's not an issue, go for it!
 
I have the '86 Mk III 1x12 combo. I did the R2 mod my self and my tech fixed the reverb (bad transformer and some other stuff) along with replacing caps and it sounds great. I dont have the G Eq but the amp is great. Loud as hell but I only have the one with 2 6l6 tubes, so 60 watts? Also have the Black Shadow MC90 speaker. For a Mesa 1x12 Mk III combo its a great amp. Had it since '94. Its a Mesa not a Marshall or Fender so dont try to get other amp tones out of it cuase it will still sound like a Mesa :lol: :LOL:
 
If you like the Mark series then you will not regret it. Imo the mark iii is more raw and agressive than other series (i had a blue stripe). It can cover a lot.
 
MKIII black dot user since 1986

EQ, Verb, No mods, short head stacked on two 1x12 Black Shadow open backs:

[~]
[O]
[O]
 
My singer has a red stripe. Sounds extremely similar to his IIC++.
 
Ive had a mesa coli blue stripe- awesome amp, I own a mesa coli red stripe w/ r.2 mod and rev mod+ the original mKIII ev/celestion 4x12 cab and it kills,slays, and devastes..It is much rawer than the mkIV and I love the IV too....U just hav to take your time w/ the controls.....Listen to early Night Ranger,Stryper,Metallica,Journey,Steve Luke, the Whitesnake album,Loudness's Akira Takasaki---these all were mK III users that got killer tones onto tape w/ the MKIII...
 
Killer amp for sure. The only killer is its switching capabilities (or lack thereof).

Regardless, the tone is definitely there!
 
I used 2 of them for several years, I got killer tones out of them, but had to have 2 volumes and a lester toggle on the guitar to pull back the neck volume quite a bit when switching to a clean tone due to the first gain stage being common to all the channels. I got used to it and it was passable. Hard to get pristine cleans any other way. Semi dirty cleans were no problem
I also had an issue with the accutronics tank vibrating on clean tones when the amp was a combo, I rack mounted it and it solved the problem.
If your not using it to gig with none of that matters ;) They get some great tones
 
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